Probation Periods across 50+ African Countries: An Employer’s Guide

Looking to onboard new employees across Africa?

Develop your onboarding strategy while bearing in mind regulatory obligations like probation periods and severance.

The information shared in this guide is indicative in nature and subject to change. Before making any decisions, it is important to consult an expert to get the correct advice for your particular situation.

To further simplify onboarding and mitigate risks while growing your team, consider an Employer of Record partner such as Africa HR Solutions.

Get in touch with one of our consultants today.

Angola

Probation Period:
Open-ended contracts:

• 60 days (general).

• 120 days (intermediate roles).

• 180 days (management roles).

• 120/180 days must be agreed in writing.

Fixed-term contracts:

• Up to 30 days, requires written agreement.

Other Remarks:

• Either party can terminate during probation without notice, compensation, justification.

Benin

Probation Period:

• 15 days (casual/seasonal/temporary workers).

• 1 month (monthly-paid workers).

• 3 months (supervisors/managers/executives).

Rules by contract type:

• Fixed-term: cannot be extended or renewed.

• Indefinite: one-time extension allowed.

• Must be clearly stated in writing (Law 2017-05, 29 Aug 2017).

Other Remarks:

• Pay must match the role’s professional classification/collective agreement.

Botswana

Probation Period:

• 3 months max (unskilled employees).

• 12 months max (skilled employees).

Notice for termination:

• Min 14 days by either party.

• Termination is considered for just cause (no reason required).

Other Remarks:

• Employer must inform in writing before contract signing.

Burkina Faso

Probation Period:

• 8 days (hourly/daily-paid workers).

• 1 month (other workers).

• 3 months (executives/technicians).

• 3-month period can be renewed once → effectively 6 months for executives/technicians.

Other Remarks:

• Renewal allowed once.

Burundi

Probation Period:

• 12 months maximum.

Cabo Verde

Probation Period:
Indefinite contracts:

• Standard: 60 days.

• 6 months (technical/complex roles, must be stated in contract).

• 12 months (senior/management roles, must be stated).

Fixed-term contracts:

• Typically ¼ of contract duration, must be in writing.

Other Remarks:

• Termination possible without notice or cause (written confirmation recommended).

Cameroon

Probation Period:

• 6 months max (must be in writing).

• 8 months max (managers).

Central African Republic

Probation Period by classification:

• 8 days (hourly/daily/weekly/bi-weekly paid workers).

• 1 month (monthly paid workers).

• 2 months (first-line supervisors).

• 3 months (executive staff).

Chad

Probation Period:

• 3 months maximum.

Comoros

Probation Period:

• Common practice: 1 to 3 months (role-dependent).

Other Remarks:

• Shorter notice for termination during probation allowed.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Probation Period:

• 1 month max (unskilled workers).

• 6 months max (other workers).

• If longer is stated, it is automatically reduced to 1 or 6 months accordingly.

Republic of the Congo

Probation Period:

• 15 days max (contracts ≤ 6 months).

• 1 month max (all other cases).

Côte d'Ivoire

Probation Period:

• Not legally mandated.

Djibouti

Probation Period:

• 15 days (hourly employees).

• 1 month (monthly-paid employees).

• 3 months (supervisors/executives/managers).

Egypt

Probation Period:

• 3 months maximum.

Equatorial Guinea

Probation Period:

• 90 days standard.

Eritrea

Probation Period:

• 90 consecutive days max.

Other Remarks:

• Appointment may end without notice or severance if unsuitable.

• Employer delays before start count toward probation.

• Continued work after probation = successful completion.

• Employee may resign without notice.

Eswatini

Probation Period:

• Typically 3 months.

• 6 months maximum.

Ethiopia

Probation Period:

• 60 days maximum.

Gabon

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

Gambia

Probation Period:

• 12 months maximum.

Ghana

Probation Period:

• Common practice: 3 to 6 months.

• No statutory legal maximum in the Labour Act.

Guinea

Probation Period:

• 30 days (general employees).

• 90 days (managerial/executive roles).

Other Remarks:

• Termination requires written notice.

• Misconduct termination requires valid reason (performance, health, economic grounds).

Guinea-Bissau

Probation Period:

• Typically up to 3 months.

• Minimal notice for termination allowed.

Kenya

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

Lesotho

Probation Period:

• 4 months maximum.

Liberia

Probation Period:

• 3 months maximum.

Libya

Probation Period:

• 30 working days from start date.

Madagascar

Probation Period:

• 6 months (renewable once).

Malawi

Probation Period:

• Not fixed by law.

• Common: 1 to 3 months (role-dependent).

Mali

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

Mauritania

Probation Period:

• Common practice: 3 to 6 months.

Mauritius

Probation Period:

• Common: 1 to 3 months.

• Can go up to 6 months.

• No single statutory maximum.

Morocco

Probation Period:

• 15 days (manual workers).

• 6 weeks (employees).

• 3 months (managerial staff).

Mozambique

Probation Period:

• 90 days (general employees).

• 180 days (mid/senior technicians + management/leadership roles).

Namibia

Probation Period:

• Not legally mandated.

• Common: ≤ 3 months.

Niger

Probation Period:
Fixed-term contracts:

• 1 month max → termination allowed without notice or compensation.

Permanent contracts by classification:

• 8 days (non-monthly paid workers).

• 1 to 3 months (monthly paid workers).

• 1 month (supervisors/technicians).

• 3 months (engineers/executives/senior executives).

Other Remarks:

• Dismissal allowed without notice or compensation during probation.

Nigeria

Probation Period:

• Common practice: 3 to 6 months.

• No statutory maximum in law.

• Extension requires employee agreement or may be breach of contract.

Rwanda

Probation Period:

• 3 months maximum.

• Can be repeated once for valid reasons after written evaluation shared with employee.

São Tome and Principe

Probation Period:

• 30 days standard (unless waived in writing).

• Can extend to 180 days by mutual written agreement for complex/responsible roles.

Senegal

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

By pay category:

• 1 month, renewable once (monthly-paid workers, supervisors, technicians).

• 3 months, renewable once (engineers/managers).

• 8 days, renewable once (hourly-paid workers).

Seychelles

Probation Period:

• 6 months max unless authorized by a Competent Officer.

Sierra Leone

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

• Cannot be applied more than once unless the role is substantially different.

Other Remarks:

• 7 days’ notice OR 7 days’ wages in lieu by either party.

South Africa

Probation Period:

• Optional.

• Standard practice: 3 to 6 months.

South Sudan

Probation Period:

• 3 months standard.

• May be extended if employer believes employee shows potential.

• Termination allowed at end of 1st or 2nd month if unsuitable.

Sudan

Probation Period:

• 3 months maximum (unless training period applies).

• If no termination occurs, contract becomes indefinite duration.

Tanzania

Probation Period:

• Typically 6 months.

Togo

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

Tunisia

Probation Period:

• 6 months (execution workers / agents d'exécution).

• 9 months (first-line supervisors / agents de maîtrise).

• 12 months (executives).

Uganda

Probation Period:

• 6 months maximum.

• Can extend another 6 months with employee agreement.

Zambia

Probation Period:

• 3 months standard.

• Can extend to 6 months.

• Termination allowed anytime during probation.

Zimbabwe

Probation Period:

• 1 day (casual/seasonal work).

• 3 months (all other cases).

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