The Employee Covenant Agreement is a crucial document used in Nigerian business environments to protect company interests when engaging employees who will have access to sensitive information or key business relationships. It becomes particularly relevant for senior positions, technical roles, or customer-facing positions where employees gain significant insider knowledge or develop important client relationships. The agreement must comply with Nigerian legislation, including the Labour Act, Trade Secrets Act 2020, and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, ensuring restrictions are reasonable and enforceable. This document typically includes provisions for confidentiality, non-competition, non-solicitation, and intellectual property protection, with specific attention to Nigerian court precedents regarding the enforceability of restrictive covenants.

1. Parties: Identification of the employer and employee, including full legal names and addresses

2. Background: Context of the agreement, including the employee's role and purpose of the covenant agreement

3. Definitions: Key terms used throughout the agreement including 'Confidential Information', 'Intellectual Property', 'Business Interests', etc.

4. Duration of Agreement: Term of the covenant agreement, including start date and duration of obligations

5. Confidentiality Obligations: Employee's obligations regarding confidential information, trade secrets, and proprietary information

6. Non-Competition: Restrictions on working with competitors, including geographical and temporal scope

7. Non-Solicitation: Restrictions on soliciting customers, employees, or suppliers

8. Intellectual Property Rights: Assignment and protection of IP created during employment

9. Return of Company Property: Obligations regarding return of company materials and information

10. Breach and Remedies: Consequences of breach and available remedies including injunctive relief

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction: Specification of Nigerian law and jurisdiction for dispute resolution

12. General Provisions: Standard boilerplate clauses including severability, entire agreement, and amendments