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How Shifts and Work Days Work in Lagos Life
Unofficial guide. Last checked 2026-10-10.
Shifts are the backbone of Lagos Life income. This page covers the mechanics, and leaves the salary table to the jobs page.
How to get a job
Apply from your in-game phone. Jobs have requirements, and some link to UNILAG courses. Once you are hired, you work in shifts rather than on a continuous timer.
What one shift costs you
Energy. A shift drains energy faster than anything else in the game, which is why players who work non-stop end up unable to work at all. Hunger, hygiene and bladder keep falling while the shift runs because in-game time passes. Sleep at home between shifts and eat before a run of them.
How many shifts can you work in a week?
There is no published cap. The limit is energy recovery, which is why our jobs comparator has a shifts-per-week field: it lets you test a realistic number instead of an optimistic one. Five shifts a week is a common starting point in guided examples.
Worked example for a new player
Using the reported entry-level pay of about ₦6,600 a shift:
| Line | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Five shifts at entry level | ₦33,000 | Reported entry-level pay per shift. |
| Mushin room rent | ₦2,400 | Reported weekly rent. |
| Food and other | ₦8,000 | Our calculator default, adjust to your own spend. |
| Left over | ₦22,600 | Enough for one better home or a buffer. |
This is arithmetic on reported figures, not an in-game statement. Your own pay depends on the job you hold and the shifts you finish.
Shifts and the Saturday rent deadline
Rent is taken every Saturday. Count backwards from Saturday rather than forwards from Monday, and stop spending when the rent is covered. Run the numbers in the weekly budget calculator.