The "Excel vs. Google Sheets" Wars: Which One Will Actually Get You Hired as an Admin Officer?
In 2026, the answer is no longer "either/or"—it is Hybrid Fluency. Traditional Nigerian companies (Banks, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing) still require Microsoft Excel for its offline power and security. However, Lagos Startups and modern SMEs demand Google Sheets for real-time collaboration. To get hired as a top-tier Admin Officer, you must list "Proficiency in Office 365 AND Google Workspace" on your CV. If you can only use one, you are already behind.
The "Lagos Factor": Internet vs. Collaboration
Why do Nigerian companies fight over this?
The Case for Excel (The "Offline" King):
Reality: Internet in Nigeria can be unstable. If you are working on a massive inventory file for a warehouse in Apapa, you cannot afford for the browser to freeze.
The Power: Excel handles millions of rows of data without crashing. If you are in Finance or Logistics, Excel is your god.
The Case for Google Sheets (The "Oga" Favorite):
Reality: Your boss wants to see the sales report on his iPhone while he is in traffic on Third Mainland Bridge. He doesn't want to download an attachment; he wants a link.
The Power: "Live" collaboration. 5 people can type in the same document at once. No more "Final_Final_Version_2.xlsx" confusion.
The 5 Formulas That Pay Your Salary
Forget "Data Science." As an Admin Officer, you only need to master these 5 things to look like a genius:
VLOOKUP (or XLOOKUP):
The Problem: "Find the phone number for Customer ID #405 in this list of 5,000 people."
The Fix: Don't scroll. VLOOKUP finds it in 1 second.
Pivot Tables:
The Problem: "Summarize our total expenses for January by Department."
The Fix: A Pivot Table turns a messy list into a clean report instantly.
Data Validation (Drop-Down Lists):
The Problem: Staff keep typing "Lagos," "Lag," and "Lagos State," messing up your data.
The Fix: Create a drop-down menu so they have to pick "Lagos."
IF Statements:
The Problem: "Highlight everyone who owes us money."
The Fix:
=IF(Debt>0, "Chase Payment", "Clear").
Text-to-Columns:
The Problem: A client sent a list of names as "John Doe" but you need "John" and "Doe" in separate columns.
The Fix: Split them automatically without retyping.
How to List This on Your CV
Don't just write "Microsoft Excel." Write this:
"Advanced Proficiency in Data Management: Skilled in building automated dashboards using Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP) and managing real-time team workflows using Google Sheets (ImportRange, AppScripts)."
Final Verdict
Learn Excel for the heavy lifting (calculations). Learn Google Sheets for the presentation (sharing). If you know both, you become the "Office Magician" who solves everyone's problems.
Want to practice? Download our "Admin Practice Sheet" with broken formulas for you to fix!