CV conventions in Sub-Saharan Africa (French-speaking)

These 22 countries follow broadly the same CV conventions: a photo is common, date of birth is usually included, 1–2 pages, and “references on request” is enough. The table below shows where individual countries differ.

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At a glance

CV conventions in Sub-Saharan Africa (French-speaking)
What it is called	CV (usually written in French or English)
Length	1–2 pages
Paper size	A4
Layout	Single column
Order	Most recent first
Dates	Month and year (e.g. Mar 2023)
Photo	Usually included
Date of birth	Usually included
Nationality	Usually included
Marital status	Optional
Right to work / visa status	Optional
References	“References available on request” is fine
Explain gaps longer than	6 months

Tips

French conventions apply; a photo and date of birth are common.
List languages, including local languages, with levels.

Countries in this group

Country	Called	Usual language	Paper
Benin	CV	French	A4
Burkina Faso	CV	French	A4
Burundi	CV	French	A4
Cameroon	CV	French	A4
Central African Republic	CV	French	A4
Chad	CV	French	A4
Comoros	CV	French	A4
Côte d’Ivoire	CV	French	A4
Djibouti	CV	French	A4
DR Congo	CV	French	A4
Equatorial Guinea	CV	Spanish	A4
Gabon	CV	French	A4
Guinea	CV	French	A4
Guinea-Bissau	CV	Portuguese	A4
Madagascar	CV	French	A4
Mali	CV	French	A4
Mauritania	CV	French	A4
Niger	CV	French	A4
Republic of the Congo	CV	French	A4
São Tomé and Príncipe	CV	Portuguese	A4
Senegal	CV	French	A4
Togo	CV	French	A4

Other regions

Guidance checked October 2026. General information for most employers, not legal or immigration advice. A job advert’s own instructions always come first. CV Atlas is not affiliated with any regulator or professional body named.