Home Student & Career Tips List of 13 Highest Paying Jobs in Nigeria – 2023

List of 13 Highest Paying Jobs in Nigeria – 2023

This article contains information on a list of the 13 highest-paying jobs in Nigeria in 2023.

List of 13 Highest Paying Jobs in Nigeria - 2020

It is no longer news that Nigeria is one of the African countries with bad governance. Irrespective of this, there are still a good number of individuals who are earning well in their respective fields. Due to the high pay in some of these professions, it has become very competitive and difficult to secure employment in many of them.

The typical Nigerian worker earns between N30,000 and N200,000 per month, but there are certain professionals and specialists that make millions of Naira every month. The salary of any high-paying job in Nigeria is significantly dependent on education, skills, and experience. In fact, to get to the top of the salary list for any high-income profession in Nigeria, you must possess a set of skills that would be difficult to get from other people.

Therefore, if earning a good salary in Nigeria is important to you, you can’t afford to stop reading this article. Keep reading to learn about the best-paid careers in Nigeria.

Below are some of the highest-paying jobs in Nigeria:

1. MEDICAL JOBS

In Nigeria, those in the medical field receive high pay. While this is indisputable, there are particular people in this field who are paid higher than others.

To a layman, a doctor is ‘a person who saves lives’. A doctor is a medical practitioner who applies the principles and procedures of medicine to prevent, diagnose, care for, and treat patients with illness, disease, and injury and to maintain physical and mental health.

If you want to practice medicine in Nigeria, you must study medicine at any accredited university in Nigeria for six years, do a year of housemanship, and be Inducted. In Medicine, there are general practitioners and specialists. The specialists tend to earn more due to the extra number of years of training they are exposed to in specific areas of Medicine.

Some of them include:

  • Surgeon
  • Dentist
  • Oncologist
  • Paediatrician

DENTIST

Dentists analyze and treat dental issues and assist patients with improving their oral hygiene. They clean teeth, perform medical procedures and extractions, and perform different obligations to guarantee that the teeth and mouth are healthy. It takes six years to earn a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree in Nigeria. The average salary of a dentist in Nigeria is N250,000 per month.

SURGEON

A surgeon is a physician who treats diseases, injuries, ailments, or defects via operative methods to restore or improve body tissues. In addition to leading the surgical team of doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, surgical assistants, and so on, the surgeon also issues the diagnosis of the patient, performs the operation, and provides the patient with postoperative care after the surgery, together with any required treatment.

There are different types of surgeons in Nigeria, and they all pay well, but with the recent increase in demand for cosmetic surgeries in the country and the comparative scarcity of plastic surgeons, plastic and cosmetic surgery is the highest-paying surgical profession in Nigeria.

To become a surgeon in Nigeria, you would have to study Medicine and surgery at any National Universities Commission-approved institution. The average length of study is six years in the university and a year each for housemanship and National Youth Service. The salary range for surgeons is N400,000–N2,500,000.

However, depending on the specialization, medical personnel earn from N 180,000 to N 1,500,000 per month.

2. ENGINEERING

Engineering, as it is known, is a very prestigious profession worldwide, but engineering is vast as it has other aspects ranging from Chemical, Electronic, Mechanical, and Petroleum engineering, among others. With this, some Engineers earn more than others because of the type of engineering field in which they specialize; for instance, those in Petroleum might earn a little more than those in Mechanical engineering.

But that does not mean they all do not earn well.

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

Being that Nigeria is an oil-producing country, petroleum engineers are some of the highest-earning professionals in the country. A petroleum engineer designs and develops methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the surface of the Earth. It is the duty of a petroleum engineer to determine how much oil and gas is in a reservoir, what method is most suitable for extraction, the duration for which it would last, and lots more.

To become a petroleum engineer, you would undergo a five-year course at any approved institution in the country and acquire appropriate certification.

Petroleum engineers earn between N200,000 and N1,000,000 per month.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Mechanical engineers plan, create, and test mechanical gadgets, including tools, engines, and machines. In order to be a practicing mechanical engineer, you must earn a degree or diploma from an accredited institution.

They earn an average of N150,000–N500,000 monthly.

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Civil engineers create, improve, and secure the environment by designing, planning, supervising, developing, and overseeing the upkeep of building structures and other related structures such as rails, air terminals, harbors, dams, water system ventures, power plants, and water and sewerage systems.

Civil Engineers earn an average of N132,000–N450,000 monthly.

3. AVIATION

The aviation industry is another sector that pays some professionals well. Some of such professionals include:

  • Pilots
  • Aeronautical Engineer

AIRCRAFT PILOT

A pilot is the person who controls the flight of an aircraft. Pilots fly and navigate airplanes, cargo planes, helicopters, and other types of aircraft. They are responsible for the safety of passengers and goods being transported, as well as managing the crew team.

Becoming a pilot is a long process that involves meeting a lot of requirements, such as education, training, and licensing.

Becoming a pilot in Nigeria involves a lot of money. Aviation schools typically charge between N7 million and N10 million for flying courses. In all, it would take about four years to complete the training in any of the Federal aviation agencies. With this, it is not out of place to see that pilots are well paid in Nigeria.

The average monthly remuneration for a First Officer ranges from N200,000 to N500,000 per month, while captains are, on a monthly basis, paid between N500,000 and N3,000,000.

 AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

An aeronautical engineer is concerned with the design, development, construction, and maintenance of aircraft. In other words, they deal with the technical side of aviation. They calculate aircraft timescales, write manuals, calculate operating costs and fuel efficiency, evaluate flight safety, and calculate carbon emissions.

Becoming trained in this field in Nigeria is equally expensive, as there are just a few schools that train in it. Some of them are: Air Force Institute Kaduna, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Kwara State University, Lagos State University, and Afe Babalola University.

The average monthly salary of an Aeronautical Engineer is N450,000 to N1,500,000.

4. PHAR-MACY

A pharmacist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the safe and productive use of medicines. Pharmacists oversee the supply of medicine, give medical advice to patients, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to save lives. They are charged with making sure that the medicine is legal and is prescribed at a suitable dosage.

To become a pharmacist, you must enroll in any accredited university to earn a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm). This takes a duration of five years, after which you would proceed for a year of internship and be inducted into the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria.

A fresh graduate of pharmacy goes home with a salary range of N 120,000–NN 180,000 per month.

5. DIGITAL MARKETING

As the internet has become a central part of human life, digitized professions have become mainstays in the labor market. A digital marketer develops, implements, and manages marketing campaigns that promote a company and its products and services.

Basically, the duty of a digital marketer is to make sure that a company’s online presence activity is in line with that of its offline presence. Content strategy, search engine optimization, tech team coordination, and social media management are among the key responsibilities of a digital marketer.

While a background in marketing may help, employers look out for those with experience over certification when hiring digital marketers. You can easily take an online course in digital marketing to improve your skills and stand out in a competitive market. Digital marketing is a well-paying field in Nigeria. Digital marketers earn between N148,000 and N350,000.

6. ARCHITECTURE

In Nigeria, real estate has become a lucrative business, which has led to an increase in demand for the services of experienced architects. Architects make plans for new development undertakings, changes, and redevelopments. They utilize their expert development information to plan structures that are practical, sheltered, and pleasant to the eyes.

A degree or Diploma in Architecture from any ARCON/NIA or NUC-accredited University is required for one to become an architect. Architects earn about N199,000 to N652,000 per month.

7. SAILING

A sailor is someone who works on traveler boats, tankers, and big hauler ships, exploring maritime vessels. If you are interested in sailing, you can get basic training from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, or any of the accredited private maritime academies across the country. This profession is high-income-producing, though it is not always pronounced like medicine and the like.

A sailor goes home with an average pay of N200,000–N1,400,000 per month.

8. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The IT sector is an area that has a high pay rate, but due to the advancement in technology, the sector has become highly competitive, which means that only the best of the best get the available jobs.

There are numerous professionals in IT fields. They include:

  • Software Developer
  • Telecommunications Engineer
  • IT Analyst
  • Graphic designer

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Software development has to do with a set of activities that involve creating, designing, deploying, and supporting software. Software developers are responsible for computer programs. They determine a need and then propose a solution by analyzing, designing, testing, and developing software that solves this need. They also design application systems and ensure they run smoothly.

To become a software developer, a degree in computer science is recommended but not compulsory because there are lots of short courses both online and offline. Knowledge of at least one programming language and an interest in learning are enough to get you started as a software developer.

The average salary of software developers in Nigeria ranges from N134,000 to N400,000.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING

Telecommunications Engineers are skilled in the management of data gotten from voice calls, video calls, and texts. They also design and install telecommunications equipment and manage these means of communication to ensure a seamless flow of information.

Telecommunications is an engineering field that combines both electrical and electronics engineering and computer science. So, a degree in either field from a recognized institution would qualify you for any related job. As technology is growing rapidly in Nigeria and telecommunication subscribers are increasing on a daily basis, there is a high demand for telecommunication engineers and a correspondingly high salary range of N200,000–N1,000,000 per month.

IT ANALYST

IT analysts, also known as systems analysts, provide technical support to IT users by designing and implementing systems that increase efficiency. The IT analyst ensures the execution of software projects by managing programmers, software developers, and other related technology professionals in order to ensure the design is properly executed and is within the stated budget.

An IT analyst working in Nigeria earns between N176,000 and N492,000.

GRAPHIC DESIGNING

A graphic designer in Nigeria averages 200,000 Naira per month. A graphic designer creates design concepts using dedicated computer software or by hand. One of the main purposes of graphic design is to create visual imagery that appeals to and informs customers so as to ensure patronage. So, graphic designers use the right tools, such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw Graphic Suite, Adobe InDesign, Pixellab, Canva, etc., to create logos, fonts, shapes, colors, images, print design, photography, animation, and billboards for the promotion of a brand.

If you want a career as a graphic designer, you do not necessarily need a degree in that field; you can develop graphic design skills using the above-stated tools, go for training in any licensed training center, or take online courses that are geared towards graphic design.

9. ACCOUNTANCY

An accountant prepares and reviews financial records. It is your duty as an accountant to audit an establishment’s books and records in order to ensure accuracy. They also make sure that taxes are filed appropriately and that the company is in compliance with appropriate financial regulations so as to ensure the smooth running of business.

If you want to become an accountant, you would study accounting at any accredited institution. Universities in Nigeria usually run a four-year accounting program, after which it is highly recommended that you acquire professional certification. Without being certified by any of the recognized bodies (ICAN, ANAN, CIMA, and ACCA), you would not be able to practice accounting at a reputable company.

Accountants in Nigeria earn between N140,000 and N1,500,000 each month.

10. LAW

A lawyer, also known as an attorney, barrister, notary, and counselor, provides legal advice and assistance, acts as a prosecutor or defense attorney in court, gathers relevant information, and prepares legal documents (wills, contracts, wills, and so on). There are many laws in Nigeria and a wide variety of law fields to practice, including family law, environmental law, property law, and entertainment law.

To become a lawyer, you must first earn a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from any accredited university. The course runs for five years, after which you will spend a year at the Nigerian law school before you become a certified member of the Nigerian bar.

Though this profession is not as financially rewarding as it is in many parts of the world, Nigerian lawyers still earn enough money to place them in the upper middle class of society. Thus, the monthly salary of Nigerian lawyers in standard firms is between N 150,000 and N 1,100,000.

11. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This is one of the jobs that are financially rewarding in Nigeria. A project manager is a person who has overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, and control of a project. Construction, petrochemical, architecture, information technology, and many other industries that produce products and services use this job title.

The project manager must have general management skills. Most of the issues that impact a project result, in one way or another, from risk. However, a good project manager can reduce risk significantly.

If you want to become a project manager in Nigeria, you will need a degree in project management or a certificate from The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). A project manager earns N139,000–NN457,000 per month.

12. NURSING

A nurse is a primary caregiver who helps in recording medical history and symptoms, collaborating with medical teams to care for patients, monitoring patient health, recording signs, and administering medications and treatments. To become a nurse in Nigeria, you can either attend a nursing school for three years or a university for five years to earn a degree in Nursing and Midwifery.

Nurses earn about N133,000–N410,000 per month, though less experienced Nurses earn less.

13. BANKING

A banker is an individual who works for a financial institution and conducts financial transactions for individuals or corporate clients. Bankers enjoy excellent benefits and can choose to practice their craft in a wide variety of rewarding career paths, including audit, customer service banking, sales, financial analysis, budgeting, investment banking, and more.

To become a banker in Nigeria and have a rewarding career, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field. However, banking jobs in Nigeria have become so competitive that even with on-the-job training, anybody can work as a banker. Depending on the level of experience and expertise, a banker goes home with an average salary of N150,000 to N1,500,000 per month.

There is no doubt that Nigeria is among the countries with a high unemployment rate, but regardless, there are still great opportunities for professionals in some fields to get high pay, as seen above. If you wish to earn more in Nigeria, any of the above is a good option.

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