Careers
What the work is actually like, and what it pays
Written for Nigeria, with the subjects behind each one and the routes in — including the routes that do not need a degree. Where we quote pay, we say where the figure came from and when.
Software Engineer
TechnologyBuilds and maintains the software other people use. The most accessible well-paid career in the country for somebody without connections.
₦250,000–₦900,000
a month, entry level
Most of the job is reading code somebody else wrote and working out why it does not do what it should. It rewards patience more than brilliance. Nigeria has a real remote market, which means a Lagos salary is not the ceiling — but it also means competing with people who have been doing it longer.
Subjects behind it
Mathematics, English Language, Physics
Ways in
- A computer science or engineering degree
- Self-taught with a portfolio — common and genuinely accepted in this field
- A bootcamp, then junior roles
What it actually takes
- Programming in at least one language, properly
- Reading other people's code without panicking
- Explaining a technical problem to somebody non-technical
Degrees:Computer Science
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
Medical Doctor
HealthSix years of study, a year of housemanship, then practice. Long, hard and respected.
₦200,000–₦700,000
a month, entry level
The training is the longest of any career here and the early years are badly paid for the hours. People who do well at it tend to be the ones who wanted the work rather than the title.
Subjects behind it
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English Language
Ways in
- Medicine and Surgery, then housemanship and NYSC, then residency for a specialty
What it actually takes
- Sustained memorisation, and the discipline to keep at it
- Staying calm and precise when tired
- Talking to frightened people clearly
Degrees:Medicine and Surgery
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
Chartered Accountant
FinanceAudit, tax and financial reporting, then the ICAN or ACCA examinations. A qualification that travels.
₦180,000–₦750,000
a month, entry level
The degree gets you in; the professional examinations are what actually change your pay, and most people sit them while working. Not a career for somebody who dislikes detail.
Subjects behind it
Mathematics, Economics, Financial Accounting, English Language
Ways in
- An accounting degree, then ICAN or ACCA
- Any degree, then ACCA from scratch — slower but it works
What it actually takes
- Arithmetic you can trust under pressure
- Attention to detail
- Discretion
Degrees:Accounting
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
Lawyer
LawFive years of law, then law school, then call to the bar.
₦150,000–₦800,000
a month, entry level
Far more reading and writing than arguing. Litigation is a small part of what most lawyers actually do; the rest is drafting, advising and negotiating.
Subjects behind it
English Language, Literature in English, Government
Ways in
- A law degree, then the Nigerian Law School, then call to the bar
What it actually takes
- Writing precisely, at length, without losing the thread
- Reading closely enough to notice what a clause does not say
- Arguing a position you personally disagree with
Degrees:Law
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
Data Analyst
TechnologyTurns messy data into something a business can decide on. A common way into technology without a computer science degree.
₦200,000–₦650,000
a month, entry level
The work is mostly cleaning data and asking whether the question being asked is the right one. Statistics matters more than programming, and communicating the answer matters more than either.
Subjects behind it
Mathematics, Economics, English Language
Ways in
- A degree in any numerate subject, then self-study
- Statistics, economics or computer science
What it actually takes
- Spreadsheets to a level most people never reach
- SQL, and enough statistics to know when a number is meaningless
- Presenting a finding somebody did not want to hear
Degrees:Computer ScienceAccounting
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
Mechanical Engineer
EngineeringDesigns, builds and maintains machines. Oil and gas, manufacturing, power and construction.
₦180,000–₦800,000
a month, entry level
In Nigeria much of the well-paid work is in oil and gas, which is cyclical — the good years are very good and the bad years are lean. Manufacturing and power are steadier.
Subjects behind it
Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English Language
Ways in
- A mechanical engineering degree, then COREN registration
What it actually takes
- Physics you can apply, not just pass
- Reading and producing technical drawings
- Working out why something failed rather than replacing it
Degrees:Mechanical Engineering
Nigerian job board postings and published graduate salary surveys, gathered August 2026. Entry level, Lagos and Abuja; pay outside the major cities is typically lower. Gathered 30 Aug 2026. Pay varies enormously by employer and city — treat this as a range, not a promise.
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