Average Salary in Nigeria 2026
Currency: NGN · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Nigeria make?
Average Monthly Salary
330,000 NGN
( 3,960,000 NGN yearly )
~ 220 USD per month ( 2,640 USD yearly )
LOW
99,000 NGN
66 USD
AVERAGE
330,000 NGN
220 USD
HIGH
990,000 NGN
660 USD
A person working in Nigeria typically earns around 330,000 NGN per month. Salaries range from 99,000 NGN (lowest average) to 990,000 NGN (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Nigeria
Median and salary distribution monthly Nigeria
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (297,000 NGN) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (330,000 NGN) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)1,980,000 NGN
- 2–5 Years (Junior)2,574,000 NGN
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)3,366,000 NGN
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)3,960,000 NGN
- 15+ Years (Senior)4,752,000 NGN
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School2,376,000 NGN
- Certificate2,772,000 NGN
- Associate3,168,000 NGN
- Bachelor's3,960,000 NGN
- Master's4,752,000 NGN
- PhD5,544,000 NGN
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Nigeria
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Nigeria earn 7% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Nigeria
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
9%
Average Raise
19 months
Review Frequency
7%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Nigeria are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 19 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Nigeria is 7%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Nigeria
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
52%
Received Bonus
48%
No Bonus
52% of surveyed staff in Nigeria reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
4%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal5,346,000 NGN
- Aviation5,148,000 NGN
- Information Technology5,148,000 NGN
- Banking4,950,000 NGN
- Pharmaceuticals4,950,000 NGN
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 9,900,000 NGN | 825,000 NGN |
| Pilot | 7,920,000 NGN | 660,000 NGN |
| Software Developer | 7,128,000 NGN | 594,000 NGN |
| Data Scientist | 6,732,000 NGN | 561,000 NGN |
| Financial Manager | 6,336,000 NGN | 528,000 NGN |
| Database Administrator | 5,940,000 NGN | 495,000 NGN |
| Engineer | 5,544,000 NGN | 462,000 NGN |
| Marketing Manager | 5,148,000 NGN | 429,000 NGN |
| Project Manager | 4,950,000 NGN | 412,500 NGN |
| Accountant | 4,356,000 NGN | 363,000 NGN |
| Hotel Manager | 3,960,000 NGN | 330,000 NGN |
| Nurse | 3,564,000 NGN | 297,000 NGN |
| Graphic Designer | 3,366,000 NGN | 280,500 NGN |
| Chef | 2,970,000 NGN | 247,500 NGN |
| Teacher | 2,772,000 NGN | 231,000 NGN |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Abuja | 4,554,000 NGN |
| Lagos | 4,158,000 NGN |
| Kano | 4,158,000 NGN |
| Ibadan | 4,158,000 NGN |
| Port Harcourt | 4,158,000 NGN |
| Benin City | 4,158,000 NGN |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
313,500 NGN
Private Sector
346,500 NGN
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Nigeria earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Nigeria
1,500 NGN
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Nigeria is 1,500 NGN. This means that the average person in Nigeria earns approximately 1,500 NGN for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Nigeria
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
16,500 NGN
/month
Food
6,000 NGN
/month
Transport
1,500 NGN
/month
Utilities
3,000 NGN
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Nigeria and explore top-paying jobs.