How Much Salary for Fresh Graduate in Nigeria

How Much Salary for Fresh Graduate in Nigeria
First and foremost, this article is written to provide fresh Nigerian graduates with an insight into the graduate salary being paid in Nigeria.
We are of the opinion that you already have an answer to who a graduate is and what it entails. Nevertheless, the graduate is an individual that is recognized by any tertiary institution to have earned a degree which is most likely the first degree.
More so, the graduate is regarded as one that has earned a degree from a recognized institution. Nevertheless, this article is for individuals that have gotten their first degree from any recognized tertiary institution such as a university
This article is written to provide you with insights into the graduate’s salary in Nigeria. Just how much graduates earn in this article would be our primary concern.
Salary of Fresh Graduates in Nigeria
It is vital to note that, every single year, many students graduate from the plethora of universities in Nigeria. Understand that, the Nigerian economy takes on a vital role in determining the employment rate of diverse Nigerian graduates.
However, the Nigerian economy has barely been anything to write home about. This is because it is a crippled one and it lacks in lots of areas. Thus, it is quite unfortunate that there is a powerful relationship between the employment rate of graduates and the state of the Nigerian economy.
The state of this economy is a great influencing factor in the employment rate of fresh Nigerian graduates. For those unaware, the state of the economy will determine to a huge extent the availability of jobs in the country.
It is the quest of attaining a good job that has forced lots of Nigerians to become educated by getting their first degree. The graduates in Nigeria are presented with options such as:
- Being employed by a huge establishment
The graduates are employed by huge establishments such as oil and gas, banks, the telecommunication industry, and food processing companies. If you get employed in such companies, you will most likely earn between eighty thousand naira to five hundred thousand naira.
Most people see this salary range as quite impressive.
- Being employed by a small establishment
These small establishments include secondary schools, labs, medium-sized hospitals, medium-sized trading firms, and the likes. The salaries that graduates earn in these small establishments range between thirty thousand naira to one hundred and twenty thousand naira.
- Graduates employed not following their certificate
There are fresh graduates out there who provide services that are not in any way related to their qualifications. People under this category do not get paid following the services that they provide.
Some of such establishments are factories, hotels, and cyber cafes. They will more than likely earn between the range of twenty thousand naira to forty thousand naira.
- Self-employment, and;
- Joblessness
More so, the salary of graduates in Nigeria is largely influenced by diverse factors such as:
- Course of study
- Career path
- Employers or the industry they are offering their service to, and;
- Extra qualifications like being professionally certified.

How Much Salary for Fresh Graduate in Nigeria
Furthermore, you must understand that while most graduates in Nigeria are earning quite high, the majority of graduates out there are underpaid. Many Nigeria graduates are not being paid according to the services that they are capable of providing.
The reason for this is that the Nigerian economy is not favorable like we stated above. This has resulted in the average Nigerian graduate salary being roughly forty-five thousand naira.
According to Stutern; a Lagos-based online platform, the research they carried out showed that more than fifty percent of Nigerians currently earn fifty thousand naira or less monthly.
The report also stated that one in four new graduates earn lesser than twenty thousand naira monthly as their starting salary.
It further stated that more than eighty percent of employed graduates earn not more than one hundred and fifty thousand naira monthly. It revealed that most graduates earn between twenty thousand naira and fifty thousand naira monthly as both their starting and current salaries.
Finally, the report stated that only roughly 1.92 percent of graduates earn above one hundred and fifty thousand naira per month.
Salaries of Some Jobs in Nigeria
Some of the salaries of jobs you may likely apply for in Nigeria as a fresh graduate include:
- Social media influencer/ Digital marketer
If you are good at developing, implementing, and managing marketing campaigns, or perfect at implementing SEO strategies that can aid in promoting a company, then, you can search for job opportunities in this field.
Understand that, digital marketing is rapidly growing and it is regarded as one of the most underrated jobs in the country. It is referred to as underrated because seventy percent of companies in the country are not fully aware of the effect digital marketing can have on their business.
You can earn between eighty thousand naira to two hundred thousand naira as a digital marketer or social media influencer.
- Banking Jobs
As a fresh graduate in Nigeria, you can earn between ninety thousand naira to one hundred and fifty thousand naira. For those who have an interest in loans, taxes, savings, securities, and investments, a banking job may be ideal for you.
Also, you must note that bankers earn an average salary but it is dependent on your specific level and you are even assured of earning more.
- Law or Legal Jobs
While being a lawyer pays, there is an obstacle to this. The truth is that; entry-level lawyers do not earn enough. This is the only issue with being a lawyer as a fresh graduate. Nevertheless, lawyers can earn between one hundred thousand naira to two hundred and fifty thousand naira.
As a lawyer, you will be working your ass off and dedicating lots of your time and resources. It will pay off after some years. Also, you may want to take a look into working for corporations that have legal departments and working for government agencies.
Just as we have stated, entry-level lawyers do not earn so much.
- Business Development Jobs
Most business development jobs will have you earning between one hundred and thirty thousand naira to two hundred and thirty thousand naira. Currently, business developers are in high demand in the country.
Note that, it is one thing to begin a business and it is surely another ball game to build your clients and even maintain a good relationship with them that will boost your sales. For this reason, companies are seeking after business developers.
While this job is made available mostly at the experienced or senior level, it is quite understandable as there is little to no company that will employ a fresh out-of-school graduate in Nigeria to handle this job.
Nonetheless, those who studied business in school may likely have a shot at being employed.
- Sailing/Maritime Jobs
While this job is barely available, it is one that greatly pays. A sailor or someone who has a maritime job can earn between two hundred thousand naira to three hundred and fifty thousand naira. Their salaries are comfortable but their demand is low.
- Software engineer/ Web developer jobs
Due to the swift growth of mobile apps and the web ecosystem, this has turned into a very hot field. The fact remains that software engineers and web developers are in high demand, even outside Nigeria, they earn tremendous salaries.
Nevertheless, in Nigeria, they tend to earn within two hundred thousand naira to three hundred and fifty thousand naira monthly. But, the entry-level developers may likely not earn this much even though the senior software engineers earn nothing short of millions.
Conclusion
As you venture into the Nigerian job market, we have successfully provided you with the salary expectations of graduates in Nigeria. While some of them are not encouraging, this is the reason why most people will advise fresh graduates to try getting into business or finding a side gig plus their jobs.
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