Civil Engineering Salary in Nigeria (2024): Full Details

Did you some time as a kid tinker with toys for insights into their inner structure and workings? Have you always thought about the science and technology behind some heavy structures? Do you derive special joy at the prospect of designing modern architectural marvels? Maybe you should take a serious look into being a civil engineer.

In the plainest and simplest of terms, civil engineers deal with the design of the physical, built environment. They are in charge of building and designing structures and in this part of the world, they are more focused on construction of roads and building of bridges. How fun does this sound?


civil engineering salary in nigeria

Civil engineering is one of the broadest fields in engineering. The field is divided into other smaller fields which include structural engineering and other similar environmental engineering fields. Take nothing away from their basic salaries as well as their bonuses. Although they are not necessarily the highest paying engineering profession, they rank up there among the ones with comfortable pay.

The limited opportunities available in recent times have made it more difficult for civil engineers to find a job of their dreams and has significantly increased the numbers of unemployed civil engineers today. Regardless, civil engineering remains a top and noble profession that commands respect in all sense of it.

While it is Ok to settle for first degree as a civil engineer, it is always better to go on to specialize in a particular area in the field. This not only boost employment opportunities, it gives you a technical edge and in most cases, better pay. With a lot of graduates being pumped into the labour market every year, the importance of further studies cannot be overemphasized, especially for engineering fields where competitions keep growing. Luckily, civil engineering has many sub-areas and is very flexible. They can work in various industries, even in oil and gas sectors.


In this post, we will take a look at how much civil engineers earn in Nigeria today.

Civil Engineer Salary: How Much Do Civil Engineers in Nigeria?

Civil engineering is one of the most popular fields in engineering in Nigeria today. The profession is also among the top paying jobs because of its complexity, technicality and delicacy. With lots of sub areas under the field, it is easy to see why lots of young people opt for this field.

Salaries of Civil engineers vary according to level, delicacy of job and experience. For instance, an entry level civil engineer is expected to earn less than a chief engineer or an in-charge on a project. Also, civil engineers in oil and gas companies earn more than those that settle for road construction and similar jobs.

On the average, entry level civil engineers earn between N100, 000 – N350, 000 for a start. It should be noted that entry level civil engineers in the oil and gas industry earns between N200, 000 – N500, 000 for a start depending on the job description and other similar factors.


Let us take a look at some of the various sub-areas available under civil engineering.

Materials Science and Engineering: This involves the study of the fundamental properties and characteristics of materials.

Geotechnical Engineering: This the study of the earth’s materials, such as rock and soil, and understanding their material properties and behaviour under varying conditions (such as seasonal changes, temperature changes, shrink, swell). Geotechnical engineers conduct tests, prepare reports, provide recommendations for construction, and observe and advise during construction.

Coastal Engineering: This field of study is concerned with managing the areas in and around the coast, addressing design issues associated with tides, flooding and erosion.


Structural Engineering: This involves the study of structural analysis of structures (buildings). Structural engineers study the weight of the structure, dead loads, live loads, as well as natural forces such as snow, wind, earthquake loads, to design safe structures that will successfully support those anticipated loads.

Construction Engineering: The field involves the study to understand the process of construction and how to successfully carry out construction projects that may include designs from several other engineering sub-disciplines such as geotechnical, water resources, environmental, structural, etc.

Environmental Engineering: This involves the study of best management practices to protect our living environment, including treatment of chemical, biological and thermal waste.

Check Salaries of Other Professionals in Nigeria



4 Comments

  1. Dinarn islam
    • Abdulkadir J. U. K.
  2. Bakare Samuel
  3. Hameed Usman hameed

Reply Cancel Reply