Civil Engineer Salary Structure in Nigeria: How Much They Are Paid (2024)

This post is about the salary structure of civil engineers in Nigeria monthly. Engineering is one of the dreams of most young minds. No wonder it is one of the highest paying careers in Nigeria at the moment. 

Civil Engineering Salary Structure in Nigeria

Engineers are in very high demand; there is no way government will not construct roads, so they need a civil, structural and environmental engineer. A civil engineer can even start his own firm executing projects.

While it is true that most engineers earn really interesting sums, it should be known however that not every student with an engineering degree will score a fat pay cheque. Even if first degrees are essential, employers mainly look out for graduates with hands-on ability to perform, their competence in the area of IT and communication skill.

This means that for employability sake, one must go beyond whatever they’ve learnt and acquired during the course of their first degree and really develop themselves to gain deeper knowledge and experience in the field.

Civil engineers are paid really well because of the technicalities and risks involved in their jobs. In addition to this, their high pay is also due to the fact that they have mathematical skills which help in carrying out their work. These mathematical skills are complex and require real concentration so as to get accurately the dimensions and measurements they need in their various projects.

The nature of their jobs require them to carry out certain risky tasks. That is why they and other engineers in general take safety precautions against certain hazards associated with their jobs.

Having said all these, how much do civil engineers earn in Nigeria?

Civil engineers are paid between N250,000 – N300,000 with some earning as high as N400,000 monthly. These salaries go with several other allowances and benefits. Civil engineers are paid according to their experience and number of years on the job.

When walking across a long bridge, you may wonder who and how such structure is set up on a river and it doesn’t lag or fall. You might also have seen huge skyscrapers that looks as if it equate with the sky. All these is made possible by civil engineers who apply the laws of physics to solve the problem of construction.

Civil engineering by definition, is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of physical and naturally built environment, including works like road bridges, canals, dams, and buildings. 

This branch of engineering widely regarded as the oldest engineering application discipline has a number of  sub-disciplines which include: construction, structural, highway and materials engineering. It is the second-oldest engineering discipline in heirachy, senior by military engineering that was in existence during the olden days war.

Civil engineers are applied in many areas and the engineering branch takes place in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies, their services are still valued.

The Intent of Civil Engineering

Construction is the main aim and task of civil engineering and for the engineers it breeds. The scope of the engineering discipline encompasses planning, designing, estimating, supervising construction, managing construction, execution, and maintenance of structures like building, roads, bridges, dams, etc. 

Civil Engineering is a wide field and the erect many types of structures which to some tyros may seem like a nightmare. They include structures such as residential buildings, public buildings, industrial buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, dams, canal and canal structures, airports, harbour and ports, water treatment plants, waste water treatment plant, water supply networks, and drainage networks. 

Civil engineering is classified according to the type of structures and activities they perform. The main branches of civil engineering are as follows: Surveying & leveling, Building, Planning and construction, Advanced Construction, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Town Planning.

In whole about this, it can be deduced that one who designs and maintains works public utility is known as civil engineer, provided he/she has the qualification backing.

Skills of a Civil Engineer

Through the learning of Civil engineering, civil engineers have enjoin theirselve with the skills required to do the engineering discipline application.

• Communication Skill
• Technical Skills – This is a skill required from a Civil Engineer to be able to use the knowledge of Mathematics and Physics to identify and solve engineering problems that will effect changes.
• Creativity
• Ability to Understand Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM ) Skill
• Critical Thinking
• Project Management
• Strong Analytical Mind
• Attention to Details
• Designing
• Excellent Fluency Skill
• Desire to Learn and work from mistakes
• Leadership and Management Skills.

With these skills, an engineer of this discipline can work out the problems of designs and construction either individually or as a team.

Salary Structure of Civil Engineers  in Nigeria (2024)

Civil Engineers in Nigeria receive salaries around N100,000 to N350,000 per month as entry level staff. This depends on the construction company or organization they work for at the very beginning of their career. If they start from higher level and have more years of practical experience in the discipline, they will earn a salary higher than the above stated. 

However, this also is a function of the the work place. Take for instance, you are employed in oil & gas an entry level engineer, you can expect more, about N200,000 to N500,000 per month due to the availability of resources in such companies and the nature of the work there.

Salary by Experience Level for Civil Engineers

Civil Engineering Starters who are in their early career may not be earning much than some one who has an advanced experience in the discipline. A Civil Engineer with 1 to 4 years of experience may earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of ₦1,001,009 based on 36 salaries.

A mid-career Civil Engineer that has plus the former’s 1 – 4 years of experience may earn an average total compensation of ₦1,800,000 based on salary scale for a 5-9 years of experience.

The highest earner in the Civil engineering line is an experienced Engineer with 10-19 years of experience. He or she should earn an average total compensation of ₦2,100,000 based on 15 salaries for his long years of experience and perfection in the field.

Conclusion

Civil engineering has a broad area and is one of the broadest fields in engineering after Mechanical Engineering. The civil engineering field is divided into structural engineering, environmental engineering, Surveying, Building, Planning and construction, Advanced Construction, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Town Planning engineering fields. 

This engineer take nothing out from their salaries as they are rewarded with bonuses. Civil engineer are certainly not the highest paying engineering profession, but they rank as one of that gives a comfortable pay as salary.

To venture into the civil engineering world, you should first settle for first degree as a civil engineer. After your degree, it is always better to go on to specialize in a particular area in the field as it will boost your employment opportunities and also give you a technical edge thereby giving a considerable pay.