It is good to have you back again and today we will be discussing the salary scale of Cybersecurity. The profession is a fast-growing profession in Nigeria just as it is gaining ground in other countries in the world. Companies in Nigeria are diversifying to IT and at the same time, there is a high rate of cybercrime in the country which has made this profession become relevant.

Nonetheless, our main focus in this article is Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria 2021. If you are interested in pursuing a career in this profession, it is important that you learn all you can about Cyber Security.

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Salary of Cyber Security Professionals in Nigeria

It is no news that the world has changed course and moved to digital processes, so has crime also shifted its attention. There has been news of illegal cyber activities such as cyber theft, illegal hacking, among others on the increase daily and for this reason, cybersecurity professionals are recruited to monitor, protect and stop all illegal cyber activates.

It is no surprise owing to the fact that cyber securities are trained to protect computer systems and networks from the theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or data. More so, they protect an organization’s system and network from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
Having said a few things about cybersecurity, we will now discuss the main discourse in this article which is the Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria 2020.

The worth of this profession, marketability, and how lucrative it is are some of the main factors to consider before you make up your mind in pursuing a career in this profession.

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Cyber Security Average Salary in Nigeria

Cybersecurity is a highly lucrative and marketable profession in Nigeria with lots of organizations to work in. as such, a cyber-security professional in Nigeria earns a starting salary of ₦198,000 per month. However, salaries range from ₦29,000 (minimum average) to ₦315,000 (maximum average).

We will like to note that cybersecurity professionals’ salary in Nigeria stated above is at the entry-level which means that the salary increases as the years of working in the organization increase. More so, from our discourse above, the salaries structure of this profession differs due to factors such as organization, level, work experience, academic qualification, state, and location.

Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria by Experience

The experience level of cybersecurity professionals is undoubtedly the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience gathered, the higher the salary.
Cyber Security professionals in Nigeria whose work experience is from 2 to 5-years earn a startup salary that is 32% higher than what an entry-level employee (0-2 years) earns per month at entry across all industries and disciplines.

Cyber Security professionals in Nigeria with work experience of more than 5-years earn a startup salary that is 36% higher than professionals with 5-years or less of work experience. Also, cybersecurity professionals who have attained ten years of work experience earn a salary that is 21% higher than those with work experience that is less than 10 years. On the other hand, professionals with 15-years and above earn a startup salary that is 14% higher than those with less than 15-years of work experience.

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Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria by Education

It is not a new thing that the higher your educational qualification, the bigger your monthly take home. In the bid to further present you with the salary structure of this profession, we broke it down base on their educational attainment.

Thus, cybersecurity professionals with a certificate or diploma qualification earn on average the startup salary between the range of ₦35,000 to ₦60,000 at entry-level per month. On the other hand, cybersecurity professionals with a bachelor’s degree qualification earn on average the startup salary between the range of ₦80,000 to ₦150,000 at entry-level per month.

In addition, cybersecurity professionals with a master’s degree qualification earn on average the startup salary between the range of N180,000 to N250,000 at entry-level per month. On the other hand, cybersecurity professionals with a doctorate degree qualification earn on average the startup salary of N300,000 upward at entry-level per month.

Note that these salaries have a tendency to differ from organizations where the cybersecurity professional works, as such the salary paid in one organization or sector differs from what is paid in other organizations.

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Job Specializations for Cyber Security Professionals

Going further in our discussion on Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria, we will now discuss the job specialization of this profession. As cyber-security personnel, there are several specializations where you can choose to master. Among the job titles in cyber-security includes:
• Cryptanalyst
• Cryptographer
• Database Security
• Information Security Analyst
• IT Technician
• Junior Penetration Tester
• Network Engineer
• Security Administrator
• Security Analyst
• Security Architect
• Security Consultant
• Security Engineer
• Security Software Developer
• Systems Administrator

Requirements to become a Cyber Security Personnel

Becoming cyber-security personnel is not overnight but there are prerequisites that you need to observe before becoming certified cybersecurity personnel. Take a look at some of the necessary requirements below.

• The first requirement to fulfill is to earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or any related field. This will warrant you to attend a school of higher learning where cybersecurity course is offered.
• You shouldn’t stop there but further your educational pursuit and obtain your graduate degree up to doctoral level. You can also enroll in professional and advanced training.

Universities that offer Cyber Security Courses in Nigeria

So, if you are interested to study this course and want to know the tertiary schools in Nigeria where you can study the course, then you have also come to the right place. There are quite a handful of higher schools of learning in Nigeria offering this course and you scan through the list below:

1. Federal University Of Technology Minna
2. Bayero University Kano
3. Caleb University
4. Federal University Dutse
5. Nigeria Army University, Biu
6. Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna
7. Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin

So, there you have it, just a handful of higher schools of learning in Nigeria so far offer this course. This means you have to be at your A-game to land an admission because the competition will be high.

These schools have criteria that ought to be met before you are accepted into the school. You will need to sit for the annual UTME examination organized by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB). You will need a four-subject combination of English Language (Compulsory), Mathematics, Physics, and Biology (or Chemistry, Agriculture Science, Economics, and Geography).

Also, you must have obtained the WAEC/NECO certification with a minimum of 5-credit passes in subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Physics plus two other science subjects.

Where in Nigeria can Cyber Security Professionals Work

To enjoy the comfortable Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria 2020, there are various firms and sector that a cyber-security professional can work. The job description and specialization afford cybersecurity professionals to work in different. So, if you are thinking cybersecurity can only fit into IT industries, then the list of firms and sectors below will convince you otherwise.
• Business firms
• Banking and finance sectors
• Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission
• National Youth Service
• Intelligence Company
• Information and Communication Company
• Health industry
• Military and Para-military Agencies
• Ministry of Defense
• Non-governmental organizations

This is just to mention a few organizations where cybersecurity professionals can work. The truth is any and every organization that makes use of the computer, internet, online services, and every other digital activity needs the services of cybersecurity personnel.

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Conclusion

Cybersecurity is a big deal in the modern-day world and in fact, the profession is highly lucrative and marketable just like every other Digi-profession. Cyber Security is a green profession that does not have as many professionals when compared to other professions and this is one of the reasons it is lucrative.

So, instead of enrolling for other courses that are overpopulated with high competition, it is better you enroll for this silently growing profession with less population. More so, the monthly take-home is comfortable and gradually competing with other top professions in the country. From our discussion on Cyber Security Salary in Nigeria.

We believe you have learned something new and you are familiar with the various terrains of this profession. So we will like to hear from you on how helpful this article has been helpful.