This is my humble selection of top 10 paying jobs or sectors if you may based on what I call flashy remunerations and other rewarding incentives that come with job.
1. Legislator
The Nigerian legislature is the most expensive in the world with many legislators earning more, much more than the presidents of many countries. Officially they are supposed to earn anything between #3 million and #5 million per month but check out the unwholesome list of allowances (unwholesome because they are heavily over priced) and official bonuses that comes with the job; Furniture allowance, Travel allowance, sitting allowance, constituency allowance, House allowance, clothing allowance, car/vehicle maintenance allowance, magazine and subscription allowance and any other allowance that you can think should follow a befitting title for senator or member of the house of representatives. In all the least paid federal legislator walks away with nothing less than #200 million a year roughly $1,250,000 for less than 150 days of legislative work. The same to a large extent also applies at the state level although not as promounced.
2. Presidency Aide
Although a closely guarded secret, people who work in the presidency usually come out much richer than when they entered. From special assistants to advisers and aides of the president even aides of the first lady, one year in the presidency always shows a massive improvement in the purchasing power of workers in that sector. Who knows exactly how much they earn? A clue perhaps is with the former chaplain of Aso rock Chapel who upon resignation contested the presidential election although he was not taken seriously but with so much money to spend one wonders how much he must have amassed for the less than 8 years he served in that position.
3. Oil and Gas Baron
Oil and gas barons earn quite a lot as many of them are paid in the dollar equivalent of their foreign counterparts. Many of them depending on their position earn 7 digit figures even at entry level for graduates how much more Directors some of whom take home more than #20 million monthly.
4. Telecommunications Boss
Many of Nigeria’s best paid professionals are executives who work in the Telecoms industry for mostly GSM companies or their technical support companies. Estimated industry average for a top telecoms executive is #20 million per month.
5. Church Owner/Pastor
This might sound hilarious but many professionals in this sector are so rich that not being number one might appear to be an understatement. With many pastors having armed body guards, moving in convoys of expensive cars and living in stupendous opulence, chartering their own flights or owning their jets but what obtains mostly is an above average upper middle class lifestyle, I would say brings this industry to number 5.
6. Bank Executive Director
Many of them earn more than the CBN governor himself. Well maybe when we consider that the CBN governor enjoys so many allowances and bonuses that makes up for the shortfall in basic income, the bank executive director could earn as much as #300,000,000 a year depending on the bank and his position – here I’m talking of CEOs.
7. Information Technology Guru
The world class certified IT guru whether he is a software developer, networking expert or systems developer or administrator, these guys are hammering serious cash with their IT solutions for banks, insurance companies, manufacturing, Government and Educational Institutions like Banks, your IT guru usually will earn nothing less than #350,000 at entry level typically as an employed analyst/programmer or software engineer but much more as a self-employed contractor.
8. Aviation Boss
The guys that work the aviation industry of Nigeria, the top of the ladder in their corporate world are also well remunerated. Their earnings could run into six figure amounts in foreign currency of course.
9. Manufacturing Don
I’m talking about the giants and captains of industries. The helmsmen in conglomerates like Dangote group, Silverbird group, Zenon Oil, Diageo, Nigerian Breweries, UAC plc, Unilever plc and what have you. These guys too are seriously hammering some sweet cash. Estimated incomes go from #5 million per month and upwards for the top executives.
10. Advertising and Media Executive
The guys in advertising, Public relations and mass media especially for elite media organizations like Insight, Rosabel, Silverbird entertainment, Multi choice and many others usually are the silent type working behind the scenes but making their cool money as well. They are the number 10 on my list.
