New salary report show say almost half of the Nigerian workers wey PaidHR analyse earn below ₦200,000 every month, while industry, gender, and how long person don work for one company fit affect how much dem collect.
Almost Half of Nigerian Workers Earn Below ₦200,000
If you dey work every day, receive salary at the end of the month, and still dey wonder where your money disappear go, this new salary report fit explain part of the matter.
According to a new report from PaidHR, a Nigerian human resources and payroll startup, 46 out of every 100 workers for the dataset earn below ₦200,000 monthly.
The company analyse payroll records of more than 25,000 workers across over 400 Nigerian employers. The data come from a July 2026 snapshot of active employees on PaidHR platform.
The findings show say Nigeria formal labour market get serious salary differences.
While 46% of workers earn below ₦200,000 monthly, only 10 out of every 100 earn ₦1 million or more.
In other words, the distance between the lower end and upper end of the salary scale wide well-well.
Seye Bandele, PaidHR co-founder and CEO, describe the situation as a two-tier labour market, where a large group of workers dey collect relatively low wages while a smaller group of professionals earn significantly more.
But make we clear one important thing: the figures represent workers included in PaidHR dataset. Dem no automatically represent every worker for Nigeria, especially people wey dey informal employment or work for employers wey no dey use the platform.
The Average Nigerian Salary No Tell the Whole Story
One important figure for the report na the median salary.
Median mean say if you arrange all the workers from the person wey earn the lowest salary reach the person wey earn the highest, the person for the middle na the median worker.
According to PaidHR, the median monthly gross salary stand at ₦217,000.
After deductions such as pension contributions, income tax, and other payroll deductions, the median take-home pay drop to ₦199,972.
This distinction matter because the amount wey enter your bank account no always be the same amount wey your employer list as your salary.
The report also find say 10 out of every 100 workers for the dataset earn below ₦70,000 monthly, the national minimum wage signed into law for 2024.
Meanwhile, Nigeria workers still dey face pressure from transport fares, food prices, rent, electricity bills, and other everyday expenses.
Even when inflation begin slow down, e no automatically mean say prices don return to the level wey dem dey before.
For workers, the real question no be only how much salary enter their account, but how much that money fit actually buy.
The Five-Year Wall: Why Salary Growth Fit Slow Down
One of the report findings wey deserve attention na wetin PaidHR call the five-year wall.
The idea be say salary growth tends to be stronger during the first few years wey a worker spend with an employer. After that, salary increases fit become less consistent.
For workers wey don spend less than one year for their current jobs, the median salary stand at ₦181,235 monthly.
According to the report, median pay rises with tenure and reaches a peak around the five-year mark, when the middle worker earns about 47% more than someone at entry level.
After that point, the salary gains become less consistent.
Wetin this mean?
Imagine say you join one company as a junior designer, accountant, engineer, or software developer.
As you gain experience, your responsibilities increase. You learn new skills, handle bigger projects, and contribute more to the business.
Naturally, you expect your salary to reflect that growth.
But sometimes, the company salary review no dey move as fast as the market.
A new employee wey join the same company fit negotiate a higher salary because the employer must compete with current market rates to attract talent.
Meanwhile, the existing employee fit continue to receive annual increases wey no fully reflect the current market value of their skills.
Na this kind situation PaidHR dey highlight.
Bandele explain say experience alone fit stop to generate significant salary growth when employers no adjust the pay of existing workers at the same pace wey the market reprices jobs.
However, the report no mean say every worker must leave their employer after five years. Salary growth still depend on the person role, industry, performance, employer, and other factors.
The important lesson be say workers need to understand their market value and regularly review whether their compensation still matches their experience and responsibilities.
Your Industry Fit Determine How Much You Earn
Another important finding from the report concern the difference between industries.
According to PaidHR, the median monthly salary for fintech and technology workers stand at ₦418,916.
For retail, hospitality, and leisure, the median salary stand at ₦80,000.
Banking, lending, and financial services record a median salary of ₦230,491, while healthcare and pharmaceuticals record ₦169,423.
These figures show say workers for different industries fit collect very different salaries, even when some of their skills overlap.
For example, a professional wey get analytical, communication, design, or technology skills fit encounter different earning opportunities depending on the industry and company wey employ am.
Technology and fintech businesses sometimes compete for specialised talent within a global market, which fit influence the salaries dem offer.
But make nobody misunderstand the report: working for technology no automatically guarantee big salary, just as working for another industry no automatically mean say person go earn less.
The figures represent median salaries for the sectors covered by the report. Individual earnings still depend on job roles, experience, employer size, and other factors.
Still, the differences raise an important career question: Are you working in an industry where your skills get the opportunity to command the kind of pay you want?
Women Earn Less Than Men for the Dataset
PaidHR report also identify a difference between the median salaries of men and women.
The median monthly salary for women in the dataset stand at ₦192,089, compared with ₦238,103 for men.
Based on these figures, women earn approximately 81 kobo for every ₦1 men earn at the median.
This finding shows a difference in earnings, but the figures alone no establish the exact reasons behind am.
Factors such as job roles, seniority, industry, employer, and compensation practices fit affect salary differences. Further analysis would be necessary to determine how much each factor contributes.
The report also points to differences within individual companies, suggesting say industry distribution alone may not explain the entire gap.
For employers, the findings raise questions about how salaries are determined, how promotions happen, and whether people performing comparable work receive fair compensation.
For workers, transparent salary structures and clearer promotion criteria fit help make compensation decisions easier to understand.
PaidHR Predicts Salaries Could Reach ₦380,000 by 2030
Looking ahead, PaidHR project say the median monthly salary could rise from ₦217,000 in 2026 to ₦380,000 by 2030.
The projection assumes annual salary growth of approximately 15%.
If that projection happens, workers could see higher nominal salaries over the coming years.
But there is one important catch: higher salary no automatically mean say your standard of living don improve.
Imagine say your salary increase from ₦200,000 to ₦250,000, but the money wey you spend on food, transportation, rent, and electricity also increase significantly.
You fit receive more money every month without having enough left to save, invest, or enjoy a better quality of life.
That is why salary growth and purchasing power no be the same thing.
The report projection should also be understood as a forecast, not a guaranteed outcome.
Actual salary growth will depend on economic conditions, employer performance, labour market demand, and other factors.
Wetin Nigerian Workers Fit Learn From the Report?
The findings offer several lessons for workers and employers.
First, workers need to understand the market value of their skills. Experience matter, but e also help to know the salary range for similar roles across different companies and industries.
Second, salary conversations should not wait until frustration don set in. Workers fit regularly review their responsibilities, achievements, and compensation against available market information.
Third, employers need to recognise say retaining experienced workers requires more than annual salary increases. Compensation structures need to reflect changing responsibilities and market conditions.
Finally, workers should look beyond the salary figure alone when evaluating a job. Benefits, career development, work conditions, job security, and opportunities for advancement also matter.
For technology professionals especially, the report highlights how industry choice and compensation practices can influence earning potential.
But changing jobs simply because another company offers more money no always be the right decision. Workers need to compare the full offer and consider their long-term career goals.
The Bottom Line
PaidHR report paint a picture of a Nigerian formal labour market where earnings differ significantly across salary levels, industries, and genders.
Almost half of the workers included in the dataset earn below ₦200,000 monthly, while the report suggests that salary growth can become less consistent after several years with one employer.
At the same time, projected salary increases may not translate into better living standards if essential expenses continue to rise.
For Nigerian workers, the challenge goes beyond getting a job or waiting for the next promotion.
Understanding your market value, developing relevant skills, evaluating career opportunities, and paying attention to purchasing power can all play a role in making better financial and career decisions.
Because at the end of the month, the most important question no be simply how much your payslip show.
Na how much that salary fit do for your life.
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