One of the important industry in Nigeria is the aviation industry. Several people work in this industry including Pilot, Co-pilot, Air Traffic Controller, Aircraft and Avionics Mechanic, Airport Manager, Airfield Operations Specialist, Aeronautical Engineer etc work in this industry. This article is about ⭐how much pilots earn in Nigeria⭐.

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There are more than 20 airports in Nigeria. Nigeria also have several airstrips and heliports. There are at least 20 active domestic airlines, 550 licensed pilots; 900 licensed engineers and 1700 cabin personnel in Nigeria.

Pilot Training In Nigeria And Starting Salary

A pilot in Nigeria who just finished at the Nigerian aviation school with Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and do not have a Type Rating may find it difficult to get a job in the aviation industry. For those that may accept the pilot without the Type Rating, they do not pay those pilots as much as they pay those with the Type Rating.

Becoming a pilot is a career that involves spending lots of hours flying an aeroplane. The salary of a pilot depends on many factors which include the aviation company the pilot works for, the Pilot Rank, Flying hours and years of experience the pilot has, and also the Type ratings. An entry-level pilot with no flying experience is the least paid pilot in the aviation industry. The least paid starting salary for an entry-level pilot in Nigeria is between ₦200,000 to ₦500,000 per month depending on the airline the pilot works for.

How Nigerian Pilots Are Paid And Where They Can Fly To From Nigeria

Most aircraft companies pay pilots in US Dollars. Pilots that work for oil and gas companies generally earn more than those that work for other companies. Nigeria currently has Bilateral Air Services Agreements with more than 75 countries in the world. People who want to travel to other countries can do so from Nigeria too. More than 25 foreign airlines can fly into Nigeria. Nigeria registered airlines can also fly to several countries including the United States of America.

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The aviation industry is one of the most regulated industries in the world. This is because lives can be lost if there is an error or fault. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is the apex regulatory body that oversees the activities of all airlines and their staff, airports, airstrips and heliports, navigation aids in Nigeria. NCAA also oversees all aviation service providers including the airport authority, air traffic service provider, aviation training institutions, etc. The NCAA watches over the entire aviation industry in Nigeria.

Full Salary Of Pilots In Nigeria

Civil Aviation refers to all non-military aviation, both commercial and private. A Nigerian pilot with type rating (a first officer) earn between ₦300,000 – ₦800,000 depending on the airline that employed the pilot, the aircraft the pilot is rated on, and his flying hours. This first officer pilot is paid more than an entry-level pilot. A pilot that has attained the rank of captain (the authority on the aircraft) earn between ₦500,000 – ₦1.5million per month. The exact amount paid as salary again depends on the airline and the aircraft he captains. As earlier stated, an entry-level pilot is between ₦200,000 to ₦500,000 per month depending on the airline the pilot works for.

Foreign airline pilots generally earn more than local airline pilots. This is due to foreign exchange rate and value of the airline company. For example, a captain of Emirates Airways earn more than Air Peace Captain.

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A Cessna captain cannot earn the same salary with a B737 captain because of the difficulty in operating or flying the two types of aeroplane are different. Every time an airline acquires a new type of aeroplane into their fleet, the airline pilots need more training. This training includes several multi-million dollar full-motion flight simulators. A pilot that has earned the mark of a common type requires less additional training than a pilot who has not..

For those Nigerians interested in becoming a pilot they should know that the training to be a pilot cost millions of naira and very few aircraft fly into Nigeria. They should also know that employment opportunities are very stiff in this field.