Amidst the ever rising unemployment rate,
with many young graduates struggling to get
white-collar jobs, there have emerged some
high earning jobs in the information and
communication technology, music, building
and medical sectors
By Folake Olagunju

The Internet has no doubt become a great
marketplace due to the increasing number of
people using it daily. It is now the easiest
and most proven place to do quality and
effective marketing of businesses – small,
medium or big. Hence, most businesses
nowadays commit significant resources
towards their websites. This means that the
demand for web design skills is higher than
ever. Many young Nigerians are now
leveraging the opportunities thrown up by the
booming Internet market.
For instance, after graduating from NIIT
Nigeria, with an advanced degree in
information technology, Seye Ogunkoya
decided to go into the world of information
and communication technology, ICT. Thus in
2011, he, along with Kelvin Oguno, his friend,
started Graystone Technologies, located on
Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, Lagos.
Currently, Ogunkoya creates websites and
mobile applications for individuals and
various organisations. He has created mobile
applications on BlackBerry and Android Apps
stores. He went into the business because of
his love and passion for surfing the Internet.
“At a point, I had other day jobs while I
continued developing myself, but now I am
fully in it because of my love for technology,”
he said.
Ogunkoya’s clients include Samsung,
Lespace, Creo Consulting, to mention just a
few. He soon found out that the business
was very profitable, especially for highly
skilled and experienced professionals. “If you
are very good at what you do, most times
you do not need to look for clients because
your work speaks for you and the clients
would find you,” he explained. He charges
nothing less than N130,000 for a job and in a
month he designs at least five websites
which gives him an average income of
N650,000 monthly.
Fred Agbata, another young Nigerian who
studied Sociology at the University of Ado
Ekiti, now Ekiti State University, EKSU, is also
reaping bountifully from the ICT sector. He
set up CFA Leverage in 2009 because of the
satisfaction and joy he derives from the
Internet. Aside from helping small, medium
and large-scale enterprises leverage the
Internet for their brand and business growth
by developing and designing websites for
them, CFA Leverage also does digital
marketing and trains individuals and
corporate bodies on ICT-related issues. “As
of now, I know we have designed more than
100 high-quality websites for our esteemed
and satisfied clients. In a month, we work on
an average of four to six websites,” he said.
His company, located in Ikoyi, has worked
with clients such as Nigerian–American
Chamber of Commerce; Enterprise
Development Centre, EDC; Pat Utomi’s
Centre for Values in Leadership and many
others.
Though he refused to say how much he
charges his clients, Agbata said his fees are
quite reasonable and affordable by all kinds
of people. “We do not have a straitjacket
price for our services, rather we have variety
of packages that can accommodate all
comers that require our services. That way,
small, medium and large-scale businesses
can get services within their budget and
upgrade when they grow bigger,” he
revealed.
The future even looks rosier for this crop of
high earning ICT experts. Ogunkoya said
website designing in Nigeria within the next
five to 10 years would outpace other
lucrative jobs by far because websites are
becoming important in all spheres of life and
the Internet has changed the way people run
their businesses and interact. “Nowadays,
many companies are looking for ways to
reach their customers locally and globally
and the only way to do this is by being on
the Internet. Everybody wants to publicise
their products and services and the only way
to effectively achieve this is through having a
website where they can be reached,” he
added.
The good news for those who want to start
this business, according to Ogunkoya, is that
they don’t necessarily need a huge amount
of money. “A beginner in this business could
start with at least N200,000 to N250,000.
This is because one has to get a laptop,
Internet connection and a generating set for
constant power supply. It does not really
require getting an office because one could
work from home, so this reduces the cost of
start up,” he said.
The exponential growth of the
telecommunications sector since it was
deregulated in 2001, breaking the monopoly
of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited,
NITEL, has also thrown up some hot jobs as
well. The fact that active fixed wired/wireless
lines has soared to over 120 million as at
June 2013 means that the dynamic industry
is always churning out professionals as new
technologies arrive. Now there is an endless
demand for field engineers, circuit designers
and installation equipment vendors in the
sector and all these professionals earn
mouth-watering salaries. Seun Kupoluyi, an
electronic telecommunications engineer who
works with Globacom, explained that the
demands for the services of telecoms
engineers are high because the industry is
still experiencing a boom, and experienced
and highly trained professionals are in short
supply. Kupoluyi noted that it takes an
average of five years to train to be an
electrical /electronics engineer and
electronics and computer engineering/science
in Nigeria but it could take a shorter period
abroad.
Not only are professionals in this field in high
demand, but they are also very well paid.
According to Kupoluyi, telecoms companies
have different rates for different categories.
However, the average graduate engineer gets
at least N420,000 in a month while a highly
experienced and top end engineer earns
about N1.2 million. “When compared to other
jobs in high demand, telecoms engineering is
a more dynamic industry, as it offers
unlimited opportunities to its professionals
who are adaptable to change; make
conscious effort to study widely; and avail
themselves of training opportunities. Also,
there is a relative job security atmosphere
once you know your onions, as experienced
professionals are known to poach from other
firms by giving better offers in respect of
take-home pay, general welfare package,
training culture and career advancement
prospect,” Kupoluyi said.
Intervention radiologists, a rare group of
medical experts, who specialise in the
diagnosis and treatment of diseases using
medical imaging equipment, are also making
waves. The practice was boosted in
November 2002 when the federal government
signed a multi-million Euro contract with
Vamed Engineering, a foreign firm, for the
rehabilitation of some selected teaching
hospitals in the country. This marked the
arrival of dedicated modern Interventional
Radiology suites at the University of
Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH,
commissioned in 2007, and Aminu Kano
Teaching Hospital, AKTH, commissioned in
2010.
According to Abdulkabir Tabari, professor of
Interventional Radiology, a quarter of the
Nigerian population are in need of the
services of Interventional Radiologists, yet
apart from the two Interventional Radiology
suites in Kano and Maiduguri, there are only
three other Catheterisation Laboratories run
by private cardiology centres in Lagos, Abuja
and at the University College Hospital, UCH,
Ibadan.
It costs N250,000 for a session of
Interventional Radiology in a public hospital
and almost twice that amount in a private
hospital. “In advanced countries where the
Intervention Radiology services are well
established, a specialist can earn as much
as $1 million, about N160 million, per
annum. While in countries like ours where
the practice is still in its rudimentary stage,
the payment is based on the usual
remuneration of a specialist in public
service,” he said.
The astronomical growth of Pentecostal
churches in the country has also birthed a
circle of young professional organists who
earn so much money from their talents. For
instance, when Tosin Bambeke, a graduate of
Medical Biochemistry from Ladoke Akintola
University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo
State, decided to go into music on full-time
basis in 2011, many thought he was kidding
but the young man knew what he was doing.
Bambeke does not only play the piano, but
he is a vocal coach and also mentors and
trains people, especially church choirs. He
works with churches and also performs at
events. He has worked with churches like
Winners Chapel, Ogbomosho, Daystar and
Foursquare Gospel Church, Dopemu. “I have
performed in innumerable shows so far and I
still look forward to more. In a month, I
perform at least twice and sometimes it can
be more than that. I do this as a full-time
job because it is what I love and so far God
has helped me,” he said. Bambeke charges
as much as N150,000 playing the piano,
depending on the event and the church where
he plays an organ, and earns nothing less
than N300,000 in a month.
Seeing that the business of photography
alone would not cater fully for his needs,
Tobi Oladipo, a graduate of Mass
Communication from the Lagos State
University, decided to become a pianist,
which has always been his hobby. He learnt
to play the keyboard since 2003, but did not
go into it as a business until the need arose
recently. So, he is in the business on part-
time basis. “Most times, I play for churches
but as a professional, I still perform in other
events depending on the offer,” he added.
Oladipo has played in various branches of
Redeemed Christian Church of God, Chapel of
Restoration, Pentecostal Fellowship of
Nigeria regional meetings, Nigerian Christian
Corpers Fellowship, Ogun State, and many
more others. He performs in at least three
events in a month and charges an average of
N50,000 per event. “I also train people who
are interested in learning the keyboard for
N15,000 per month,” Oladipo added.
For these organists, the key moment for
them is the year end and beginning of the
year when there are more events. “You know
that there are usually more parties at the
end of the year and also at the beginning of
the new year. This is the period I love most
because the business is usually at its peak
then and I usually have more events and
shows that sometimes I turn down some
events,” Bambeke said.
With building construction going on in
virtually every part of the country over the
years, the need for skilled workers in the
industry has never been as dire as it is now.
But of all building professionals, plumbers
rank among the most sought after.
According to Jelili Badmus, who owns Free
Water Limited, a plumbing company, the
industry keeps getting better for him as the
days go by. Since he founded his company in
1994, after five years of training, he has
never for once regretted his decision to
become a plumber. “This business keeps
getting better as time goes on, because there
are few people in it. This is because young
people of nowadays do not want to learn it;
some of them feel it is a degrading work
because of all it entails. Many of them prefer
to ride okada or even go into Internet scam
in order to get quick money. As a result of
this, I can say that there is a bit of monopoly
in the industry and it has been very good for
the rest of us in the business,” he said.
Badmus cannot state the exact number of
jobs he has done so far, but he has travelled
to virtually all states of the federation. In a
month, he completes at least three plumbing
jobs for new houses and countless minor
repair jobs. “Within a month, I could travel to
three states to work,” he said. For a
complete plumbing job, Badmus charges
between N350,000 and N500,000 depending
on the structure of the building and location.
With his plumbing job, Badmus who currently
has six apprentices has been able to
complete his own house, and owns two
vehicles and takes care of his family.
As profitable as the business is, there are
still some challenges that come with it.
According to Badmus, plumbing jobs such as
blocked toilet give them so much stress
because of its complexities. “You know that
for this type of job, you need to get your
hands into a little mess, no matter how
much you avoid it. And most times you get
only few people to join you because people
run away from it. Sometimes when I have
this type of job, some of my boys would call
and tell me they are not feeling well just
because they do not want to do the job,” he
said.
According to Gbenga Olakitan, a
businessman, the plumbing industry is a little
bit monopolistic because the labourers are
few but the demands are high as people
keep on putting up structures daily. “I never
knew how much these people got until I
started working on my own building. When it
got to the point of fixing the water system,
kitchen sinks and other plumbing areas, I
could not believe it when the guy told me to
bring N300,000 for his workmanship after so
much bargaining. Even at that, he told me
that he still had other jobs pending and
would have to do them first before my own,”
he recounted.
Fast-paced changes in various sectors of the
Nigerian life have enthroned a new class of
professionals that prefer working on part-
time basis with various organisations or
acting as consultant. There is no doubt that
they earn so much money, perhaps, more
than traditional jobs. Indeed, it is an
incontrovertible fact that these new hot jobs
will attract more young Nigerians not so
much for the mega pay, but the increasing
demand for their services.
According to Ifeoma Adeniyi, a human
resource practitioner and second vice
president, human resource, SMADAC
Securities, the fact that Internet technology
has taken over the workplace makes it
necessary for organisations to engage
experts in these areas. “Despite the fact that
there is not much going for the economy,
there are always job openings for this crop of
people because of the need to stay relevant.”
She added that most of these professionals
do not tie themselves to one place because
they are usually needed everywhere and can
afford to move to greener pastures once the
need arises.
Looking at the plumbing industry, Adeniyi
said that the need for plumbers keep growing
on a daily basis as a result of the rapid
development in the construction industry and
it is an area that has not been really
explored like others. She urged young people
to go embrace the lucrative profession rather
than remain unemployed for long periods.
“For the medical field, we tend towards
investigative science now more than before.
People are more concerned about their health
now so they want to know more and this
investigative science has brought about new
crop of professionals in the field,” she noted.
According to Oscar Odiboh, a marketing
communication consultant, the reason the
professionals in these fields are in high
demand is because professions are being
broken down and are dissolving nowadays.
“Gone are the days when it all used to come
in one package. Nowadays, the industry calls
for specialisation, for example we no longer
have just educationist, we have either a child
educationist or an adult educationist. And in
advertising too we have creative
professionals, marketing among others, and
these people have different job specifications
within the same industry,” he added.
The frequency with which the new crop of
highly paid professionals move from one job
to another leads to their poor circulation
which Feranmi Owolabi, a human resource
practitioner, says creates a big dent in the
talent pipeline of many organisations and
leads to poor business continuity in terms of
management and the specific business
process. According to her, this leads to brain
drain and a struggle for the minimal available
expertise, which prevents the healthy
competition needed for businesses to thrive
and improve.
Owolabi advised that basic processes be
adopted in driving the energy of Nigerian
youths towards these areas such as creating
a curriculum and learning structure in the
educational sector to address organisational
needs. “Also youths need to be exposed to
diverse fields in work situations in order to
develop competencies for problem solving,”
she said, adding that exposure, learning
opportunities and mentoring could also help
to draw Nigerian youths into the new
money-spinning careers. As Ogunkoya
noted, technology evolves and the changes
are rapid. “What you think you know or have
mastered today could be obsolete tomorrow
morning, so you have to be in touch with the
times,” he said.
The good news is that young Nigerians are
cashing in on the fast-paced changes in
technology, making fortunes in the process.
He believes that many more should go into
these new fields instead of searching for
white-collar jobs that might never come
since currently university degrees no longer
guarantee jobs.


Additional reports by Eunice Nze-Peters and
Bunmi Oludiran

so inspiring. GOD Bless you

.

Front page pls