Security Guard salary in Nigeria (2026)
Security Guard pay in Nigeria typically runs from ₦50,000 to ₦180,000 a month gross, with a median around ₦90,000. Below: what that buys in each city, and what you actually take home.
Salary data: NaijaCalc compiled range from published Nigerian salary surveys and job-board postings, Sep 2026. · Data as of 2026-09-10 · Confidence: medium
Figures are MONTHLY GROSS salary in naira, compiled as ranges from published Nigerian salary surveys (MySalaryScale, SalaryExplorer, Payscale, Glassdoor NG) and job-board postings. They are planning estimates for negotiation and budgeting — not offers, not averages from a census, and not tax advice. Every page renders the confidence tier and this caveat. The single highest-value maintenance task on this site is replacing these estimates with reader-submitted, verified payslips.
Take-home pay on the median
Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 the first ₦800,000 of chargeable income is tax-free, and 8% goes to pension. On a gross salary of ₦90,000:
| Line | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | ₦1,080,000 | ₦90,000 |
| Pension (8%) | −₦86,400 | −₦7,200 |
| Take-home (before PAYE) | ₦993,600 | ₦82,800 |
Get your exact take-home pay →
Security Guard salary by city
Adjusted using each city's overall cost index against a national baseline of 100.
| City | Low | Median | High | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos | ₦90,000 | ₦165,000 | ₦335,000 | 185 |
| Abuja | ₦85,000 | ₦155,000 | ₦305,000 | 170 |
| Port Harcourt | ₦70,000 | ₦130,000 | ₦260,000 | 145 |
| Ibadan | ₦50,000 | ₦85,000 | ₦175,000 | 96 |
| Kano | ₦45,000 | ₦80,000 | ₦160,000 | 88 |
| Enugu | ₦50,000 | ₦85,000 | ₦175,000 | 97 |
| Benin City | ₦45,000 | ₦80,000 | ₦160,000 | 90 |
| Kaduna | ₦45,000 | ₦75,000 | ₦155,000 | 86 |
| Warri | ₦60,000 | ₦105,000 | ₦210,000 | 118 |
| Jos | ₦40,000 | ₦75,000 | ₦150,000 | 83 |
| Abeokuta | ₦45,000 | ₦80,000 | ₦155,000 | 87 |
| Ilorin | ₦40,000 | ₦70,000 | ₦140,000 | 79 |
| Uyo | ₦45,000 | ₦85,000 | ₦170,000 | 94 |
| Owerri | ₦45,000 | ₦85,000 | ₦165,000 | 93 |
| Calabar | ₦40,000 | ₦75,000 | ₦155,000 | 85 |
| Sokoto | ₦40,000 | ₦70,000 | ₦135,000 | 76 |
| Maiduguri | ₦35,000 | ₦65,000 | ₦135,000 | 74 |
| Asaba | ₦50,000 | ₦90,000 | ₦175,000 | 98 |
Entry route
No formal qualification; licensed private guard companies preferred.
Frequently paid at or below the statutory minimum wage in practice, despite the ₦70,000 legal floor.