Software Developer salary in Nigeria (2026)
Software Developer pay in Nigeria typically runs from ₦250,000 to ₦1,800,000 a month gross, with a median around ₦550,000. 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 ₦550,000:
| Line | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | ₦6,600,000 | ₦550,000 |
| Pension (8%) | −₦528,000 | −₦44,000 |
| Take-home (before PAYE) | ₦6,072,000 | ₦506,000 |
Get your exact take-home pay →
Software Developer salary by city
Adjusted using each city's overall cost index against a national baseline of 100.
| City | Low | Median | High | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos | ₦460,000 | ₦1,020,000 | ₦3,330,000 | 185 |
| Abuja | ₦425,000 | ₦935,000 | ₦3,060,000 | 170 |
| Port Harcourt | ₦360,000 | ₦800,000 | ₦2,610,000 | 145 |
| Ibadan | ₦240,000 | ₦530,000 | ₦1,730,000 | 96 |
| Kano | ₦220,000 | ₦485,000 | ₦1,585,000 | 88 |
| Enugu | ₦240,000 | ₦535,000 | ₦1,745,000 | 97 |
| Benin City | ₦225,000 | ₦495,000 | ₦1,620,000 | 90 |
| Kaduna | ₦215,000 | ₦475,000 | ₦1,550,000 | 86 |
| Warri | ₦295,000 | ₦650,000 | ₦2,125,000 | 118 |
| Jos | ₦210,000 | ₦455,000 | ₦1,495,000 | 83 |
| Abeokuta | ₦220,000 | ₦480,000 | ₦1,565,000 | 87 |
| Ilorin | ₦200,000 | ₦435,000 | ₦1,420,000 | 79 |
| Uyo | ₦235,000 | ₦515,000 | ₦1,690,000 | 94 |
| Owerri | ₦230,000 | ₦510,000 | ₦1,675,000 | 93 |
| Calabar | ₦210,000 | ₦470,000 | ₦1,530,000 | 85 |
| Sokoto | ₦190,000 | ₦420,000 | ₦1,370,000 | 76 |
| Maiduguri | ₦185,000 | ₦405,000 | ₦1,330,000 | 74 |
| Asaba | ₦245,000 | ₦540,000 | ₦1,765,000 | 98 |
Entry route
Portfolio and demonstrable skill matter more than credentials. Self-taught routes are common and well accepted.
The widest spread of any profession tracked. Remote roles paid in USD by foreign employers sit far above the local ceiling and are the single largest arbitrage available in the Nigerian labour market.
Remote work: this profession is commonly performed remotely, which matters a great deal in Nigeria — a foreign employer paying in dollars or pounds can sit several multiples above the local ceiling for the same work.