Oil, gas sector security experts cement status as Nigeria’s elite earners
Taiwo Okanlawon
Security professionals stationed within Nigeria’s vast oil and gas infrastructure continue to command premium compensation packages, according to new industry-wide salary data for 2024. The figures reaffirm the energy sector’s position as one of the country’s highest-paying employers particularly for professionals tasked with safeguarding critical national assets.
The latest dataset integrates data from public salary platforms and an independent survey of 700 security professionals and 50 HR experts across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, revealing that top-tier security roles now earn up to ₦70 million per year for the highest 10 percent of professionals. The review, covering international oil companies, local producers, and security contractors, confirms that median salaries remain significantly higher than national averages, reflecting the sector’s risk exposure, specialized technical demands, and adherence to global compensation benchmarks set by leading operators.
Top 10 Security Roles (2025 Benchmark Data – Yearly Gross Earning)
| Role | Median Pay (₦) | Top 10% (₦) |
| Security Officer (Oil & Gas Facility) | 4 million | 7 million |
| Security Supervisor (Upstream Operations) | 7.5 million | 12 million |
| Surveillance Operator (Pipeline Monitoring) | 5.5 million | 9 million |
| Access Control Officer (Offshore Platform) | 6 million | 10 million |
| Security Coordinator (Drilling & Production Sites) | 10 million | 18 million |
| Maritime Security Officer (Offshore & Coastal Ops) | 11 million | 20 million |
| Security Advisor (Energy Projects) | 15 million | 28 million |
| Corporate Security Specialist (Oil & Gas Company) | 18 million | 32 million |
| Head, Security Operations | 22 million | 40 million |
| Security Manager (Exploration & Refinery Division) | 30 million | 70 million |
A Profession Built on Risk and Reliability
The oil and gas sector’s unique operating environment from deep offshore fields to volatile pipeline corridors demands not just vigilance but technical sophistication. Security managers are required to integrate traditional surveillance with drone monitoring, threat intelligence, and crisis-response planning.
“Oil and gas security is no longer just about guards and gates,” says an industry consultant based in Port Harcourt. “It’s a command-and-control operation linking technology, geopolitics, and emergency response. That complexity is reflected in pay scales.”
The survey also highlights a structured career progression within the industry. Entry-level officers, earning between ₦4–7 million annually, typically begin as part of onsite patrol or access-control teams. Within five to eight years, capable officers can move into supervisory and coordination roles where pay doubles or triples, reflecting greater accountability for site-wide risk management.
Why Oil and Gas Security Commands Premium Pay
Three enduring dynamics underpin high compensation in this field:
- High-Value Asset Protection: Refineries, drilling rigs, and pipelines worth billions require continuous 24-hour surveillance and contingency planning.
- Hazardous Work Environment: Offshore shifts, community conflicts, and sabotage threats expose personnel to physical and operational risks rarely seen in other sectors.
- International Pay Benchmarking: IOCs and EPC contractors link Nigerian pay bands to equivalents in global markets such as Dubai and Aberdeen.
Security professionals in Nigeria’s energy sector are no longer peripheral to business success they’re at its core. With salaries between ₦4 million and ₦70 million annually, these specialists stand shoulder-to-shoulder with engineers, HSE experts, and senior operations managers in both compensation and strategic relevance.
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