Nigeria’s Aviation Industry: Pay trends for customer experience officers and other key roles

Michael Adesina

Nigeria’s aviation sector is a pillar of connectivity and commerce, moving millions of passengers annually while linking the country to global markets. Behind the seamless operation of airports and airlines are professionals ranging from customer experience to engineers and pilots to cabin crew and customer service teams. Their salaries, shaped by airline ownership structure, route network, and experience level, remain a subject of both ambition and debate.

This feature takes a comprehensive look at what professionals in the aviation sector earn, drawing on recent pay surveys, public data, and industry reports. While many roles remain competitive by Nigerian standards, some positions, such as Customer Experience Officers, are breaking into top-earning categories.

Customer Experience Officers: The Frontline of Passenger Care
Customer Experience Officers (CXOs) are central to how passengers perceive an airline. They manage check-in experiences, resolve ticketing and baggage issues, coordinate lounge services, and ensure smooth communication between passengers and airline operations.
Recent salary data places their pay between ₦1.2 million and ₦1.5 million per month for the top 10% earners: an amount that reflects the growing recognition of passenger experience as a differentiator in a competitive market.
Entry-level officers: around ₦400,000–₦600,000/month

Mid-level professionals: ₦900,000–₦1.1 million/month

Senior officers and managers: ₦1.2 million–₦1.5 million/month

At the upper end, these salaries rival those of some technical roles, marking a shift in how airlines value customer-facing expertise.

Pilots and Flight Deck Crew
Pilots remain the highest-earning professionals in aviation, commanding premium pay for their skills, responsibility, and training.
First Officers: ₦1.5 million–₦2.5 million/month for the top 10% earners.

Captains: ₦3 million–₦5 million/month, with international route captains at the top of the range

Salaries at this level reflect the combination of scarce expertise, safety responsibility, and global demand for experienced flight crew. Top 10% earners

Aircraft Engineers and Maintenance Specialists
These professionals keep aircraft airworthy through rigorous inspections, repairs, and compliance checks.
Licensed aircraft engineers: ₦1 million–₦1.8 million/month

Senior engineers with international certifications: up to ₦2 million/month

Their salaries remain competitive, though they typically fall just below pilot earnings.

Cabin Crew and In-Flight Service Teams
Cabin crew shape the onboard passenger experience, ensuring both safety and hospitality.
Junior crew members: ₦400,000–₦700,000/month

Senior crew/pursers: ₦800,000–₦1.2 million/month

Though below pilot or engineering levels, these salaries place crew members firmly in the mid-range of aviation pay scales.

Air Traffic Controllers
Working largely behind the scenes, controllers manage the complex flow of aircraft in Nigeria’s increasingly busy skies.
Entry-level controllers: ₦600,000–₦900,000/month

Experienced controllers: ₦1.2 million–₦1.6 million/month

At the upper range, these figures overlap with Customer Experience Officers, showing how both operational and customer-facing expertise can attract top pay.

Ground Operations and Logistics Managers
From baggage handling oversight to cargo coordination, these roles keep airport operations moving.
Operations officers: ₦400,000–₦700,000/month

Managers: ₦800,000–₦1.2 million/month

The roles are indispensable to day-to-day aviation functioning, and the above salary reflects what the top 10% earn.

The Combined Salary Landscape
Across the aviation industry, most professionals that earn ₦1.5 million per month are the top 10% earners based on the dataset analyzed. Salaries above ₦1.7 million/month are rare, typically restricted to very highlight skilled professionals that have demonstrated sustained impact in the industry.
Customer Experience Officers, with monthly pay reaching ₦1.5 million, now stand out as one of the top-paying non-technical roles, reflecting the sector’s growing emphasis on passenger satisfaction as a competitive edge.

Sectoral Pressures and Retention
International airlines and overseas opportunities continue to lure Nigerian aviation talent, offering salaries that far exceed local benchmarks. Inflation compounds the challenge, eroding purchasing power and pushing many professionals to seek opportunities abroad.

As one senior Customer Experience Manager explained:
“Passenger experience is no longer just about smiles — it is strategy. Airlines that invest in customer service retain loyalty, and the salaries now match the importance of that role.”
A licensed aircraft engineer added:
“Pilots get the headlines, but without maintenance and ground support, planes don’t fly. Competitive pay is the only way to keep skilled people in Nigeria.”

Nigeria’s aviation sector is evolving, with compensation increasingly reflecting the importance of both technical expertise and customer-facing roles. While pilots remain the undisputed top earners, Customer Experience Officers are emerging as a surprising rival, pulling in salaries once reserved for the cockpit and control tower.

As the industry grows, retaining talent will depend on balancing competitive pay with opportunities for career development. Salaries near ₦1.5 million/month are now a clear signal of seniority and impact — whether in the skies, on the tarmac, or across the check-in desk.