Welding Jobs in Nigeria (2026): Salaries, Where the Jobs Are, Certifications and How to Get Hired

Welding jobs in Nigeria in 2026: what welders earn from fabrication shops to oil and gas, the certifications that raise pay, where jobs are posted and how…

Published September 2026 · Careers · by Skillnaija Team

Welding is one of the few trades in Nigeria with a genuine career ladder: from a fabrication shop paying a daily rate to certified pipe welders on offshore contracts earning in dollars. The gap between the bottom and the top is enormous, and it is mostly closed by certification and documented experience. This guide sets out what welding jobs pay in 2026, where they are, which certifications matter and how to get hired.

Welder salaries in Nigeria in 2026

• Fabrication shop welder (gates, structures, furniture): ₦60,000 to ₦150,000 a month, or ₦4,000 to ₦10,000 a day for casual work.
• Factory and manufacturing maintenance welder: ₦100,000 to ₦250,000 a month, with benefits at larger companies.
• Construction and steel-structure welder: ₦120,000 to ₦300,000 a month on site contracts.
• Automotive and truck-body welder: ₦80,000 to ₦200,000 a month.
• Certified pipeline and pressure-vessel welder (onshore oil and gas): ₦300,000 to ₦900,000 a month on contracts.
• Offshore and specialist welder (6G-certified, underwater, exotic alloys): ₦1 million to ₦3 million a month equivalent, often paid in dollars by contractors.
• Welding inspector (CSWIP/AWS-certified): ₦400,000 to ₦1.5 million a month.

Self-employed welders with their own workshop are covered in how to start a welding business; their income depends on contracts rather than salary.

Where the jobs are

Lagos, Ogun and Rivers for fabrication and manufacturing; Port Harcourt, Warri, Bonny and Onne for oil and gas; Abuja and northern cities for construction; the ports and free-trade zones for shipbuilding and heavy fabrication; and the Dangote refinery and petrochemical complex in Lekki, which has created thousands of fabrication and maintenance roles since 2023. Agricultural processing plants and mining operations across the north are a growing, under-noticed employer.

Certifications that change your pay

1. Trade test (Federal Ministry of Labour) and NABTEB/City & Guilds: the baseline certificates employers ask for in factories and construction.
2. Welder qualification tests (WQT) to ASME IX or AWS D1.1: the passport into oil and gas and pressure work. A 6G pipe qualification is the standard that opens the highest-paying contracts.
3. CSWIP 3.1 or AWS CWI: welding inspection — moves you from welder to inspector.
4. NDT certificates (ultrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle): a parallel, well-paid inspection track.
5. HSE certificates (NEBOSH IGC, ISPON, offshore safety and survival): required for site and offshore work.

Training centres in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Warri run WQT and inspection courses at ₦150,000 to ₦800,000 depending on level; employers and contractors sometimes sponsor them. The free Welding & Metal Fabrication course covers the fundamentals these tests assume.

How to get hired

• Build a portfolio: photographs of your welds (before and after grinding), the jobs you have done, and any test coupons. Employers want to see beads, not certificates alone.
• Get the baseline certificate: a trade test or NABTEB certificate gets you past HR screening at factories and construction firms.
• Apply where welders are actually hired: contractor and fabrication-company career pages, LinkedIn, Jobberman, the Skillnaija jobs board, and — for oil and gas — the labour contractors that supply the majors. Walk into fabrication yards with your portfolio; many hire on a practical test the same day.
• Prepare for the practical test: most welding interviews are a weld, not a conversation. Practise the positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead) and clean your work.
• Safety record: site employers ask about it; PPE habits and a safety certificate matter.

A realistic career path

Year one to two in a fabrication shop or factory, building hand skills and a portfolio; a trade test in year one. Years two to four, a WQT to 3G then 6G, and a move to construction or onshore oil and gas contracts. Years four onwards, offshore certification or the inspection track. Welders who follow this path in Nigeria commonly multiply their income five to ten times over six years; those who stay uncertified stay at the daily rate. The career-preparation habits — a CV that lists certifications and projects, references, a LinkedIn profile — apply to trades as much as to office jobs.

Frequently asked questions

How much do welders earn in Nigeria in 2026?

Fabrication shop welders earn ₦60,000 to ₦150,000 a month; factory and construction welders ₦100,000 to ₦300,000; certified pipeline welders ₦300,000 to ₦900,000 on contracts; and offshore or specialist 6G-certified welders ₦1 million to ₦3 million a month equivalent, often in dollars.

Which welding certification pays the most in Nigeria?

A 6G pipe welder qualification to ASME IX or AWS D1.1 opens oil-and-gas and offshore contracts; CSWIP 3.1 or AWS CWI moves you into inspection. Both are the biggest salary jumps in the trade.

Where are welding jobs in Nigeria?

Lagos and Ogun for fabrication and manufacturing, Port Harcourt, Warri, Bonny and Onne for oil and gas, the Dangote refinery complex in Lekki, construction across Abuja and the north, and ports and free-trade zones for heavy fabrication.

Do I need a certificate to get a welding job?

A trade test or NABTEB certificate is the baseline for factory and construction jobs; a portfolio of your welds and a passed practical test are what actually get you hired. Higher-paying oil-and-gas work requires welder qualification tests.

How long does it take to become a certified welder?

One to two years of shop experience to build hand skills, then a welder qualification test; most welders reach a 6G qualification within three to four years of starting.