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Plumbing Basics

Fix leaks, install fixtures and earn steady money as a Nigerian plumber

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About this course

Learn practical plumbing from the ground up — the pipes, fittings and tools you'll actually use, how to fix leaks, taps, toilets and blockages, install sinks and showers, and set up tanks and pumps for steady water. You'll also learn to read a basic layout, work safely, and run a plumbing service business that quotes properly in naira and keeps clients calling you back.

In Nigeria, the person who controls water in a building never lacks work. Boreholes, tanks, pumps and pipes all eventually leak, block or burst — and that is a steady income waiting for someone who knows how to fix them. That someone can be you.

Who this course is for

For people who want a trade that earns in every neighbourhood and never goes out of season: school leavers, artisans in related trades (tilers, electricians, builders) who keep getting asked to fix a tap, property caretakers, and homeowners who are tired of paying for the same leak twice. No prior experience needed; the course starts with what a pipe fitting is.

What you'll learn

By the end you will be able to

Pay, demand and the market in Nigeria

Nigeria's housing stock is growing and most of it has plumbing problems: boreholes, overhead tanks, pumps and old pipe runs. In 2026, call-out repairs pay ₦5,000 to ₦20,000, fixture installations ₦10,000 to ₦40,000 each, a full flat or bungalow ₦150,000 to ₦600,000 in labour, and tank-and-pump systems ₦50,000 to ₦200,000 in labour on top of materials. A plumber with a phone full of estate caretakers and property agents can reach ₦200,000 to ₦500,000 a month; contractors doing new builds earn more. Reliability — turning up, finishing, not leaving a mess — is the whole competitive advantage.

Tools and what it costs to start

A starter kit of pipe wrench, adjustable spanner, hacksaw, PVC cutter, Teflon tape, PVC glue, a plunger and a drain snake costs about ₦35,000 to ₦70,000 in 2026. A PPR fusion welder (₦25,000 to ₦60,000) opens up the modern hot-and-cold installations most new houses use. Transport, a phone and a receipt book complete the business.

Course syllabus — 7 lessons

  1. Why Nigeria always needs plumbers — and how you earn from it11 min
  2. Know your materials: pipes, fittings and the tools that earn you money14 min
  3. Fixing the bread-and-butter: leaks, dripping taps and running toilets13 min
  4. Clearing blockages and understanding drainage and soakaways12 min
  5. Installing fixtures: taps, basins, sinks, showers and toilets14 min
  6. Water systems and reading a layout: tanks, pumps and pressure14 min
  7. Safety, quoting and running your plumbing business in Nigeria13 min

Your project

Complete Plumbing Job Plan for a Real or Sample Property

A single shared link or document containing the diagnosis (or fixture-install plan), an itemised materials-and-tools list with naira costs, and a professional client quote for one job.

You diagnose one real or sample job — a leak, a blocked drain, a fixture install or a tank-and-pump setup — and produce a job plan: the diagnosis, an itemised materials and tools list with 2026 naira prices, and a professional client quote. It is graded on correct materials, realistic pricing and a quote a client would accept.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify. See the full project brief, rubric and free workbook →

Frequently asked questions

Is Plumbing Basics free?

Yes. Plumbing Basics is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Plumbing Basics take to complete?

5 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 7 lessons, about 2 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Plumbing Basics?

Beginner-friendly. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Plumbing Basics?

You will build practical skills in Identifying pipes, fittings and the right tools, Fixing leaks, taps and running toilets, Clearing blockages safely, Installing sinks, showers and basins, Setting up tanks, pumps and water systems, Reading a basic plumbing layout, Quoting jobs and running the business. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Plumbing Basics?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Complete Plumbing Job Plan for a Real or Sample Property and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

Can I learn plumbing online?

The materials, diagnosis, sequencing, water-system design and pricing are all learnable from the lessons and diagrams, and that is where most beginners go wrong. Hand skills come from practice on real fittings, and the course tells you what to practise; a few days alongside a working plumber makes it click fast.

How much can a plumber earn in Nigeria in 2026?

Repairs pay ₦5,000 to ₦20,000 per call-out, installations ₦10,000 to ₦40,000 per fixture, and full-house jobs ₦150,000 to ₦600,000 in labour. Steady plumbers earn ₦200,000 to ₦500,000 a month; contractors more. The figures vary by city and by how well you quote.

Do I need any licence to work as a plumber?

No licence is required for domestic work. For government and large commercial projects, registration with a trade association or a contractor's registration helps. Insurance and a written quote protect you more than any licence in day-to-day work.

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