Microbiologists Salary Structure in Nigeria (2024)

This article is about the monthly salary structure of microbiologists in Nigeria currently in this year 2024. In Nigeria today, the salary of microbiologists is thought provoking, something similar to biochemists salary structure in the country, this is because many people do not really know who these group of scientists are and what their job function entails. This article is a guide on how much microbiologists are paid in the country currently.

Microbiology is a branch of natural science that deals with the study of living organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eyes. In many Nigerian hospitals and health related institutions, the expertise of this particular group of scientists are highly sort after as they are integral to the smooth running of these organizations. A professional in microbiology is called a microbiologist just as those in pharmacy are called pharmacists and their counterparts in biochemistry are called biochemists

Seeing the importance of those who venture into this field of science, it would not be out of place if you wanted to find out what the salary of a microbiologist in Nigeria is presently. You should be aware that just as those top professional courses in the medical sciences are revered in our country, the field of microbiology is also as important. How much a microbiologist earns per month is largely dependent on the company they choose to work in, the sector they decide to advance their career in and the pay package these institutions set as the monthly take home for their workers.

MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY STRUCTURE IN NIGERIA 2024

The monthly salary of a microbiologist in Nigeria this 2024 is estimated to begin from about ₦70,000 to ₦300,000 depending on the company, the age of the scientist, years of experience on the job and other factors such as the sector in which they choose to work in as well as location.

Having established the range for the monthly take home pay of entry-level microbiologists in Nigeria today, let us now look at how much they earn in the different sectors of the job in the country.

MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY IN NIGERIA (₦50,000 – ₦150,000)

Newly employed medical microbiologists in the public sector in Nigeria, that is, those working in government hospitals take home between ₦80,000 – ₦150,000 as salary per month, while those in the private health institutions rake in between ₦50,000 – ₦100,000 monthly.

Microbiologists in the medical sector work in hospital laboratories and research institutes to provide services which aid in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Those working in hospital laboratories are used to routine processes such as:

• Making use of a microscope to find out the cause of an ailment
• Culturing and carrying out sensitivity testing on certain microorganisms
• Detecting specific products of disease-causing organisms using chemical, immunologic, or molecular techniques
• Detecting antibodies produced by the patient in response to a disease-causing organism
• Using the latest computer software to carry out detailed studies and researches
• Managing and supervising laboratory work
• Playing a huge role in the control of hospital infection and in antimicrobial policy.

MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY IN THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR IN NIGERIA (₦200,000 – ₦400,000)

Newly employed microbiologists in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria earn between ₦200,000 – ₦400,000 as salary per month currently and this monthly payment increases with time and experience on the job. Microbiologists in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, whether at Shell, Chevron, NNPC or ExxonMobil help to use microorganisms to mobilize and alter crude oil and refined petroleum products.

They help take care of oil spills with the use of microorganisms to mop up an area where such spillage occurs, whether on land or in large water bodies. This process is called bioremediation. These scientists are also very important to oil and gas companies in the refining of petroleum products at any of the major refineries in Nigeria.

MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY IN THE FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS SECTOR IN NIGERIA (₦70,000 – ₦200,000)

Microbiologists also work in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in Nigeria. The salary range for entry-level microbiologists in the FMCG industry in the country is between ₦70,000 – ₦200,000. They are employed to either work in the laboratory to ensure that good quality products are manufactured or they are sent out as marketers of the company’s products. Pay increases with time and experience .

MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA (₦120,000 – ₦300,000)

A microbiologist at entry level in any of the pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria earns a salary between ₦120,000 – ₦300,000 on average per month. They are brand ambassadors of the company and as such, work on the field to detail doctors and pharmacists about the company’s products in order to generate the demand for such products.

Microbiologists and other scientists who work as brand ambassadors for their respective pharmaceutical companies are called medical representatives and their duties are as follows:

• They help to increase the prescription base of their company’s products/drugs
• They are  tasked with calling on doctors with pre-determined frequency to promote, discuss, remind, and sample their company’s products within the assigned territory that they cover.
• They meet with a specified number of doctors, at least 10 every day in both the public and private hospitals to detail them about their company’s products, with the aim of increasing prescription.
• They also meet retail chemists and pharmacists to make sure that their company’s products are easily available.
• They meet wholesalers to ensure that sufficient stock of their company’s products are kept for distribution to retail chemists and pharmacists in their assigned territory.
• They submit daily reports giving details of the day’s work consisting of names of doctors, retailers, etc.
• They occasionally work jointly with their managers for greater effectiveness of the calls.
• Achieving assigned targets is paramount in their line of work.
• They attend sales review meetings to discuss target versus achievement, product promotion strategies, new launches, and future sales planning.
• They give feedback on competitor activities
• They attend regular training programmes for updating medical as well as pharmaceutical knowledge.

MICROBIOLOGISTS SALARY IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN NIGERIA (₦50,000 – ₦150,000)

A microbiologist who wishes to work in the education sector in the country can earn between the salary range of ₦50,000 – ₦150,000 per month at entry level. They may wish to pursue a career in teaching microbiology at any of the universities offering microbiology in Nigeria or at some of the best secondary schools in Nigeria as biology teachers, and this, in itself is a noble profession.

CONCLUSION 

If you desire to get a degree in microbiology, you should be very sound in the sciences and focus your attention at making sure that you pass all your O’Level science subjects, including English language and Mathematics at one sitting at least. With that, you can proceed to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME) and make sure that you pass the exams with really good scores.

Your JAMB UTME subject combinations should be Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English language or mathematics, depending on which among the last two subjects are made compulsory to go with the three core science subjects. Once invited for the post UTME at your preferred school of choice, focus your attention on passing really well and with that, you are on your way to becoming a microbiologist.