In a country like Nigeria where unemployment is high and the standard of living is so poor, studying a course in the university is no longer a matter of passion or interest, but of profitability.

Image credit: Guardian NG

It can be frustrating to study a course for years in the university, only to end up unemployed or earning barely enough to support yourself. Unfortunately, this is the trend today in Nigeria.

The number of good jobs being created in Nigeria is significantly lower than the number of students graduating from higher institutions every year. The gap has been continuously increasing each year. This means that there are more unemployed graduates each year.

To avoid being stuck in this ridiculous cycle, you have to ensure that you are extremely careful when choosing a course to study in the university. If you are not so sure about how to go about choosing a course that will ensure you do not end up as part of the myriad of unemployed graduates in Nigeria, you can start here by looking at the top 10 best courses to study in Nigeria. These courses are not only lucrative, but also have a high employment opportunity.

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Best Courses to Study in Nigeria

Medicine and surgery

There is a very good reason why Medicine and surgery is a highly sort after course in Nigeria. As a doctor, you are not only provided with the satisfaction of saving lives, but you would also be living a comfortable life while doing so.

Doctors are among the highest paid jobs in the country, and there’s a very good reason why that is so. The work they do is paramount to our everyday lives, and the hours they work are long and stressful compared to other occupations.

Studying Medicine and surgery is not just about decision though, there has to be the passion to save lives and the willingness to work hard. If you decide to study medicine just because of the money and security, you would probably end up dropping out in the middle of the course. Studying medicine is extremely hard; it requires hard work, a high IQ and a keen interest in medicine.

Job appointment letter is now being issued to student of medicine and surgery beginning at the 100 level in some states of the federation, such as Bauchi State. . This is just to meet up with a high demand for the service of medical doctors; this alone makes the course extremely marketable.

Pharmacy

Another health-related course that pays really well is Pharmacy. Pharmacy is a good alternative to medicine and surgery as the duration of study is not as long and not quite as competitive as medicine.

Pharmacists are employed across in both the private and public sectors in Nigeria, and are paid quite well. They are among the highest-paid in the country, with a relatively high employment opportunity.

Nursing 

Nurses are usually the first-line of defense in any healthcare facility. They receive patients, administer first-aid, and treat minor ailments that don’t require a doctor. No healthcare facility will survive without nurses. For this reason, the employment opportunities for nurses are among the highest in the country.

Nurses are not paid as high as most other healthcare professionals, but the work is stable and employment opportunity is high. One benefit of studying nursing is that it doesn’t take quite as long as most other courses to complete; in 2-4 years you would already have had your degree and started earning.

Dentistry & Dental Surgery

You would notice at this point that healthcare courses takes up the majority of this list. This is because without proper healthcare a society cannot stand. To function properly, everyone needs a healthy body, mind and teeth.

Very closely related to medicine, dentistry and dental surgery is a discipline that is just as important as medicine. Dentists ensure that we have healthy teeth, and choosing to study this course ensures you a high paying job after you graduate.

 Business Administration

Business administration is another great course to study in Nigeria due to its endless career opportunities. You could end up being employed in various sectors and industries, or even start up your own business with your superior knowledge of business.

Although, you do not need to study business administration to start up a business or open up a firm in Nigeria, knowledge of the course will give you an upper hand in managing your business.

 ICT

The full meaning of ICT is Information and Communication Technology, and people in this field are those who study any course related to the computer, website designing, etc.

A lot of people in this field are earning quite a lot, and anyone can too, you just have to be really smart about how you earn. There is a high demand for ICT specialists in Nigeria, and they are well compensated.

Getting a traditional job is not the only means of earning money in this field. There is great versatility when is comes to earning in this field. You could be self-employed and earn money freelancing, or land a good paying job on international platforms and earn in dollars.

 Medical Laboratory Science

Another noble professional course that is worth studying in Nigeria is Medical Laboratory Science or diagnostic medicine.

These professionals are in charge of conducting tests on patients, and collecting samples and specimens for laboratory tests. They are extremely important in any healthcare facility, and as such are in high demand.

In Nigeria, private and government hospitals as well as many clinics are being built on a regular basis to satisfy the needs of the country’s health-care industry, this means the services of medical laboratories will be forever be needed.

Apart from working in public or private hospital, you can set up your own medical laboratory, work in research institute, brewery industry, textile industry, food processing industry and many other great places. It is the high rate of job opportunities or availability for medical laboratory sciences that makes this course one of the best course to study in Nigeria.

Architecture

Architecture is one of the most profitable discipline in Nigeria. Professionals in this field are paid quite well, and there are various employment opportunities available.

As an an architect, you could open your own practice and begin drafting construction designs for your clients. There are also numerous organizations that would employ you as long as you have the right skills and qualifications.

Though the earning potential for architects is quite high, you might not be earning much as soon as you graduate, but do not be dismayed as the more you build up your skills and experience, the higher you will earn.

 Languages

The study of languages both national and international languages in Nigeria give someone an edge of getting a very good job in:

• Embassy
• Ministry of foreign affairs
• Non-governmental organizations
• Academics (Lecturing) among other places.

As a result of these numerous job opportunities available to persons who study languages, you’ll agree on that the discipline, language is one of the best courses to study in Nigeria. Again, the study of National Languages such as Hausa language, Yoruba language and Igbo language exposed someone to the world of enormous potential such as working with

• BBC, NTA and co (Using local language) as: Reporter, Interviewer and Office Assistance

• Research firms as: Data Enumerator, Transcription officers and Translation officers

• International Non-governmental organization as: Translators without border and Farm radio international

Read: How to get a Job with an International NGO

Engineering 

There are various fields in engineering, and each has a very high earning potential. Although, job opportunities in the field of engineering are not what it used to be, there are still various opportunities available.

Extra Lucrative Courses to Study in Nigeria

Agricultural Sciences

If there is one course that the world’s future depends on it, that course must be definitely agricultural science. As a result, Agricultural science is very marketable, lucrative and of course, provides a wide range of job opportunities. Agricultural sciences cover a multitude of courses ranging from soil sciences, agricultural extensions to animal sciences.

There is no doubt  that Agricultural sciences is one of the best course to study in Nigeria as it also provide a diverse range of career opportunities with a thriving market value and also guarantee a profitable career progression. But often times, students shy away from studying Agricultural and Agricultural science-related courses because of the way the course is being perceived by the “elites”.

Computer Science

It is impossible to list the top 10 best courses to study in Nigeria and even globally without mentioning computer science in your list.  Computer sciences job is in high demand in all sectors due to the expansion and innovations in information technology. According to United States bureau of labor statistics; there will be a 13% increase in computer science jobs by 2026

As a computer scientist, you can work virtually in all sectors of business. So it is also a matter of graduate and pick your job, the job is always there for you. You can even start up your own firm rendering services that ranges from software development, programming, Mobile app development, web development and so other computer packages

Conclusion

When choosing a course to study in Nigeria, there are so many factors that you will have to put into consideration. If profitability and employment opportunities are high on your list, then the above course are worth exploring. Consider choosing your next course to study in Nigeria from above list of courses.