💡 Why it matters: Countries trade, make peace and solve shared problems like climate change through diplomats who build trust and negotiate on their behalf.
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦2M – ₦4M
- Mid-career
- ₦4M – ₦9M
- Senior
- ₦9M – ₦22M
≈ ₦333k – ₦750k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇺🇸 United States
Indicative mid-career range (our estimate, not yet checked against an official source). Incusim estimate
🇨🇦 Canada
Foreign service officer. Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Represent your country at embassies and high commissions abroad
- Negotiate agreements on trade, security and aid
- Write reports on events in the host country
- Help citizens abroad with problems like lost passports
- Organise visits and meetings between leaders
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Negotiation
- Languages
- Writing
- Cultural awareness
- Patience
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a federal recruitment exercise
- Complete NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) after graduating
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Diplomatic Service Fast Stream graduate scheme
- Join as a diplomatic administrative officer with 5 GCSEs, then progress
🇺🇸 United States
- Fellowships such as Pickering and Rangel that support students aiming for the Foreign Service
- Peace Corps, military or international work to build experience
🇨🇦 Canada
- Build strong French and English skills
- Internships and student programs at Global Affairs Canada
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Be strong in English, Government and a foreign language
- 2Study International Relations, Law or Political Science
- 3Complete any required national service and consider a master's degree
- 4Join your country's foreign ministry through its recruitment process
- 5Serve at home, then at missions abroad, and rise to ambassador
⏰ A day in the life
At the embassy you read the morning news from the host country and write a short report for your capital city. Then you attend a meeting with local officials about trade, and finish by helping a student from your country who has lost their passport.