💡 Why it matters: Hot weather, growing cities and the need to keep food cold mean more air conditioners, freezers and cold rooms to install and fix every year.
🌍 Around the world
- Nigeria: Hot weather, growing cities and cold-chain needs mean more cooling equipment to install and fix each year.
- United States: Jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦700k – ₦1.8M
- Mid-career
- ₦2.2M – ₦5.5M
- Senior
- ₦5.5M – ₦14M
≈ ₦183k – ₦458k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Typical starter to experienced salary (profile: Refrigeration and air-conditioning installer). National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Closest Canadian occupation: Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic. Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2022-2023
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
- Install and fix air conditioners and freezers
- Check gas levels and find leaks
- Clean and service units
- Fit cold rooms for markets and shops
- Advise customers on the best size and brand
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Hands-on skill
- Problem solving
- Safety awareness
- Customer care
- Basic electrics
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Apprenticeship with a refrigeration company
- Manufacturer training on brands such as LG and Samsung
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Apprenticeship with an installation company
- College course, then work as a trainee installer
🇺🇸 United States
- Apprenticeship (often 3 to 5 years) with a contractor or union
- Trade school, then entry-level helper job
🇨🇦 Canada
- Registered apprenticeship through your province, ending in the Red Seal exam
- Pre-apprenticeship at a college
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Physics and Maths at school
- 2Do a technical college course or apprenticeship
- 3Learn gas handling, wiring and fault-finding
- 4Get trade certification and brand training
- 5Run a service business or lead a team
⏰ A day in the life
A shop's freezer stopped cooling. You test the compressor, find a gas leak, repair the pipe and refill it correctly. Then you service two air conditioners in a nearby office and write quotes for new ones.