💡 Why it matters: Companies and governments need experts to help them raise money and buy or sell businesses. It is a demanding job found in a small number of financial centres worldwide.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for financial and investment analysts (closest category) are projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦3M – ₦8M
- Mid-career
- ₦8M – ₦25M
- Senior
- ₦25M – ₦80M
≈ ₦667k – ₦2.1M a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Closest UK profile: Investment analyst (no investment banker profile). Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Financial and investment analysts. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Closest Canadian occupation: Investment analyst. 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
- Build financial models to value companies
- Prepare presentations for clients and investors
- Help companies sell shares or borrow large sums
- Research markets and rival businesses
- Work late to meet tight deal deadlines
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Financial modelling
- Maths
- Stamina for long hours
- Attention to detail
- Communication
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Start in a bank, a stockbroking firm or an accounting firm, then move into advisory work
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Some banks run school-leaver and spring-week programmes, though most hires hold a degree
- Summer internships
🇺🇸 United States
- Internships during university are the main way in
- Start as an analyst after graduating
🇨🇦 Canada
- Internships during university are the main way in
- Start as an analyst after graduating
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Do well in Mathematics and Economics at school
- 2Study finance, economics or accounting at a strong university
- 3Win a summer internship at a bank
- 4Join as an analyst and pass the required finance exams
- 5Be promoted step by step, from associate to director
⏰ A day in the life
You arrive to find a client wants a new version of a company valuation by lunchtime. You update the model, check every number twice and join a call to explain the results. The hours can be long, and the work is intense but varied.