💡 Why it matters: Courts need prosecutors to present evidence fairly and decide which cases should go to trial. The job carries a serious duty to be fair to everyone.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for lawyers are projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦2M – ₦4M
- Mid-career
- ₦5M – ₦12M
- Senior
- ₦12M – ₦30M
≈ ₦417k – ₦1M a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Closest UK profile: Solicitor. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Closest Canadian category: Lawyer. 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
- Review police evidence and decide whether to bring a charge
- Prepare cases and speak in court
- Question witnesses and present evidence
- Work with police, victims and defence lawyers
- Follow strict rules about fairness and disclosure
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Logical reasoning
- Public speaking
- Reading and writing
- Fairness
- Staying calm
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- After the Bar, work in a state Ministry of Justice or other public prosecution office
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) trains its own lawyers, including legal trainees
- Solicitor degree apprenticeship (Level 7)
- In Scotland, prosecutors are procurators fiscal (varies by country)
🇺🇸 United States
- Join a district attorney or prosecutor's office after passing the bar
- Prosecutors are often elected or appointed (varies by state)
🇨🇦 Canada
- Crown prosecutor roles with provincial or federal governments after bar admission
- Articling in a Crown office (varies by province)
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study English, History and a social science at school
- 2Take a law degree
- 3Complete the professional training and pass the bar or equivalent exam
- 4Gain experience as a junior prosecutor or in a legal office
- 5Handle more serious cases or become a senior prosecutor
⏰ A day in the life
You read through witness statements and decide whether the evidence is strong enough for trial. In court you question a witness and respond to the defence lawyer. Back at your desk you prepare tomorrow's case and talk with a victim about what to expect.