A counselling degree can take you into more places than a school office. Here’s where counselling and therapy jobs are in Nigeria, what employers actually ask for, and what the law now says about who can fill them.
Most counselling jobs in Nigeria are in schools. Others are in NGOs, universities, hospitals, companies, private practice and online platforms. Employers usually ask for a relevant degree, experience and, for school posts, TRCN registration. By law, posts that need a Professional Counsellor are meant for CPCN-registered counsellors.
Where the jobs are
| Setting | Typical job titles | What adverts usually ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary schools | Guidance counsellor, assistant tutor (guidance and counselling) | A B.Ed or education degree, a counselling qualification, TRCN registration, NYSC certificate, experience |
| NGOs and humanitarian work | Psychosocial counsellor, MHPSS officer | A degree in counselling, psychology or social work, three to five years’ experience, local languages |
| Universities and colleges | Counsellor in a student counselling unit | A counselling or psychology degree and several years’ experience |
| Hospitals | Clinical psychologist, medical social worker | A clinical psychology master’s or a social work degree |
| Companies and EAPs | Counsellor, wellbeing or welfare roles | A counselling or psychology qualification; registration for Professional Counsellor posts |
| Private practice | Self-employed counsellor or therapist | Registration, supervision and a way to find clients |
| Online platforms | Therapist or counsellor seeing clients by video, voice or chat | Proof of qualifications, checked before you see clients |
1. Schools
A chapter on Nigeria in the American Counseling Association’s book Counseling Around the World describes counselling here as mostly practised in schools, especially secondary schools. The idea goes back a long way: the 1981 National Policy on Education said career officers and counsellors would be appointed in post-primary institutions.
In practice, many school counselling posts are advertised as teaching posts. Two adverts we read in 2026 show the pattern:
- A university-owned secondary school in Lagos advertised an assistant tutor post in guidance and counselling in June 2026. It asked for a B.Ed, B.Sc (Ed) or B.A. (Ed), made a Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) certificate compulsory, and wanted an NYSC discharge or exemption certificate and five O-level credits including English and Mathematics.
- A private school in Lekki advertised for a guidance counsellor in September 2026. It asked for a first degree, a professional qualification in guidance and counselling, and five to ten years’ experience as a school guidance counsellor.
TRCN registration matters because the Council says it’s a legal requirement for all teachers and lecturers in Nigerian schools. If you hold a B.Ed in guidance and counselling, registering with TRCN keeps school jobs open to you.
Go in with your eyes open. In a 2024 study of 150 senior secondary school counsellors in Adamawa State, counsellors reported being given duties that had nothing to do with counselling. Our piece on the problems of guidance and counselling in Nigeria covers what the research shows.
2. NGOs and humanitarian work
NGOs, especially in the North East, hire counsellors to support people affected by conflict, displacement and violence. Job titles include psychosocial counsellor and MHPSS (mental health and psychosocial support) officer.
Three adverts we read for posts in Borno State, from late 2024, asked for:
- a degree in psychology, counselling, guidance and counselling, social work or a related subject, with a master’s in clinical psychology or counselling preferred for one post;
- three to five years’ experience, usually in humanitarian settings;
- English and Hausa, with Kanuri or Shuwa an advantage or required;
- experience with survivors of gender-based violence, group counselling, case management and referrals.
These roles suit people who can work in hard conditions and want broad experience fast. Most ask for experience, so volunteering or a supervised placement with an NGO is one way to build it.
3. Universities, colleges and polytechnics
Tertiary institutions run counselling units for their students. The National Open University of Nigeria, for example, has a Directorate of Counselling Services and Career Development. An older advert we read, from 2016, for a private university’s counselling unit asked for a degree in guidance and counselling, counselling psychology or clinical psychology, and at least five years’ experience in a school setting.
Suggested read: Problems of Guidance and Counselling in Nigeria: Solutions
4. Hospitals
Hospital mental health services employ psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists and social workers. The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Enugu, for example, describes a clinical psychology department that assesses clients and plans treatment, and a social welfare department that provides individual, group and family therapy alongside case management.
If hospital work is your goal, the clinical psychology route (a BSc in Psychology, then an MSc in Clinical Psychology) or the social work route is more direct than a guidance and counselling degree. Our guide to how to become a therapist in Nigeria compares the routes.
5. Companies and employee assistance programmes
Companies use counsellors in two ways. Some employ them directly, in welfare, wellbeing or HR roles. CASSON’s associate membership lists welfare officers, personnel officers and industrial liaison and placement officers among the roles closely related to counselling.
Others buy an employee assistance programme (EAP). An EAP gives staff confidential access to counselling and therapy, paid for by the employer, and the provider employs or contracts the therapists. Mytherapist.ng runs an EAP for Nigerian employers, delivered by therapists on the platform.
The law covers companies too. Under section 15(2) of the Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria Act, 2022, a person who isn’t exempted can’t hold an appointment that requires the status of a Professional Counsellor, in the public service, the armed forces or private and public companies, unless they’re registered under the Act.
6. Private practice
Many counsellors build a private practice, on its own or alongside a salaried job. Since the CPCN Act, it’s an offence to practise for reward as a registered Professional Counsellor, or to use a title that suggests you are one, without registering with the Council. CASSON also has a private practice membership tier for counselling practices that meet its standards.
The business side is covered in our guides to building a private therapy practice in Nigeria and pricing your therapy practice.
7. Online platforms, including Mytherapist.ng
Online platforms let qualified counsellors and therapists see clients by video, voice or chat from anywhere in Nigeria. A good platform checks your qualifications before you see anyone.
On Mytherapist.ng, you apply in the Caregiver App or on the web dashboard at partners.mytherapist.ng. You choose your qualifications from a list and upload proof, and a person reviews your application before users can book you. You set your own hours and fees, and you can keep your private practice. Read how to apply to join as a therapist, or weigh it up first with should you join an online therapy platform?
What employers ask for
Across the adverts we read, the same requirements kept coming up:
Suggested read: Counselling Techniques and Skills: What Counsellors Do
- A relevant degree. Guidance and counselling, counselling psychology, psychology or social work. Senior and clinical posts often ask for a master’s.
- Registration. TRCN for school teaching posts. For Professional Counsellor posts, the CPCN Act now requires Council registration, which in turn needs certified CASSON membership. Read our guide to CASSON and how counsellors register.
- NYSC. A discharge or exemption certificate, especially for public and institutional posts.
- Experience. Often three to five years, sometimes more for senior school posts.
- Languages. Hausa, and often Kanuri or Shuwa, for posts in the North East.
None of the six adverts we read asked for CPCN registration or CASSON membership. That’s likely to change once the Council’s register is fully open, so keep your CASSON membership current and a record of your supervised practice.
Where to look
- Job boards. All the adverts quoted here appeared on Nigerian job boards such as HotNigerianJobs. Search for “guidance counsellor”, “psychosocial”, “MHPSS” and “counsellor”, not just “therapist”.
- Employers’ own career pages. Schools, universities, hospitals and international NGOs post vacancies on their own sites.
- Your professional network. CASSON’s state chapters and national conferences, your university department and your practicum supervisors often hear of openings first.
Be wary of any “employer” that asks you to pay a fee to be considered for a job.
A note on pay
We haven’t quoted salaries. We couldn’t find a reputable, dated source for counsellors’ pay in Nigeria, and most of the adverts we read didn’t state it. The Lagos school advert above gave a grade on its own salary scale rather than a naira figure. Ask about pay, and how it’s reviewed, before you accept an offer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a counselling job in Nigeria with no experience? Start with supervised experience: a school counselling unit, an NGO, a hospital social work or psychology department, or a faith or community organisation with proper supervision. Many entry posts ask for experience, so supervised volunteering counts.
Do I need to be registered to work as a counsellor in Nigeria? For posts that require a Professional Counsellor, and for practising for reward as a Professional Counsellor, yes: the CPCN Act, 2022 requires registration with the Council. The Council’s registration system is only just starting, so keep your CASSON membership current in the meantime.
What qualifications do I need to be a school counsellor? Usually a B.Ed or other education degree in guidance and counselling, or a degree plus a counselling qualification, with TRCN registration and an NYSC certificate. Private schools often ask for several years’ experience.
Can I get a counselling job with a psychology degree? Yes, in many settings. NGO adverts often accept psychology, and CASSON’s professional membership accepts degrees in counselling psychology and applied psychology. For hospital roles, a master’s in clinical psychology is the usual route.
Can I work as an online therapist in Nigeria? Yes, once you’re qualified. On Mytherapist.ng, a person reviews every application and checks your qualifications before users can book you. See what practising with us involves.
How much do counsellors earn in Nigeria? We don’t quote a figure, because we couldn’t find a reputable, dated source. Pay depends on the employer, and most of the adverts we read didn’t state it.
