How Much to Pay a Cleaner, Cook, or Driver in Lagos in 2026 — Real Salary Data from Live Listings
Real 2026 salary data for cleaners, cooks, and drivers in Lagos — pulled from live job listings. Average pay, location differences, and what employers should budget.
If you're hiring in Lagos right now, the most common question we hear from small business owners is the simplest one: what's the going rate?
If you're job hunting, the question is identical: what should I be earning?
Most articles answering this online lean on old numbers, foreign benchmarks, or vague ranges that don't reflect what employers are actually paying — or what workers are actually accepting — in 2026.
This guide is different. We pulled salary data from live listings posted on Closely in the last 90 days: 376 open positions, mostly across Lagos, posted by real employers actively hiring. No agency markups, no "expected salary" surveys, no guesswork.
Here's what cleaners, cooks, and drivers are earning in Lagos right now — and what you should budget if you're hiring.
Quick salary summary (Lagos, 2026)
| Role | Typical monthly range | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaner (residential) | ₦45,000 – ₦80,000 | ₦65,000 |
| Office Cleaner / Janitor | ₦60,000 – ₦80,000 | ₦70,000 |
| Cook (general) | ₦60,000 – ₦120,000 | ₦85,000 |
| Female Cook (residential) | ₦75,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦120,000 |
| Live-in Chef | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 | ₦200,000 |
| Kitchen Assistant | ₦70,000 – ₦80,000 | ₦75,000 |
| Driver (personal) | ₦120,000 – ₦180,000 | ₦150,000 |
| School Bus Driver | ₦100,000 – ₦150,000 | ₦120,000 |
| Driver/Facility Manager | ₦150,000 – ₦200,000 | ₦180,000 |
These are base salaries — before accommodation, feeding, transport, or commissions where offered. We break each role down in detail below, including the factors that move the number up or down.
Cleaner salaries in Lagos (2026)
The single most-listed role on Closely. Demand is high across both households and small businesses, and pay sits in a tighter band than most other domestic roles.
What we're seeing in live listings:
- ₦45,000/month — typical for cleaners in mainland areas like Idimu, Ijegun, and Ipaja. Often part-time hours or shared schedules across multiple homes.
- ₦60,000–₦70,000/month — the most common range for full-time office cleaners and janitors across Lagos.
- ₦80,000/month — the upper end for live-out residential cleaners, especially on the Island (Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Victoria Island).
What changes a cleaner's salary
Location. Lekki, Ikoyi, and VI consistently pay 30–60% more than Ipaja, Alimosho, or Ikorodu for the exact same role. This isn't snobbery — it reflects transport costs, the cost of nearby accommodation, and the income of the household.
Live-in vs. live-out. Live-in cleaners typically earn slightly less in cash but receive accommodation and feeding. A ₦45,000/month live-in role in Lekki is often a better deal in real terms than a ₦70,000 live-out role in Surulere, once transport and food are factored in.
Hours and scope. A "cleaner" who also handles laundry, dishes, and light cooking should not be paid the same as a cleaner who only does floors and surfaces. Roles that combine cleaning with cooking or childcare typically command ₦80,000+ even in mainland areas.
Age and experience. Adult women (28+) with prior employer references negotiate ₦10,000–₦20,000 above first-time entrants. Worth it if you value continuity — turnover is the hidden cost most employers underestimate.
👉 Browse current cleaner roles on Closely: Cleaning & House-keeping jobs
Cook salaries in Lagos (2026)
Cook salaries vary more than any other role we track — the gap between a kitchen assistant in Ipaja and a live-in chef in Banana Island is 4–5x. Here's the actual breakdown.
Kitchen assistant: ₦70,000–₦80,000/month. Entry-level role in restaurants, eateries, and shared kitchens. Most listings cluster around ₦70,000 in mainland and ₦80,000 on the Island.
Cook (general / restaurant): ₦60,000–₦120,000/month. A wide range driven by the kind of establishment. A neighborhood buka cook earns ₦60,000–₦75,000; a cook for a mid-range restaurant in Lekki earns ₦100,000–₦120,000.
Female cook (residential): ₦75,000–₦150,000/month. This is one of the most-searched roles in Lagos. Pay depends almost entirely on the household — single professionals pay less, larger families with specific dietary needs pay more.
Live-in chef: ₦150,000–₦250,000/month. A specialist role for households entertaining frequently or with specific cuisine requirements. Includes accommodation and feeding by definition.
What changes a cook's salary
Cuisine specialty. Continental, Asian, or pastry skills lift pay by ₦30,000–₦80,000 over Nigerian-only cooks. Households hiring a "Female Cook" who can also handle continental dishes are routinely paying ₦150,000+ in 2026.
Number of meals per day. A cook preparing only dinner is paid less than one running breakfast, lunch, and dinner — obvious, but worth stating in the listing because it's the #1 source of mid-tenure disputes.
Live-in arrangement. As with cleaners, live-in roles trade cash for accommodation and feeding. Most live-in cooks in Lagos earn between ₦100,000 and ₦200,000 plus their room and board.
Children in the household. Cooking for a household with young children almost always involves prep work for school lunches and tailored meals. Budget an extra ₦15,000–₦25,000 for this.
👉 Browse current cook and kitchen roles on Closely: Restaurant & Eateries jobs
Driver salaries in Lagos (2026)
Drivers are the highest-paid of the three roles by a clear margin — and the gap has widened over the last two years as Lagos traffic, fuel costs, and security concerns have all increased.
What we're seeing in live listings:
- ₦100,000–₦120,000/month — school bus drivers and light commercial drivers. Often fixed-route, fixed-hours roles.
- ₦120,000–₦150,000/month — personal drivers for individuals or small families. The most common pay band on Closely.
- ₦150,000–₦180,000/month — drivers for executives, frequent business travel, or households with multiple vehicles.
- ₦180,000–₦200,000/month — driver/facility manager combined roles, especially in Lekki and Ikoyi where one person handles vehicle, errands, and basic property oversight.
What changes a driver's salary
Hours. A 7am–7pm driver is paid one rate; a 5am–11pm driver is paid another. Weekend duty is a separate negotiation. Vague hours in a listing almost always lead to early resignation — be specific.
Vehicle type and skill. Manual transmission, large SUVs, and luxury vehicles each command a small premium. Drivers comfortable with all three negotiate ₦20,000–₦30,000 above the base.
License and documentation. A valid Lagos State driver's license, LASDRI certification, and a clean record raise pay by ₦15,000+. It's also a strong signal of professionalism — most disputes we see flagged on Closely involve undocumented drivers.
Fuel allowance separate from salary. This is critical: never list a salary that includes fuel. Either provide fuel directly or pay a fuel allowance on top of the base. Bundling them creates conflict the moment fuel prices move.
👉 Browse current driver roles on Closely: Transport & Delivery jobs
What goes into the offer beyond the salary
The salary number is only part of the package. Employers who attract good staff — and keep them — almost always offer two or three of the following:
Feeding. A meal at work is worth roughly ₦20,000–₦30,000/month in real value. Many cleaners and cooks expect it; many employers forget to mention it.
Transport allowance. For mainland staff working on the Island, this can be a deal-maker. ₦15,000–₦25,000/month is the typical range.
Accommodation (live-in roles). Worth ₦40,000–₦80,000/month in real value depending on area, but only worth offering if the space is genuinely habitable — a poorly furnished BQ does more harm than good for retention.
13th-month bonus. Increasingly common in 2026 for roles paying ₦80,000+. Even a half-month bonus signals stability.
Health cover. A simple HMO plan (₦5,000–₦15,000/month per person) is rare in this segment but a major competitive advantage when offered.
How to know if you're paying the right amount
If you're an employer, the test is simple: post the role, see how many qualified applicants you get in 48 hours. If five or more serious candidates apply, your number is right. If you get one or none, your number is below market — or your job description is missing something candidates need to see (location, hours, accommodation status).
If you're a job seeker, compare what you're being offered against the medians in this guide. If you're being offered 20% below the median and the role doesn't include accommodation or feeding, you have room to negotiate. Bring data: "I see most cleaner roles in Lekki are paying ₦70,000–₦80,000, and I have two years of experience. Can we meet at ₦75,000?"
Common mistakes employers make in 2026
Underpaying to "test" the candidate. This never works. Quality candidates self-select out of underpaid roles within the first month. You spend three months hiring three people for one position.
Listing "negotiable" instead of a number. Listings with declared salaries get 4–5x more applications on Closely than "negotiable" ones. If you don't know the number, this guide gives you one.
Hiring without verifying ID. The single biggest source of theft and mid-tenure disappearances is undocumented hires. Always sight a valid ID and keep a copy. On Closely, every employer can see if a worker has been previously flagged across the platform.
Not putting the accommodation/feeding terms in writing. Verbal agreements about meals and a room generate more disputes than salary itself. Two lines in a WhatsApp message at the start saves you a month of conflict later.
Common mistakes job seekers make
Accepting roles without confirming hours. "Live-in cook, ₦150,000" sounds great until day one, when you realize it's 5am to 10pm with no off day. Always ask: what time do I start, what time do I finish, and which day is my off day?
Not asking about the household before saying yes. A family of three is not the same job as a family of nine. Ask how many people you'll be cooking for or cleaning after.
Underselling experience. If you've worked for two families before and they speak well of you, that's worth ₦15,000–₦20,000 in negotiation. Have their phone numbers ready.
Where to hire — and where to find work
If you're a small business owner or a household in Lagos, posting a role on Closely takes about 2 minutes and is free. Your listing reaches verified job seekers in your specific area first — Lekki Phase 1 employers see Lekki-based cleaners, Ipaja employers see Ipaja-based ones. Candidates apply directly via WhatsApp, so there's no inbox to manage.
If you're a job seeker, download the Closely app and you'll see live roles in your city, sorted by closest first. New jobs are added every 6 hours. Apply by tapping a job — you're connected to the employer on WhatsApp in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary for a cleaner in Lagos in 2026?
Across live listings on Closely, cleaners in Lagos earn between ₦45,000 and ₦80,000 per month, with a median of ₦65,000. Pay is highest on the Island (Lekki, Ikoyi, VI) and lowest in mainland satellite areas like Ipaja and Idimu.
How much does a live-in cook earn in Lagos?
Live-in cooks in Lagos typically earn between ₦100,000 and ₦200,000 per month, plus accommodation and feeding. Specialist live-in chefs handling continental cuisine for entertaining households can earn ₦200,000–₦250,000+.
What's the going rate for a personal driver in Lagos?
Most personal drivers in Lagos earn between ₦120,000 and ₦180,000 per month in 2026. Combined driver/facility manager roles in Lekki and Ikoyi reach ₦180,000–₦200,000. Fuel and vehicle maintenance are typically separate from salary.
Should I include feeding and accommodation in the salary?
No — list them separately. A listing that says "₦80,000 + feeding + accommodation" gets significantly more applications than "₦120,000 (all-inclusive)" because candidates can compare it against other live-out roles cleanly.
Where can I post a job to find a cleaner, cook, or driver in Lagos?
You can post a job free on Closely in about 2 minutes. Listings are shown to verified job seekers in your specific neighborhood first, and candidates apply via WhatsApp.
How do I avoid scam applicants?
Always verify a valid government ID before hiring, and check whether the candidate's phone number has been flagged on Closely's scam watchlist. Employers on Closely can see flags across the platform before connecting.
A note on our data
The salary ranges in this guide are drawn from live job listings posted on Closely in 2025/2026, predominantly across Lagos. Where roles list "negotiable," we excluded them from the median calculation. We update this guide quarterly as new listings come in.
If you'd like to be notified when the next edition is published — or want city-specific breakdowns for Lekki Phase 1, Surulere, Ikeja, Ajah, and other areas — download the Closely app and turn on alerts.
Closely is a Nigerian local jobs platform connecting verified employers with job seekers in their area via WhatsApp. New roles posted every 6 hours, no CV required. Find jobs near you →
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