The world has become a global village and it is important that citizens of the world step up too. Some jobs are fast becoming obsolete and newer opportunities that can create not just wealth but impact too, are on the rise. Some of these jobs require you to attend some of the best IT Training schools, while some can be self-thought and certification taken at home.
It is not news that Information Technology is the rave of the moment and it offers a lot of opportunities too. This article explores the eleven best IT certifications in Nigeria, and what it costs to acquire them.
Some of the IT certifications in Nigeria and cost of acquiring them include
Also Read: 19 online universities in Nigeria to get a degree (Distance Learning)
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1) Isaca certification.
That is one of the best IT certifications in Nigeria. It stands for Information System Control Association and was created in the year 1967 with the goal of solving Information Technology related issues. ISACA offers different certifications and they include
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and is for the monitoring and auditing of organizations.
- CyberSecurity Nexus – CSX Certificate and CSXP Certification
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- Certified In The Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
- Certified in Risk and Risk System Control (CRISC)
- PMI Certification: This is a project management certification and there are sub-certifications under which include
- Project Management Professionals (PMP)
- Portfolio Management Professional (PFMP)
- Program Management Professional (PGMP)
- Certified Association in Project Management (CAPM)
- PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)
- PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)
2) Certified Information Security Manager
It is hosted by ISACA and was introduced in 2003. A certificate in this course enables you manage and develop information security systems in enterprise-level applications, and also develop the best organizational security practices.
To obtain this certification, you will need to write an exam that lasts for about four hours and comprises 150 questions. The cost of the exam varies. For members of the organization, they are required to pay $575 while non-members pay $760.
You can find more information here
3) AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
This is a basic level course that qualifies you for other advanced AWD courses. It stands for Amazon Web Services. This course helps you understand the AWS cloud infrastructure without the assigned specific and independent roles, comprehend the architectural principles, and other services done on the AWS platform.
4) AWS Certified Solutions Architect
This is one of the best IT certifications in Nigeria. As an Amazon Web Services Solution Architect in Nigeria, you are trained to use your knowledge efficiently to develop applications and software using the Amazon Web Services technology.
The get the certificate, you’d be required to take an exam on AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C01) exam, and you must have the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. The exam is usually a multiple-choice exam that lasts for about two hours and ten minutes and requires you to have knowledge and considerable experience in designing distributed applications. The exam costs about $150.
You can visit here for more information.
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5) Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Thus, certification is issued by ISACA and is for the purpose of auditing control and security.
To qualify for this certificate, you would have to write a 150 questions exam which comprises of five sections and lasts four hours. The exam tests your general knowledge and procedural skills.
6) Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
This is one of the best IT certification in Nigeria and is hosted by International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium. It is an advanced level certification and is meant for individuals who desire to be professionals in information security.
Getting this certificate can be quite challenging. It requires at least five years of relevant work experience in CISSP domains. A $699 exam is taken which can be a three-hour English type made up of 100-150 questions or a non-english exam comprising 250 questions and is concluded in six hours.
7) Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
This is another IT certification. Certified individuals can work as information security personnel, security engineer or security analyst, or even as a security architect.
To attain this certification, you are required to sit for the CRISC exam, which is made up of four segments which are
- IT Risk Identification
- IT Risk Assessment
- Risk Response and Mitigation
- Risk Control, Monitoring and Reporting
The exam costs $575 for ISACA members and $760 non-members.
Find out more here
8) Project Management Professional
This is a certificate that is recognized by a number of cooperation in Nigeria for project managers. This course equips you with experience, education, skill, and competency that is required to lead and direct projects.
To become certified, you would need to pass the exam and acquire project management experience. If you have a bachelor’s degree, you will need about 4500 hours of project management professional education and those without bachelor’s degree would need 7500 hours.
The cost of the exam is between $250-$400.
Find out more here.
9) CompTIA certification
This stands for Computing technology industry Association. This is one of the best IT certifications in Nigeria.
To qualify for this certificate, you will need to write a test divided into four levels that tests your level of knowledge. The four levels are from the entry level down to the expert level. There are different levels of certification and they include core, infrastructure, cybersecurity and additional professional level.
Find out more here, including prices.
10) CISCO certification
This is a networking company that manufactures and sells all types of telecommunication materials.
They offer different levels of certification and some include entry level, associate, professional, expert and architect level.
Find out more including sublevels and cost here.
11) Adobe certification
This is offered by the Adobe company and it creates room for versatility. The Adobe group are famous for their multimedia programs like Dreamweaver, Acrobat etc.
The certification lies on your proficiency with the software and ability to pass the exam set by the company.
There are several areas to get certified in under Adobe and some include Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Target Standard etc.
The price of the exam ranges from $95-$225.
Find out more here
Some other qualifications include
- EC council certification which takes course like ethical hacking and more.
- Logical operation certification
- Amazon Web Services Big Data
- Oracle certification in Java and Database Analysis
- Microsoft certifications in areas like mobility application building, productivity cloud etc
- CompTIA cloud essentials
You can find out more about IT certifications in Nigeria here.
FAQ
What are the best certifications for IT Jobs
This totally depends on what aspect of IT Job you are applying for. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect stands out and can be acquired from any of these schools.
Another great one is AWS Certified Solutions Architect.
Information System Control Association is also another great one. In the article above, we have listed 11 of them
What IT certifications pay the most?
Again, this depends on the job and company you are working for. All things being equal though, Certified Information Security Manager and AWS Certified Solutions Architect pay the most. But if you work in a media company, Adobe certification might pay you more.
Can I get an IT job with just a certification?
The simple answer is yes. Even if you don’t have a degree, you can get an IT job with just a certificate. Most tech companies only require proof a that you can do the job, and you can show this proof through certifications and prior experience.
Are IT certifications better than a degree?
The answer to this question is a bit complex. While degrees are very important, IT certifications are not necessarily better than a degree. But what is most important is that you have the skill.
Bravo! Informative and transforming. Thanks.