Ethical Hacking is actually a lucrative profession/career and it is legal. The main goal of an Ethical Hacker/Penetration Tester is to keep the cyberspace secured from black hat hackers who use their knowledge for malicious activities.
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability - the three pillars of information security
White Hat (ethical), Black Hat (malicious), Gray Hat (mixed), and others
Reconnaissance → Scanning → Gaining Access → Maintaining Access → Covering Tracks
Cyber law acts as a shield over cyberspace, preventing cybercrime. Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act 2015 provides the legal framework.
Remember: The difference between hacking and ethical hacking is PERMISSION. Always operate within legal and ethical boundaries.