Toheeb Lanlehin, Author at 91大神! /author/toheeb/ Come for the fun, stay for the culture! Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:24:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 /wp-content/uploads/zikoko/2020/04/cropped-91大神_91大神_Purple-Logo-1-150x150.jpg Toheeb Lanlehin, Author at 91大神! /author/toheeb/ 32 32 The 10 91大神 Money Stories Nigerians Read the Most in 2025 /money/the-10-zikoko-money-stories-nigerians-read-the-most-in-2025/ Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:19:20 +0000 /?p=367434 Our coverage exists to increase the surface area of quality information about money.

In 2025, we did that through our web flagships 鈥 features, first-person essays, interviews, and videos. We even took our first real stab at organising an , uncovering fresh ideas and perspectives along the way.

This time, though, we鈥檙e narrowing the focus to our web stories. As always, we followed Nigerians鈥 intimate 鈥 and often complicated 鈥 relationships with money. We explored multiple income levels, businesses, careers, and backgrounds, each with its own set of nuances.

And you, our readers, had clear favourites. Here are the top 10 Money stories of 2025 you couldn鈥檛 get enough of.

1. I Retired at 53 With Over 鈧1 Billion in Assets 鈥 Here鈥檚 How I Did It 

In 1998, this 53-year-old retiree began taking charge of her financial freedom through small, consistent investments. Over time, she grew her assets deliberately and positioned herself for an early, comfortable retirement.

It鈥檚 not every day you speak to a billionaire. So what do you do when you find one? You ask for a sit-down, throw a bunch of questions at them, and make them break down the numbers, which Aisha does brilliantly here.

This was a personal favourite and deeply instructive. I was particularly fond of how the source鈥檚 deliberate decisions over the last twenty years shone through the piece. It leaves you with one gnawing thought: 鈥淚 think I can do this, too.鈥

Read this story here.

2. I Build Houses in Lagos 鈥 Here鈥檚 How Much It Costs to Build One From the Ground Up 

We speak to multiple people every week, and one theme keeps resurfacing: the desire to protect and grow wealth. I鈥檓 always fascinated by how often real estate comes up.

That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 glad this story exists; it provides a cold, hard breakdown of the cost of owning a home in Lagos.

It turns out many of you also felt the same way.

Read the full thing here.

3. These 10 Money Market Mutual Funds Are Making Nigerians Rich in 2025 

The premise here was simple: explain how money market mutual funds work, then highlight a few worth paying attention to.

If you need an idea where to look as you prepare for your money moves in 2026, this might be a good place to start. 

Note: We published in March 2025 based on the latest SEC data. This is not financial advice; always do your own research.

Find the list here.

4. 5 Nigerians Break Down the Side Hustles That Pay More Than Their Salaries 

Depending on who you ask, you鈥檒l hear some version of: 鈥淵ou need a side hustle to survive Nigeria.鈥

People optimise for different things, but side gigs have become especially popular as Nigerians look for ways to supplement their income. The bigger question, though, is this: Can a side hustle actually out-earn a full-time job?

Bolu went looking for answers. The people she found shared how their side hustles turned into major income streams,  and what that process looked like.

Read the full story here.

5. I Made 鈧6m as a Beginner YouTuber in Three Months. Here鈥檚 How I Did It 

鈥淭wenty-year-old medical student Layla* started creating YouTube content as an experiment in January 2025. Three months later, she was monetised 鈥 and earning millions monthly from a faceless channel.鈥

This story is a reminder that the right information, found at the right time, might set you up for your next income level. For Layla, it started with a Facebook post. She acted on it, and everything followed from there.

Read her process here.

6. Is Moving From Lagos to a Cheaper City Worth It? We Asked Nigerians Who鈥檝e Done It 

鈥淟agos is an expensive city to live in. The costs don鈥檛 make sense.鈥 鈥 Anonymous, 2025.

Many people flirt with the idea of leaving Lagos. Most can鈥檛 鈥 their jobs are here. Some won鈥檛. But for a few, everything aligned, and they made the jump.

We spoke to four of them about how relocation affected their living costs and financial well-being. Read here.

7. My 鈧2 Million Poultry Business Crashed After I Moved Down South 

For seven years, *Ismatu, 40, ran a thriving poultry business in Northern Nigeria, earning about 鈧500k every eight weeks. When her family relocated south in 2024, she moved with them 鈥 and her 鈧2 million life savings.

She assumed the business would work anywhere. She didn鈥檛 anticipate a radically different market 鈥 or how quickly everything would unravel.

As a post-mortem, this story is a sobering lesson in understanding where you do business, not just how.

8. I Built a Multi-Million Naira Food Business. Now Everyone Thinks It鈥檚 Their Money Too 

Financial success in Nigeria often comes with consequences, especially in a deeply communal society.

Amina* built a thriving food business from her days as a broke university student, eventually earning hundreds of millions in revenue. It also put a target on her back,  particularly among people closest to her.

Bonus article: If you need a definitive read on black tax, entitlement, and their emotional toll, Bolu鈥檚 reporting here delivers.

9. 10 Investment Apps Nigerians Are Using to Build Wealth in 2025

As more Nigerians look to invest, attention is shifting to apps that lower the entry barrier. This list breaks down the most popular options, what they offer, and why they matter.

10. What Is a Comfortable Salary in Lagos? 

Everyone has a number.

But what does 鈥渃omfortable鈥 actually mean in Lagos 鈥 a city defined by high costs and relentless pace? We ran the numbers and explored what it really takes to live well in Nigeria鈥檚 economic capital.

Happy holidays, folks. See you in January 2026.

Also Read: #NairaLife: 10 of the Most-Read Stories of 2025

 for relatable stories and actionable insights to help you make the most out of your money.

]]> I Got Addicted to Crypto, and It Was a Disaster /money/i-got-addicted-to-crypto-it-almost-became-a-disaster/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:47:39 +0000 /?p=361731 Stephen鈥檚* first brush with crypto in 2016 felt like a ticket to lasting wealth. By 2021, he was all in. But when the market crashed, it took everything with it.

In this story, he talks about how his decisions wrecked his finances, strained his relationships and forced him to rebuild from nothing.

As Told To Toheeb

If you were my friend in 2016, you’d know how much I liked high-risk investments. You might even call it gambling.

And if you鈥檇 asked me about it, I probably would have said something like, “It’s not deep. You just need money to earn more money.”

This thinking drove many of my financial decisions, especially after I discovered Bitcoin. 

If this had happened at any other time, I might’ve ignored this new, shiny way people made money. But I had just gotten a pharmacy degree and was open to new things. And the thing was, I didn鈥檛 want to practice unless I needed to. 

 So, when a friend’s brother invited me to join a trading group, I decided to take the plunge, even though I didn’t fully understand how cryptocurrency worked. 

I found a quick workaround, though: I decided, very smartly, to avoid trading. Instead, I bought Bitcoin and sold it to people at a small markup. It was a functional system, but not a very profitable one. I ultimately decided to focus on my pharmacy degree and try to get a real job.

The first act was over. 

Three years later, in 2019, I crossed paths with crypto again. See, I needed money and a break. I spent most of my days as a medical sales rep on the road and often thought there had to be more to look forward to.

I got my wish. 

A friend told me about a coin called, and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to invest some of the money I was earning into it. I dipped in very cautiously, putting 鈧50k in the XIO token. Shortly after, it began mooning, which is crypto parlance for coins or tokens whose value consistently goes up. 

I bought the XIO token on Uniswap 鈥 a decentralised exchange 鈥 and, as a result of this activity, Uniswap gave me 400 units of its native token, UNI. Altogether, my XIO and UNI were worth 鈧500k. You have to remember that I invested  鈧50k in this.

I loved this outcome so much that my brain lit up. It almost felt like free money. My mind worked overtime trying to figure out how I could turn this into a consistent stream of income.

I got a break. 

The people who developed the XIO announced an airdrop to reward users, and as a result, more people started buying the token, driving up its price.  I earned approximately 鈧1.5m from this project’s sudden rise in value.

For context, I was earning 鈧100k/month from my day job. I’d made 15x my salary without doing half the work. Things like this flip something in you. The show had to go on, and I decided to go all in.

By 2020, crypto had gone from a side hustle to an obsession. YouTube became my classroom; I spent every spare hour on tutorials, charts, and strategies. I had two trading options: spot or futures. Futures promised bigger returns but required serious technical analysis. I wasn’t there yet. 

Spot trading was simpler: buy low, sell high, repeat. I learned three rules fast: enter wisely, exit early, and cut your losses before they cut you.

Within months, I was hooked. I stopped bothering with my sales job. My boss thought I was out marketing; in reality, I was at home, hunched over my phone, watching charts as if my life depended on it. Eventually, it did. My day job felt like dead weight, so in April 2020, I quit.

The wins came quickly. I built a paid Telegram group where people joined to follow my trades. My track record spoke for itself, and money flowed in. Then came investors 鈥 people who wanted the gains without the grind. I promised them 10% monthly returns. It sounded bold, but in that bull market, it felt not just possible, but easy.

Meanwhile, my personal life shrank to the size of a trading screen. My girlfriend would come over, and I’d barely look up. In my head, she was permanent; trading windows were fleeting. That’s how you justify neglect when your brain is lit by adrenaline and profit charts.

By May 2021, I had around $7,000 in the market, more than I’d ever managed before. My plan was neat: grow it to $10k, pay everyone back, and keep the rest rolling. To make that happen, I reinvested everything. No safety net. No exit strategy.

And then, the market turned.

One night in May, I woke up to a flood of notifications. Bitcoin’s value was tanking. Sometimes that happens, so I wasn’t nervous. I was sure the price would steady before morning. I was wrong. By the end of the month, it was below $30k. A month before this, one Bitcoin was worth $53k. 

It was a disaster. Bitcoin controls the markets, so price fluctuations trickle down to other projects. My portfolio’s value decreased from $7k to $4k.  The rational part of me knew it was time to cut my losses. The gambler in me doubled down. I emptied my 鈧300k savings into the market, hoping for a rebound that never came.

The market didn’t recover. I was in a crisis and couldn’t return my investors’ money. More importantly, I had no job. More importantly, my relationship with my girlfriend, having taken a series of hits, was strained.

For the first time in years, I felt stripped bare. No charts. Just fear. I hid indoors, terrified of running into someone I owed money. For a while, I numbed myself with alcohol. But even that couldn’t drown the reality: I’d built my life on a house of cards, and it had finally caved in.

First, I called all my investors and asked 鈥 begged 鈥 them to give me three months to repay them. To my shock, they all agreed. 

Between June and September 2021, I liquidated the carcass of my crypto portfolio. But it wasn’t enough, and I had to borrow money from my friends and family. Ultimately, I paid around $4k. I was in debt, but the worst was over. Once the last payment cleared, all I felt was exhaustion. I didn鈥檛 want another quick win; I wanted distance from the market, from the chaos, from the version of myself that thought every high would last forever.

I returned to the basics and took up a new job in October 2021. But I knew I needed more than a paycheck; I needed a full reset. A Master’s abroad became my North Star. I’d already started the paperwork earlier that year, and with my family’s help, I fast-tracked the plan. In  January 2022, I relocated to a new country.

I was now studying and working, and the bulk of my earnings went into my tuition. There was almost nothing left after all this, so I couldn’t think of putting money in crypto. It was for the best. 

It’s been four years since that crash, and I no longer chase the thrill. And my girlfriend, who watched me ride that rollercoaster? She’s still here. We’re getting married next year. 

I didn’t lose everything after all.

]]> I鈥檝e Interviewed over 1000 Candidates. Here鈥檚 What Many Still Get Wrong /money/ive-interviewed-over-1000-candidates-heres-what-many-still-get-wrong/ Sat, 04 Oct 2025 08:14:37 +0000 /?p=360736 loves recruiting. 

In 2024 alone, he closed over 50 roles and has interviewed more than 1000 people since he began recruiting approximately seven years ago. In that time, he has handled human resources management and recruitment for companies, including .

His work means one thing: He鈥檚 seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of job interviews 鈥 what helps or hurts applicants鈥 chances. What Felix finds most astonishing, though, is the misconception that companies know the people they want to hire before they promote a job opening. While he agrees that referrals and internal recruitment are crucial factors in the process, he believes that everyone has a fair chance of securing an interview and subsequently getting the job, even with no existing relationship with the hiring manager or the business. 

鈥淥n average,  I get briefs to recruit for at least seven roles every day. I don鈥檛 personally know most of the people that eventually get these jobs,鈥 he says. 

An applicant鈥檚 approach to the process often determines if they are hired. More often than not, candidates who apply themselves from the beginning and back themselves and their chances have a better experience and result with job interviews. 

鈥淭his might sound surprising, but some people go, 鈥楲et me just go and do my bare minimum; they will eventually not hire me anyway.鈥 This thinking doesn鈥檛 help anyone,鈥 Felix says.

Here are a few things Felix has learned in the years he has interviewed applicants. 

An interview isn鈥檛 an interrogation. Don鈥檛 treat it like one

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, and for good reason. The result potentially stands between you and a job, so it鈥檚 natural for nerves to kick in. 

Felix understands this weight and its potential impact on an applicant鈥檚 psyche. However, he says it becomes potentially problematic when it affects interview performance. 

鈥淚f you鈥檙e extremely nervous in my interview room, you won鈥檛 give me everything I need, and it鈥檚 a shame because I really want to know you.鈥

Many recruiters anticipate this blocker and try to ease the applicants into the conversation. Still, it鈥檚 easier when applicants take charge and set the tone. 

For Felix, a terrible interview experience is when an applicant appears great on paper but struggles to talk about themselves during the interview.

鈥淵ou always wonder if you missed out on someone  potentially great.鈥

What you should do instead:

  • Remember that your profile stood out among multiple applications, which is why you got the call. So, treat the interview as an opportunity to showcase your excellence.
  • Go into the conversation to chat with people you may be working with soon. This framing gives you a sense of control. If it helps, treat the process like a talking stage. You want to know if they鈥檙e a good fit for you as much as they want to see if you鈥檙e right for them. 
  • Review the job description thoroughly. Pick details from your experience that align most with the JD and use them to drive the conversation. 
  • During the interview, talk as though you鈥檙e already a part of the business 鈥 it鈥檒l help you flow better with the conversation and ask thoughtful questions. Avoid phrases like 鈥You guys鈥 as much as possible.

Be intentional about how you show up, even in virtual interviews听

鈥淒o you know that I鈥檝e set up a final stage interview for an applicant, and they showed up in a singlet?鈥 Felix starts. 鈥淚t was a virtual interview, but still, it鈥檚 never a good look.鈥

Recruiting processes are evolving. While many businesses 鈥 depending on the industry 鈥 don鈥檛 require applicants to formally dress up for interviews, there鈥檚 an (often unspoken) expectation that applicants should show up smartly dressed, including for virtual interviews, which have also become a favoured interviewing format. 

鈥淎pplicants think there are no rules for virtual interviews. But physical interview etiquette applies here as well. You need to look presentable,” Felix reiterates. 

It goes without saying, but many applicants fall into this trap. The bummer is that it becomes a distraction that lasts the entire interview.

What you should do instead:

  • Take virtual interviews seriously. Dress well and show up on time. Being on time helps you relax.
  • Always turn on your video. It shouldn鈥檛 be an afterthought.
  • Set up in a comfortable location, optimising for a clear, uncluttered background. Avoid taking interviews from a vehicle. 
  • Check your internet connectivity. Have backup internet. 

鈥淎pplicants that do all of these often feel more confident and ready for the conversation,鈥 Felix promises. 

Don鈥檛 get lost in the 鈥淭ell me about yourself鈥 question

Many interviews begin with what should be a simple question: 鈥淐an you tell me about yourself?鈥 

It鈥檚 a basic question, but it can also make or break an interview. Applicants know this, and many buckle under its weight. However, Felix thinks applicants should treat this question as what it is: a vehicle to kick off the conversation. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the tricky question applicants think it is. I鈥檓 just trying to know you,鈥 he says. 

It鈥檚 a chance to tell your story in your own words, and you decide how you want to tell it. Felix advises applicants to think of their responses in three primary parts: the past, the present and the future.

  • The past (What you鈥檝e done in the past relevant to the role). E.g., 鈥淚’m a human resource professional with about six years of experience specialising in recruitment and employee engagement.鈥
  • The present (What you currently do). E.g., 鈥淚n my current role as lead consultant for GenZ HR, I have led hiring processes that have closed 15 high-quality hires in the past three months. I’ve introduced an onboarding process that has improved retention by 30%.鈥
  • The future: This is the 鈥淲hy I鈥檓 here鈥 question. E.g., 鈥I’m drawn to this role because it aligns with my interest in talent development and also provides an opportunity to scale HR or recruitment strategies in a fast-growing tech business like yours.鈥

Remember, you can share as much context as you want. But if you need something simple for a quick confidence boost and subsequently settle into answering the question, this may be a good format to follow.

One key thing to note when answering this question is that it鈥檚 an opportunity to highlight your experience, skills, and achievements. On the other hand, you may be tempted to list out details in your CV, but don鈥檛. 

Show. Don鈥檛 just tell

According to Felix, interview responses should be driven by a storytelling approach. This helps applicants frame their answers to reflect technical [ expertise] and soft skills [behavioural and culture fit].

 But how do you execute this without missing a beat during a potentially emotionally-charging moment? There鈥檚 no one-size-fits-all approach, but Felix recommends the STAR model. 

  • Situation. Share a specific problem. 
  • Task. Describe the task you needed to execute. 
  • Action. The set of activities you did. 
  • Results. The positive outcomes of your effort. 

Similarly, applicants should back up their achievements with specific numbers. Felix adds a caveat here. 

鈥淧ut your numbers in the context of something specific. It could be the difference between a surface response and a deeply thoughtful and moving response. 

鈥業 helped improve sales鈥 doesn鈥檛 say much. On the other hand, 鈥業 closed $30m in sales within 12 months鈥 does. So lean more into latter,鈥 Felix says.

To close, Felix shares a few rules of thumb applicants might find helpful:

  • Research the company and its structure. The more information you have, the more excited you will be about the conversation. 
  • Start with a firm, positive energy. 鈥淭hank you for having me. I鈥檓 excited to be here.鈥 is a simple place to start.
  • Don鈥檛 interrupt or cut the interviewer short. Let them finish their thought before you jump in. 
  • Take a breather before you jump on a question.
  • Connect your skills and career goals to the company, especially when answering the 鈥淲hy do you want to work here?鈥 question.  
]]> My Dad Chose His Family, And It Wasn’t Us /money/my-absentee-dad-left-me-and-my-mum/ Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:02:00 +0000 /?p=234846 Shade鈥檚 life trajectory started to shift before she was old enough to know what it meant. One unexpected illness, a series of difficult choices, and a father鈥檚 absence set her and her mum on a path they never planned for. What followed was years of sacrifice, resilience, and the kind of love that holds everything together when the world starts to fall apart.

This is Shade’s story, as told to Toheeb

When I was five months old, my mum fell ill. She complained of body pains but the drugs she used didn鈥檛 work. Each day got tougher as the pain got worse. My family had never seen anything like it, so they thought it was a spiritual attack. 

When the pain became unbearable, they took her to a local nurse who gave her an injection. It turned out my mum shouldn鈥檛 have been given that injection. Her condition worsened. Something scarier happened 鈥 her joints got swollen. According to the stories I鈥檝e heard, you could see the bones underneath her skin.  

When she didn鈥檛 get better, they took her to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, to see a specialist. Everyone blamed my grandmother, who had been taking care of her, for not going to the hospital sooner. What they didn鈥檛 realise was that hospitals were expensive and nobody could have imagined that whatever she was dealing with was more than body pains.

The doctors suspected it was bone arthritis, but all the tests they ran returned negative results. The symptoms were there, but the tests didn鈥檛 confirm anything. 

The doctors started treatment for arthritis. My mum was bedridden at the hospital for about two years. Because she was confined to a bed for a very long time, she started dealing with bedsores too. Then the joints in her hips dislocated completely. The doctors told her that there were two options: corrective surgery and physiotherapy. For the surgery, they鈥檇 implant something鈥 I don鈥檛 remember what the implant is called鈥 in her hips. But the catch was that it cost millions of naira. Also, she would have to do the surgery every 10 years. Someone in my mum鈥檚 family offered to pay for the surgery, but my mum was scared. What if she couldn鈥檛 afford the surgery in 10 years?

She opted for the second option 鈥 physiotherapy. They told her that with any luck, she would walk again. If she did, she had to accept that she would walk with a limp for the rest of her life. In the meantime, she had to use crutches for support.

You may have noticed that I haven鈥檛 talked about my dad. Where was he in all of this?

In the about 24 months that my mum was in the hospital, my dad had started an affair.  My mum was in the dark about this until she was discharged from the hospital. She returned to meet a woman and a baby 鈥 my dad鈥檚 new family 鈥  in her home. It finally made sense why he visited her in the hospital only once. What stung my mum the most was that she knew the woman 鈥 my mum used to buy my baby food from her shop. 

My dad had started a new life and my mum had no place in it.

My mum moved in with my grandmother and continued the fight to get her legs back. It took about two more years before she got rid of her first crutch. Then the second one went about a year later. She could now walk unaided by her crutches but the doctors were right 鈥 she was always going to walk with a limp.

***

I started school when I was about four years old. This was also the time I saw my dad for the first time. I knew it had to be him the moment I saw him. The resemblance was uncanny. After the first visit, he started visiting occasionally. There was a day I overheard him tell my mum that he wanted to take me away. The audacity. I screamed my lungs out in defiance and ran away. I think he felt bad about it because my mum sat me down when I returned and asked me to behave myself whenever he was around. 

Fast forward to a couple of years later. The man who offered to pay for my mum鈥檚 surgery passed. Cancer.

Before he died, he willed some money to my grandmother. I don鈥檛 know how much money it was, but it gave my mum a lifeline 鈥 a chance to return to school. She had always wanted to study nursing, especially after what happened to her. And off she went to the school of nursing. 

By that time, my mum and I had become inseparable. I cried my eyes out the day she left home and fell ill a few days later. She was forced to return home for a few days to calm me down. However, I entered a rebellious phase shortly after and was sent off by my grandmother to live with another member of the family.

For a person living with a disability, going to school wasn鈥檛 going to be easy for my mum. But she hung in there for the three years she spent at the school of nursing. When she got to her final year, my grandmother ran out of money. The family member I was living with took a loan from work and paid for the year鈥檚 school fees. I had to make a little sacrifice too 鈥 I was in my last year of primary school and the family couldn鈥檛 afford my school fees, so I transferred to a public school to write my common entrance exams.

Everything worked out. My mum鈥檚 dream was finally realised. She finished her basic nursing program and got a diploma. This was 2011, and I was 11 years old at the time. 

I should mention, my dad was totally out of the picture for the three years my mum was at school. But that鈥檚 not important. This is not about him. 

I was in JSS 1 when my mum finished her diploma. There was a post-basic diploma she wanted to go for 鈥 this is where they actually specialise in an aspect of nursing. Can you guess why she couldn鈥檛? Lack of funds. The family was still trying to pay off the loan they took in her final year.

The next best option was to look for a job, and she got right to it. But that wasn鈥檛 easy. Every place she applied to had an excuse for not hiring her. Most of them claimed that her nursing diploma wasn鈥檛 enough to get her a job, never mind that there were people who got jobs with the same qualifications or less. Some of the hospitals came clean and said they couldn鈥檛 hire her because she had a disability. 

I remember when she got her first job in 2012. The job paid her only 鈧6k, but she was happy to do it.

She worked there for two months before she found another job at a catholic hospital. The caveat was that she could only work at the pharmacy, not the wards. The pay was about 鈧20k. 

***

I was getting older, and it was getting more expensive to raise me. My school fees alone was enough worry for my mum. When I was in JSS 2, my dad resurfaced again and handled some of the bills. Sometimes, he would chip in for my school fees for a term and go away for months. Still, he was trying to dictate how my life should go. One time in SS 1, he tried to withdraw me from my school and send me to a boarding school. I thought it was a ploy to take me away from my mum, so I refused. On the day he was supposed to take me to school to write the exam, I ran away from home.

I eventually changed schools, but I made sure it wasn鈥檛 a boarding school. I was always going to return to my mum at the end of each day. He paid my school fees for the first term and paid half in the second term. Then we didn鈥檛 hear from him again for months. My school fees was about 鈧42k, and my mum was earning less than half of that. She managed to pay for that term,  but I was sent away from school more times than I could count. 

It became clear that my mum couldn鈥檛 afford to pay it anymore the following year, and I had to withdraw and return to my former school. The embarrassment I felt was palpable, but the proprietor of the school was very happy to see me return and offered me the chance to write my WAEC in SS 2. Great! Now, who was going to pay for the exam?

My mum did, but I can鈥檛 even go into what she went through to raise the money. The form had almost closed before I registered. At some point, I wanted to tell her to forget about it. I was going to wait until the following year. Anyway, I wrote the exams and got a 鈥淐鈥 in all the subjects. 

***

My dad called me sometime in 2015 and asked me to visit him at his house. I refused. I told him he had to come to my mum鈥檚 if he really wanted to see me. For some reason, this riled him up and he started cursing me out. I didn鈥檛 react to his outburst. Then he started cursing my mum too.  I couldn鈥檛 allow that, and I cursed him back. Before the call ended, he said I was no longer his daughter. I told him it was fine. I don鈥檛 need him to be my father when I have my mother. 

We haven鈥檛 spoken since then. 

***

I applied to a polytechnic after two universities didn鈥檛 offer me admission. I still remember the day I paid my acceptance fee. Mum gave me a portion of her salary and emptied her savings. How much was my acceptance fee? 鈧25k.

The entire family chipped in something, so I could resume school. I was broke for the most part of my first year though. There鈥檚 no way to describe that kind of hunger. On a few occasions, I was tempted to call my mum to send something to me but I decided against it. She was probably hungry at home too. 

There was another time my department said we needed laptops. I didn鈥檛 give it much thought and only told my mum in passing. But I got a call from her, asking me to come home. When I got home, I found a  laptop on the bed. She said she got it on credit but didn鈥檛 mind as long as I had everything to succeed at school. 

The guilt I felt was a little overwhelming. It wasn鈥檛 only about the laptop but also about the other weight she was carrying. I knew how hard she was working to make sure things didn鈥檛 break. I was close to tears the day I found out that she trekked the 40-minute distance between home and work sometimes. 

53,965 Black Mom And Daughter Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock

Whenever I complained about how hard she was working, she would smile and say 鈥淵ou have to go to school, so I have to do it.鈥

***

My mum is earning about 鈧37k now, which is still considerably less than what she should be earning. When she got the job, they promised to review her salary every year. But the sister who hired her left and the new one couldn鈥檛 care less about welfare. 

I don鈥檛 understand why people have a distaste for people living with a disability. I don鈥檛 think the hospital treats her fairly. She was passed over for a HOD position that opened up not long ago. She was qualified for the role and they actually said it was hers. But later, they went back on the promise. They repeated the same thing she had heard over the years 鈥 she was living with a disability and may not be able to do the job efficiently. 

I really want her to leave the job, but I can鈥檛 ask her to quit while I鈥檓 still in school. I鈥檓 in the first year of my HND program now, so I haven鈥檛 figured it out yet. 

My mum is the strongest woman I know and she deserves better. I鈥檓 going to make it happen for her. I could never repay her for everything she has done for me. But a good place to start is setting up a large soft drink depot for her soon and getting her all the support staff she needs. In another version of the future, I see myself relocating to another country and taking her with me. 

As for my dad, I鈥檒l admit that things would be relatively easier if he was in my life. But he didn鈥檛 stick with me or my mum when it mattered the most. He chose his family, and it wasn鈥檛 us. It鈥檚 fine. I can live with that. 

Editor’s note: This story was originally published on June 24, 2021.

]]> Moneyby91大神: 10 Nigerian Stocks That Minted Millionaires in 2025 /newsletters/money-by-zikoko/moneybyzikoko-10-nigerian-stocks-that-minted-millionaires-in-2025/ Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:04:38 +0000 /?p=351388

Volume 139

In partnership with

Ask Aunty M with Reni

I’m a student and fashion designer. I’m married with two kids and currently have no source of income. My husband provides, but I need more. I pity him, so I tend to manage my resources, but I need more and want more for my kids. I’m tired, confused, and don’t know what to do with my life. – Bisi, 23

Hi Bisi. Understandably, you feel a little overwhelmed as you’re balancing a lot. It’s great that you want to have your own money and contribute to the household — I’m a big advocate for that. Here are some steps I would follow:

First, look into your strengths and opportunities to make money in your field. I know you’re a student, and a full-time job may only be feasible after you graduate, but you are also a fashion designer. Can you monetise this passion by doing freelance work or selling your designs online? You must set clear goals for yourself and your business if you want to start making extra money.

Second, speak to your husband about how you are feeling. You never know鈥e could think that the amount he is giving you is sufficient because you are managing it and not voicing how you feel. You are married, and communication is key. Try to have an open discussion about your financial needs and whether he can provide more support or support you in taking steps to increase your own income.

Third, seek counsel. You mentioned that you don’t know what to do with your life. Is this from the fatigue of managing school, work, home and children? Or is there simply nothing you’re interested in pursuing? Motherhood is hard, and sometimes, being able to take a break, rest, and talk to a third party will leave you feeling recharged and energised to start again. You’ve got this.

Xoxo,

Where The Money At?!

We can’t say we’re about the money and not actually help you find the money.

So we’ve compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.

Again, don鈥檛 mention. We gatchu.

Share this newsletter

All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We鈥檒l be back next week.

In the
meantime, keep reading 91大神鈥檚 articles and be sure to share the love.

See you next week…

Yours cashly,

Toheeb,

91大神’s “OG” Mr. Money

Did someone awesome send this to you?

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]]> Moneyby91大神: How Do You Build a $250k Net Worth? /newsletters/moneybyzikoko-how-do-you-build-a-250k-net-worth/ Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:52:44 +0000 /?p=350769

Volume 138

In partnership with

Ask Aunty M with Reni

Hi Reni. I just started earning way better than I did, not very much but it’s good (鈧270k). I stay in Benin, I don’t make a lot of expenses except food and clearing debts which hopefully I’ll finish this month. It’s almost year end, and I need to start saving/investing and I plan to invest a huge chunk of it. But the thing is, I want to invest for the short term because of my rent due at the start of 2025. Plus, I’ll be moving to Lagos soon. I don’t know how to go about such deals. Most times investments are long term, which isn鈥檛 a priority right now. But I also don’t want to let my money sit idle in naira. What do you advise? – Hadassah, 26

Hi Hadassah, congratulations on earning more! It鈥檚 a great start. Thankfully your expenses are low so now you can put a large portion of your income towards debt and become debt free. This will free up a lot of your income towards your short and long term goals.

You need to get clear on your goals. Rent is a short term goal that you need to achieve – how much is rent going to be and how much do you currently have? Put away a set amount of money in a US domiciled savings account until you reach your goal. I would suggest that you focus on saving for the short term rather than investing for the short term. You can put it in a high interest account.

More importantly, your expenses will rise when you move from Benin to Lagos. Account for this and don鈥檛 choose your rental home based on what you can currently afford, base it on what your overall expenses will look like when you鈥檝e moved to a higher cost of living city.

I hope this helps.

Xoxo,

Where The Money At?!

We can’t say we’re about the money and not actually help you find the money.

So we’ve compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.

Again, don鈥檛 mention. We gatchu.

Share this newsletter

All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We鈥檒l be back next week.

In the
meantime, keep reading 91大神鈥檚 articles and be sure to share the love.

See you next week…

Yours cashly,

Toheeb,

91大神’s “OG” Mr. Money

Did someone awesome send this to you?

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]]> Moneyby91大神: From 鈧160k to $7.8k/month – Here’s How She Did It /newsletters/moneybyzikoko-from-%e2%82%a6160k-to-7-8k-month-heres-how-she-did-it/ Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:52:00 +0000 /?p=350033

Volume 137

In partnership with

Where The Money At?!

We can’t say we’re about the money and not actually help you find the money.

So we’ve compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.

Again, don鈥檛 mention. We gatchu.

Share this newsletter

All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We鈥檒l be back next week.

In the
meantime, keep reading 91大神鈥檚 articles and be sure to share the love.

See you next week…

Yours cashly,

Toheeb,

91大神’s “OG” Mr. Money

Did someone awesome send this to you?

<

]]> Moneyby91大神: What It Takes (and Costs) to Show Out at Ojude Oba /newsletters/money-by-zikoko/moneybyzikoko-what-it-takes-and-costs-to-show-out-at-ojude-oba/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:30:00 +0000 /?p=349445

Volume 136

In partnership with

Share this newsletter

All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We鈥檒l be back next week.

In the
meantime, keep reading 91大神鈥檚 articles and be sure to share the love.

See you next week…

Yours cashly,

Toheeb,

91大神’s “OG” Mr. Money

Did someone awesome send this to you?

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]]> Moneyby91大神: This 28-year-old Tripled His Income by “Accident” /newsletters/moneybyzikoko-this-28-year-old-tripled-his-income-by-accident/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:30:00 +0000 /?p=348856

Volume 135

In partnership with

Where The Money At?!

We can’t say we’re about the money and not actually help you find the money.

So we’ve compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.

Again, don鈥檛 mention. We gatchu.

Share this newsletter

All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We鈥檒l be back next week.

In the
meantime, keep reading 91大神鈥檚 articles and be sure to share the love.

See you next week…

Yours cashly,

Toheeb,

91大神’s “OG” Mr. Money

Did someone awesome send this to you?

<

]]> Introducing, The Naira Life Conference: 91大神’s First Personal Finance and Wealth Building Event /announcements/introducing-the-naira-life-con-zikokos-first-personal-finance-and-wealth-building-event/ Mon, 26 May 2025 07:14:00 +0000 /?p=348244 The first Naira Life episode dropped in February 2019, and since then, we’ve published a new story every Monday, giving you an unfiltered peek into how Nigerians truly move money. Through these stories, we’ve sparked honest, critical conversations and helped countless people get a better grip on their finances.

Now, we have some exciting news for you. 91大神 is bringing you more of Naira Life in a way we’ve never done before. 

These stories are powerful, so what if we gathered everyone who, in different ways, knows a thing or two about money 鈥 from everyday Nigerians to experts 鈥 to share their stories and insights and teach you how to unlock your own “unbelievable liquidity”?

That’s exactly what we’re doing this August! 

We’re calling it “The Naira Life Conference” 鈥 a financial event for everyone keen on optimising their wealth-building knowledge and sharpening their strategies.

The Naira Life Conference will bring together wealth builders, entrepreneurs, financial leaders, and everyday Nigerians to share their experiences with earning, managing, and spending money. You’ll hear from career experts, tech founders, CEOs, investors, and more 鈥 people who have truly mastered their Naira Life.

What to Expect at The Naira Life Conference

You think about money a lot. Maybe you even worry about it sometimes. This event will give you a front-row seat to how people like you (and those you aspire to be) think about money.

The Naira Life Conference will feature four dynamic content tracks that cover all of these elements:

  • Personal Finance: Dive into honest conversations about budgeting, saving, and making daily money decisions, anchored by real-life experiences and practical solutions.
  • Balance Sheet: Unpack the realities of running a business in Nigeria, from navigating funding to mastering cash flow, with insights from entrepreneurs who have thrown their hats in the ring.
  • Building Wealth: Demystify investments across stocks, real estate, crypto, and more, offering actionable strategies to grow your Naira sustainably.
  • Career Growth: Master the essentials for playing in today’s job market, with insights on skill development, job search strategies, and career advancement.

You should also expect:

  • Conversations and immersive workshops that hand you a playbook for building real wealth.
  • Agony aunt sessions to answer your anonymous money questions and career dilemmas.
  • Business and career growth workshops and panel discussions.
  • Network with fellow attendees, experts, and even representatives from your favourite companies.

Ultimately, you鈥檒l leave The Naira Life Conference with:

  • Personal clarity about your financial challenges and exact steps to overcome them.
  • A strong sense of community, knowing you鈥檙e connected to a tribe that’s navigating similar financial paths.
  • Actionable insights that you can implement as soon as you get home.

What Happens Now?

The Naira Life Conference will be held in Lagos on听August 8, 2025. Mark your calendars!

And here’s the best part:

Let everyone know that Naira Life is coming! Spread the word using #TheNairaLifeCon. We can’t wait to see you there!

Stay updated by following us on social media, and share this link with your network: ference.

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