What鈥檚 your earliest memory of money?

Around the time I was in primary four, my mother ran a big restaurant in the North, right opposite major banks and close to a government house.

I used to go into the banks to deliver lunchboxes to customers and collect money. I was so tiny that I had to tap the top of the counter so the bankers would know I had arrived. My mum also had a deep freezer. I would take sachets of water, put them in a cooler and sell outside the shop for 鈧�5 per sachet. The whole bag cost 鈧�15, so whatever profit I made was mine to keep for snacks.

My dad ran a large building material business. That was where I learned sales. I was always so shocked by his pricing strategy.

How so?

My dad could tell a customer that he bought a sheet of zinc for 鈧�100 and was selling it to them at 鈧�110. But then, I鈥檇 look at his records and see he actually bought that zinc for 鈧�50.

I asked him about it one time, “Is it that you are lying to these people?”

He responded, “You wouldn’t call it a lie. It’s more like business now. It’s sales.”

He explained that if you tell customers you bought it for 鈧�50 and want to sell it for 鈧�100 or 鈧�150, they won’t buy. But if you tell them you bought it for 鈧�100 and are selling for 鈧�150, when they bargain down to 鈧�120 or 鈧�130, you’re not at a loss.

So, on my dad鈥檚 side, it was more about actually learning how to do business than about touching the money. But on my mum鈥檚 side, I saw the money and touched it.

What did all of this mean for your family financially? 

We were an okay family. I鈥檓 the last of five children, and my mum made sure I went to a private primary school. In fact, I was the only one of my siblings to attend a private primary school because my mum was so intentional about my education. We lived in a two-bedroom apartment, and my mum was such a fashionista that if her children came out, you would know they were out. Money wasn’t really a problem for us growing up.

Then, around 2010 or 2011, my dad鈥檚 business suffered a major crash. We became a one-income household, with my mum鈥檚 restaurant business holding everything together while paying off the outstanding bills of the failed business.

My dad left for the East in 2012, and my mum stayed behind briefly because her business was doing well. By then, she had expanded into commercial catering and consulting for restaurants. Two of my brothers were still in school, so my mum had one of my sisters stay behind with them. 

But my dad kept pushing for the family to join him, so my elder sister and I went to the East that same year. I was 12 years old and supposed to make the transition from JSS3 to SS1.

What was that move like for you and your sister?

Jesus Christ. It was a completely new world. 

My dad was crashing with his younger sister, who had a chin-chin production company. They would make us wake up at 5:00 a.m. to start mixing flour by hand. Then we鈥檇 start frying over clay ovens, and we wouldn’t eat breakfast until noon. Sometimes, it was the chin-chin we made that we ate.

When it rained, the town was so bad that the water reached our knees; we were literally swimming. My sister got a job that paid her 鈧�5,000, but her first salary went straight into buying drugs because she got sick. I wasn鈥檛 even going to school. My mum usually sent us money, but since my sister and I couldn鈥檛 cook for just the two of us because of the other people in the house, we mostly ate street food and snacks, which wasn鈥檛 healthy. 

This went on for about six months until my mum eventually sent money for us to rent a one-bedroom flat. She also had to leave her business in the north to come take care of us because my sister and I were dying and looking malnourished.

What did your mum’s moving to the East mean for her finances?

We lived in a very rural area in the East, where no one was eating at restaurants. She tried making soup for people to buy, tried going into red oil, and tried importing melon, but nothing worked. Still, she used her last card to put me in the best school she could find.

In 2018, when I was 17, I wrote JAMB and scored 290. My mum wanted me to attend a private university or study abroad. She even tried setting up a Coca-Cola wholesale partnership to finance my schooling, but in July 2018, she suddenly passed away.

I’m so sorry

Her death was a massive shock. 

My siblings were living in different places, trying to survive, and it was just my dad and me left at home. I couldn’t even take my post-UTME because we were burying her, so my JAMB score became useless.

I had to find a job teaching nursery school, earning 鈧�6,000 a month, so I could buy a JAMB form for 2019. But I would go to school to teach and just start crying. I didn’t even know I was grieving; I just kept going till I couldn’t take it anymore.

I stopped going to work and bed-rotted for about three to four months, and the 2019 JAMB form passed. I didn’t even know that time had passed. I stopped going to church, stopped talking to my dad, and cut myself off from my siblings. My dad kept calling them to come and carry me before I died, but my sister couldn’t because she was in school trying to see herself through.

How long were you in that state?

Almost the whole of 2019. 

In September, my brother came home and suggested I learn digital marketing. So, I went on Facebook and said I was learning digital marketing, even though I didn’t even know what it was. I wrote in a notebook with a blue pen whatever free courses my brother sent me that I understood, and with a red pen whatever I didn’t understand, to research later at cybercaf茅s. 

I also went back to teaching, now making 鈧�7,500 monthly.

How did learning digital marketing go?

Interesting story.

In January 2020, a lady posted on Facebook asking what people wanted to achieve, and I commented that I wanted to learn digital marketing. A man replied, telling me to add graphic design and that my life would change in five years. He offered to sponsor my learning.

I thought he was a scammer or wanted to use me for rituals, so I kept ignoring him, but he kept reaching out. He eventually connected me with his assistant, a woman, because he felt I鈥檇 trust a woman more. This man eventually paid 鈧�500,000 so I could learn digital marketing and graphic design at an institute for one year. He also sent me monthly stipends for transport. I couldn鈥檛 believe it.

By late 2020, I got my first social media management gig. It was free, but she gave me 鈧�5,000 monthly for data, and my sister sent me an Infinix phone. In January 2021, another influencer hired me for 鈧�30,000 per month, but she fired me after one month because her sales had decreased. She said my work was just to put picture, copy caption and paste.

I accepted in good faith because I knew I was not yet a good social media manager. So, I used my salary to buy data, paid 鈧�2,000 for a course, and dedicated three months to learning properly. I also stopped teaching at this time.

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What happened after those three months of learning?

My next client paid me 鈧�50,000/month to manage her clothing brand on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. This time, I was like, 鈥淚f I don鈥檛 do a good job here, then this social media is not for me.鈥� Thankfully, I did a great job. We constantly sold out the clothes, and her followers grew. 

Around that time, I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a pretty woman selling good Ankara dresses for 鈧�2,500. Remembering my dad’s business lessons, I told her, “Give me these clothes. I’ll take your pictures and post them for 鈧�5,000. Any amount I sell is not your business.”

I started posting her pictures, and it was an immediate hit. I also got some Facebook influencers to post the dresses. At some point, I was shipping packages to Lagos, Abuja, Kano, London, and Canada, moving over 300 pieces a month. That鈥檚 鈧�2,500 in profit across 300 places.

Mad o

I was such a big girl, until everything crashed within five months.

I got the lady who produced the dresses to sell them to me for between 鈧�1,500 and 鈧�2,000, and ran a discount sale where people could buy three dresses for 鈧�7,500. People went wild, buying multiple pieces to resell. 

I sold over 1,000 pieces in one week, bringing in over 鈧�2.7 million in revenue. My profit was supposed to be 鈧�1 million, while the remaining 鈧�1.7 million was for the production lady, who lived in Bayelsa. I first sent her a 鈧�750k deposit, plus another 鈧�250k a few days later. I鈥檝e never seen the lady before, but that鈥檚 how we ran the business. 

Once I got orders, I paid her a deposit, and then the balance after she delivered. It had gone smoothly several times up until that point. I even rented a shop for 鈧�180k and spent another 鈧�350k setting it up because I imagined I鈥檇 need a store to handle all the orders.

Unfortunately for me, this Bayelsa woman disappeared after receiving the deposit. She stopped answering my calls.

Ah. What did you do?

If I had known how crazy things would get, I would have been honest with the customers immediately after the woman disappeared. Maybe they would have helped me find her. But I was 21 and terrified. 

I started by telling people orders were delayed due to the volume. Later, I said it was because the store wasn鈥檛 ready. I was hoping to find another tailor to make the dresses. Many people couldn鈥檛 wait, so I used the profit to start processing refunds.

I eventually found a tailor, but she insisted on sewing at 鈧�5,000 per dress, far higher than my other arrangement. She also insisted on getting paid in full. I needed about 200 dresses, which would cost me 鈧�1 million. By this time, I had used all the money I had on refunds. So, I cleared out my 鈧�250k savings, borrowed 鈧�300k from a friend and 鈧�150k from my siblings. Then I borrowed 鈧�50k here and there from different people just to complete the money and pay the tailor. 

But my problems didn鈥檛 end there.

What happened?

The tailor delivered rags. They were so poor quality, I couldn’t even give them to a mad person to wear.

I got dragged on Facebook for two weeks straight by customers and even people who used to admire me. It was a terrible season. I started borrowing what I could to refund people again. At one point, I was over 鈧�1 million in debt. I was depressed all over again, and my dad started calling my siblings. This was towards the end of 2021.

How were you able to settle the debt?

In January 2022, my sister convinced me to follow her to the North, where she lived. There, I started juggling multiple social media management gigs at once, including a Canadian client paying me $100 monthly. The dollar was 鈧�500 at the time. Every amount I earned went towards settling debts.

The hardest debt was the 鈧�300k loan. The girl put a bounty on my head, posted me on Facebook, and insulted my sister whenever she called. She also charged 鈧�10k/month in interest on the loan, and by the time I was able to pay her off in mid-2022, the debt had risen to 鈧�410,000. My sister and her colleague contributed and helped me clear the debt.

Phew. You were finally debt-free

Finally! It took me about a year to settle everything.

In August, I pitched to a tech community to manage their social media, and they sponsored my trip to Lagos for an event where I was a speaker. When I got to Lagos, I stayed with family, freelancing and volunteering for the community.

In May 2023, I got a job as Head of Marketing at an edtech startup, earning 鈧�250,000 monthly. But surviving in Lagos was hard. I was waking up at 4:00 a.m. and coming back at 11:00 p.m. because of traffic, literally eating dinner on the road. 

Three months into the job, I decided to resign, but I needed to save at least 鈧�1 million before doing so. Thankfully, I鈥檇 already started saving most of my salary since my second month there. My siblings also gave me money sometimes. By October, I reached my 鈧�1 million goal and resigned.

What was the plan?

To freelance. I slept at home for one month first. Then, I bought a phone for 鈧�500k and a laptop for 鈧�250k and started hunting for gigs.

I got a consistent 鈧�100k/month gig almost immediately. By January 2024, I decided 鈧�100k wasn鈥檛 cutting it and started looking for more clients. Some came, but income wasn鈥檛 consistent. By June, I decided to return to Facebook and carry it on my head. I started posting regularly again, and clients began to come in.

In November 2024, a client paid me 鈧�50k for a content calendar 鈥� I didn鈥檛 even know it was possible to get paid for that. I had told her 鈧�25k, but she insisted I undercharged myself and doubled my ask. I made another calendar for her the following month. Also in December, I launched a simple 鈧�2,000 PDF digital product teaching people how to use social media for business, and I made 鈧�34k that month.

In January 2025, that content calendar client paid me 鈧�700k for a three-month brand management contract and referred her friend, who paid another 鈧�700k. Another pharmacist client paid me 鈧�900k for a six-month contract for her brand and 鈧�300k for her personal LinkedIn brand. 

By this time, I couldn鈥檛 handle all the pages myself, so I started hiring people. In February 2025, we did 鈧�1.250 million in a single month, and we have grown even more since then.

Energy! What does your income look like these days?

I currently run three setups. I have my personal work, where I manage social media for retainer clients and brands. Then I have two businesses. One provides services like page revamps, customisation, and video editing. The other provides digital products, e-books, classes, and clarity sessions.

My personal income, after paying my team of graphic designers, social media managers, and my finance manager, averages 鈧�1.5 million monthly. In good months, it goes up to 鈧�2 million or more.

What kind of life does your income afford you now?

Anything I want. I have a housekeeper, and I’m always ordering food. I make sure I am okay, doing the things that give me joy. I go to the cinema at least twice a week because I like it a lot. I take skincare very seriously, so I get my facials, pedicures, manicures, and nails done regularly.

My sister says I’m the best gifter because I love gifting the people I love. I use the pro version of every subscription. It鈥檚 very freeing.

Love it for you. Can you do a breakdown of your typical monthly expenses?

This was what August looked like:

How do you approach saving and financial goals?

I live below my means. I don’t play with upskilling. It has brought me where I am today. I don’t want to be just a social media manager anymore. I want to go deep into product and brand storytelling, tech storytelling, and tech UGC.

One of my big goals is to study abroad in France. The university I want costs 拢9,000 per year, and I plan to go by 2028. I also want to save 鈧�50 million in liquid cash before I leave Nigeria. I鈥檓 currently at 40% of that goal. Living in the East with my dad 鈥� I left Lagos sometime last year to have more time for myself 鈥� keeps me grounded and my overhead low. 

Also, I don鈥檛 have the time now, but by January, I hope to visit two countries per month until I leave Nigeria.

I think your journey so far has been impressive. Do you ever think about it?

Oh yes, and it feels surreal and unbelievable. People pay me to tell them how I got jobs or became successful, and I tell them you have to do the work; it doesn’t happen by chance.

I鈥檝e built a team where I can decide not to work for a week, and everything runs smoothly. I don’t feel like I’ve “arrived” yet. I still want to make 鈧�5 million monthly in profit, but I can pat myself on the back. 

How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1 to 10?

6. I鈥檓 grateful for how far I鈥檝e come, but I can’t just fly to Kenya, stay in a very nice hotel for one week, and come back as if nothing happened. I want to be a digital nomad, so the remaining 4 points will come when I start travelling.

Find all the past Naira Life stories聽here.

Mental health struggles are complex, and for many Nigerians, the country’s financial state worsens their mental health.Here are five Nigerians who suffered severe mental health crises due to financial pressure and the poor state of the economy, and what thankfully made them choose to stay.

鈥淒ead people don鈥檛 pay bills鈥� 鈥� Nafisa*, F, 26, Lagos. 

I鈥檝e always had financial anxiety. Even when I was steadily earning 鈧�200k/month, the state of the country would make me panic about how much I had and if it would be enough to keep me alive.

Then I lost my steady job earlier this year when the company I worked for pulled out of the country. So now I鈥檓 a freelance makeup artist, earning 鈧�100k-鈧�200k per job. Technically, I can potentially earn more now, but my income is unstable, and I only get one or two makeup jobs a month. So, the way I see it, I鈥檓 basically jobless.

I have to think about my 鈧�1.2 million/year rent, amongst other expenses. Because of this, I isolate myself, afraid that if I go out with friends, I鈥檓 wasting money.

 Sometimes, my anxiety gets so bad that I have depressive episodes and nervous breakdowns. I panic, wondering when I鈥檒l next get a makeup gig. I passively consider ending my life. After all, dead people don鈥檛 pay bills, right?

I鈥檓 still here because of my friends. They send me money sometimes and always encourage me. Plus, when I do get a gig, my anxiety temporarily goes away. 

鈥淏eing the man of the house is hard鈥� 鈥� Tobi*, M, 26, Abuja.

My father died of cancer two years ago. Even though we all saw it coming, the grief was overwhelming.

At his funeral, an aunt whispered to me, 鈥淵ou know you鈥檙e now the provider of the family?鈥� It was the first time I had a panic attack.

Even though my mum鈥檚 business is still bringing in a good amount of money, she鈥檚 getting old, and I worry every day about providing for her and my sisters. I earn well at 鈧�600k a month, and I still live at home, but the pressure to be the man of the house is crushing, especially because I鈥檓 still grieving my dad.

I鈥檝e considered ending my life a few times, just in passing, so I can escape the anxiety. But the thought of my little sisters living without me is even more terrifying, and I鈥檓 too scared to go through with it. 

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to struggle for a life that feels pointless.鈥� 鈥� Ruth*, NB, 22, Lagos.

I left my oppressive parents鈥� house in 2025. They鈥檝e never been supportive and are the most closed-minded people I鈥檝e ever met. I was already considering suicide under their roof, so my options were either to kill myself, steal their money and leave, or run away and thug it out. I chose the last one.

I live alone now, and it鈥檚 difficult to provide for myself. The abuse I endured already made me suicidal, but now, I have times when I spiral really hard and get close to the act. The worst thing for me is struggling so hard for money just to live a pointless life and eventually die.

The main thing keeping me alive is spite. I want to prove to my parents that I鈥檓 better off without them and prove to life that I can do this. It also helps that I have god-tier friends.

鈥淓nding my life felt better than waiting for Nigeria to end it.鈥� 鈥�  Eni*, NB, 25, Lagos.

I moved out of my house earlier this year because my father was abusing me and trying to control my finances. The switch from being taken care of materially to barely being able to eat was terrifying.

At first, I felt very useless. It was hard to feel trapped in my own life, so much so that I could barely afford a crate of eggs. I thought ending my life was better than waiting for Nigeria to end it for me, and I was stuck in this headspace for at least three months.

I never thought of giving myself grace. I was doing my best, working multiple freelance gigs and living frugally, but I blamed my money struggles on not working hard enough, rather than the insane cost of living in Nigeria.

One day, I had to decide that I would not die simply because I didn鈥檛 have the financial freedom I had envisioned for myself as an adult. Also, I now know that life isn鈥檛 just happening to me; I have the power to shape my story. Plus, my friends have come through for me a lot.

鈥淪eeing my husband depressed made me depressed.鈥� 鈥�  Lola*, F, 30,  Ibadan.

In 2020, right after I got married, COVID made my husband lose his job. He was a businessman, but the lockdown made it difficult for him to transport goods and the like. As a teacher earning 鈧�210k/month, I wasn鈥檛 making enough to sustain us. It was a major hit to our finances. It didn鈥檛 help that we were in a lockdown and could do nothing but worry.

My husband became miserable. I鈥檇 never seen that man cry so much. I was always the emotional one, so having my rock break down that way broke me as well.

I would wake up, and my first thought would be to end my life so that my husband could have one less expense to worry about.

I knew these were bad thoughts, so my husband and I began praying every night. It helped to know God was still on the throne.

Eventually, the lockdown lifted, and my husband could continue his business as smoothly as before. I thank God for watching over us at that time.

If you need support, someone to talk to, or immediate help, these Nigerian mental health resources may help.

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) 鈥� Youth-focused mental health support.

| Crisis support: +234 916 841 7413

Blueroomcare 鈥� Affordable online therapy.

| +234 901 667 9754

SURPIN 鈥� Suicide prevention & crisis intervention.

| 080 0078 7746

READ NEXT: 鈥淚 Wish I Had Done More鈥�: Nigerians On Losing Loved Ones To Mental Health Struggles

With the cost of almost everything rising, Nigerians have very different ideas of what a first date should look like. For some, 鈧�50k can get you good food, ice cream and a decent conversation. For others, anything less than 鈧�200k means you probably haven鈥檛 planned properly. 

We asked Nigerians how much they consider acceptable to spend on a first date, where they鈥檇 spend it and what they expect that money to cover. Their answers reveal just how differently we think about money, dating and what counts as a good time.

鈥溾偊50k鈥� 鈥� Ruth*, F,  22, Delta

鈧�50k works just fine for me. I鈥檓 still at a stage where 鈧�50k is real money, so I can鈥檛 imagine expecting somebody to spend 鈧�200k on a first date. I鈥檇 be happy with a nice caf茅 or casual restaurant where we can eat, talk and maybe get ice cream afterwards. If the food is 鈧�25k and transportation is another 鈧�15k, we鈥檝e already had a proper evening. I also don鈥檛 want someone spending more than they can comfortably afford just because they think that鈥檚 what women expect.

鈥溾偊100k鈥� 鈥� Maxwell*, M,  29, Ibadan

鈧�100k works best for me because it gives me enough flexibility. I鈥檇 probably budget 鈧�60k to 鈧�70k for a good restaurant, then keep the rest for drinks, transportation and anything spontaneous. I don鈥檛 believe the first date should be cheap just because you鈥檙e testing compatibility, but I also don鈥檛 think you need to spend 鈧�300k to show that you鈥檙e serious. If I spend 鈧�100k and we have an amazing time, that鈥檚 money well spent. If we don鈥檛 click, at least I haven鈥檛 spent my rent trying to second-guess chemistry.

鈥溾偊100k鈥� 鈥� Kamsi*, F, 28, Port Harcourt

鈧�100k is enough for the whole date, but I wouldn鈥檛 expect the man to pay it all. I鈥檓 perfectly fine paying my half. He can get the food, I can sort out drinks and dessert, or we can just split the whole bill. 

We鈥檙e both adults, and we鈥檙e both going on the date because we want to meet each other. I don鈥檛 think paying for someone鈥檚 meal should automatically become a test of whether they鈥檙e a serious man. If he insists on paying, that鈥檚 different, but I鈥檓 not going to sit there pretending I forgot my wallet.

鈥溾偊120k 鈥� 鈥� Ife*, F, 30, F, Lagos

鈧�120k feels reasonable because I want the person to be able to plan a proper evening without being financially reckless. I鈥檇 probably expect dinner at a nice restaurant, drinks and transportation, with enough left over for dessert or ice cream. I鈥檓 also not impressed by somebody spending 鈧�120k if I later discover that鈥檚 half their monthly income. To me, the amount has to make sense for the person鈥檚 lifestyle. I don鈥檛 want a man performing wealth for me on the first date and then complaining about how expensive women are afterwards.

鈥溾偊200k鈥� 鈥� Chuka*, M, 31, M, Calabar

鈧�200k is a good budget. I鈥檇 probably take her to a proper restaurant where dinner and drinks could come to around 鈧�150k, then we could go somewhere else for cocktails or dessert. 

I鈥檓 at a point where I can afford to spend that amount without it becoming a financial crisis, so I don鈥檛 see why I should pretend otherwise. But I also wouldn鈥檛 judge somebody who wants to spend 鈧�50k on a first date. Your budget should reflect your pocket, not what Twitter says a man should be spending.

鈥溾偊350k鈥� 鈥� Nneka*, F, 29, Lagos

鈧�350k is a reasonable budget for the kind of date I鈥檇 enjoy at this stage of my life. I鈥檇 probably choose one of the more expensive restaurants, have dinner and drinks, then go somewhere else for cocktails afterwards.

 It depends on what we鈥檙e doing. I don鈥檛 think women should feel guilty for enjoying expensive dates when the person taking them out can genuinely afford them. What I don鈥檛 like is someone spending 鈧�350k and then acting as if you鈥檝e signed a contract to become their girlfriend just because they bought dinner.

鈥溾偊500k鈥� 鈥� Kunle*, M, 32, Ibadan

鈧�500k is the maximum I鈥檇 budget for a first date, but I鈥檓 not necessarily trying to spend it all. I鈥檇 rather have the flexibility to take someone to a very good restaurant, order what we want, get drinks afterwards and not spend the evening doing mental calculations. 

If the whole evening costs 鈧�300k, that鈥檚 fine. If it gets closer to 鈧�500k, that鈥檚 also fine because I can afford it. But I don鈥檛 think a man should spend 鈧�500k on a first date if that鈥檚 going to affect his bills. There鈥檚 nothing romantic about spending your rent money on dinner.

鈥溾偊500k鈥� 鈥� Faizah*, F, 31, Abuja

鈧�500k is honestly around the minimum I鈥檝e spent on a proper date before. I鈥檓 not saying that鈥檚 what everybody should spend, because obviously, people鈥檚 lifestyles and incomes are different. But if someone takes me to a high-end restaurant, then we go somewhere else afterwards, 鈧�500k doesn鈥檛 shock me. 

The mistake people make is assuming that because a date costs 鈧�500k, the woman must have demanded 鈧�500k. Sometimes that鈥檚 simply the lifestyle both people are already accustomed to. I also don鈥檛 expect anything in return because somebody paid for an expensive evening. A date isn鈥檛 a transaction.

In this story, Chioma recounts how Rachel quietly scammed her over the years, how she tried to take out a loan in Chioma鈥檚 name behind her back, and why 鈥� despite this being the worst betrayal Chioma had ever gone through 鈥� she still forgave Rachel in the end.

This is Chioma鈥檚 story, as told to Azara.

In 2023, the person I considered my closest friend tried to take a loan from my account behind my back.

You can鈥檛 imagine what it was like to have discovered that while studying for an important test.

An email notification popped up on my laptop mid-study, and I had to stop everything to see who had tried to steal 鈧�15k from a broke 20-year-old third-year student.

It wasn鈥檛 a random thief or a stranger. It was my friend, Rachel.

I met Rachel three years before that incident, and up until then, she was one of my favourite people in the entire world.

We met the way most people in university do: in class. To be honest, that鈥檚 how my main friend group formed. We all happened to sit beside each other, and we made each other laugh, Rachel more than the rest.

She was funny, and I liked funny people. But beyond that, she seemed generous. She was the only one of us living off campus at the time, and every morning she greeted us with homemade cupcakes鈥攕omething we couldn鈥檛 easily get in the hostel. I remember times when she offered to get me things or helped me with schoolwork, even when I didn鈥檛 ask. 

We became friends quickly. She was just so friendly and fit into our group. When she finally moved on campus a few months later and joined the same hostel my friends and I stayed in, we felt complete. 

But I would be lying if I said things were perfect. 

Rachel was struggling, or at least, that鈥檚 what she told us. She talked a lot about her abusive father and how part of that abuse was withholding money. She would spend days crying to us, saying he only gave her a 鈧�5k monthly allowance. She even showed me an alert that confirmed this once.

But then the story would shift depending on her mood. Sometimes, she would tell us he sent her 鈧�100k a week, or that he was a millionaire with two houses. I should have suspected something was wrong, but I brushed it off as her just getting excited and telling stories.

I also brushed off the fact that she often asked for money. It was usually small amounts;  鈧�2k to pay for snacks here, 鈧�3k to pay for her food there. She would follow anyone who was buying something, claim her card wasn鈥檛 working or that she hadn鈥檛 brought it, and then ask them to pay, promising to pay it back. She never did.

鈥淢y bank transfers aren鈥檛 working.鈥� She would lie if we asked for the money she owed. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have network. I鈥檒l transfer later.鈥� She would promise, until 鈥渓ater鈥� became never.

 She once said she went to the bank, where they showed her a list of all the transfers she鈥檇 made that hadn鈥檛 worked, so she had to approve them there.

Those 鈥渁pproved transfers鈥� never went through.

We let it go because these weren’t big purchases, but looking back, maybe that emboldened her to do worse. 

Rachel once lied to a friend that she was selling jeans. This friend paid her 鈧�20,000, but Rachel never delivered the jeans. She borrowed 鈧�10,000 from another friend when they went to a movie and used it to pay for two tickets. Another time, she promised to get a friend a 鈧�5,000 dress for a birthday, but the day passed, and no dress arrived.

She also scammed school staff. She would buy things at our hostel shop on credit and lie to me that she had paid for them. But when I went to do my own shopping, the woman at the counter would beg me to talk to Rachel, saying she had even blocked her because she kept asking for her money.

There was always an excuse; either there was a transfer error, or her bank was terrible. It was never Rachel鈥檚 fault. 

Still, I believed her. She was good at using her alleged trauma to sway you, and at the time, I鈥檇 believed things simply didn鈥檛 work out for her. How was I supposed to keep asking for money from someone with an abusive father, or 鈥� as she鈥檇 once told us 鈥� someone with diabetes 鈥渋n the red zone鈥� who needed extra money to specialise her diet? In hindsight, I never saw her take medicine or actually change her eating habits.

I must have been naive because by 2023, animosity had spread through the friend group without my knowledge, and it all came to light over a hoodie.

A friend was having a birthday, and Rachel had volunteered to have a specialised hoodie made for her. Excitedly, we all sent Rachel between 鈧�2,000 and 鈧�3,000. Altogether, we gave Rachel about 鈧�15k to pay for this hoodie.

But weeks passed, and every time someone followed up, Rachel would get sad and say that the Instagram vendor had scammed her, that she was begging the woman to return the money, and that she didn鈥檛 know what to do.

Some of my friends got fed up and begged her to tell the truth, but Rachel stuck to her story.

Eventually, my friend鈥檚 birthday passed, and in anger, she messaged the Instagram vendor Rachel claimed had scammed her, but the confused seller said Rachel had inquired about buying a hoodie and then never followed up. She even took a screenshot of their chat, which proved she鈥檇 never been sent any money.

I didn鈥檛 know any of this was going on until my roommate sat me down that night and explained that Rachel was a thief and a liar.

Rachel? My Rachel? Who always seemed eager to help and opened up to everyone with so much ease? I believed my roommate, but still, still, I wanted to give grace. 

At this point, Rachel had gone home for the weekend, and the tension in our friend group had escalated to the point where people were blocking her. We needed a spokesperson to confront her, so I was assigned the duty.

At first, I tried to understand her, but Rachel maintained her innocence and claimed people were just not being nice.

Around this time, I got an email saying she鈥檇 been trying to take a loan from me.

Shock does not do justice to what I felt. I had a test to think about, all my friends were mad at her, and here I was, trying to be the voice of understanding. Yet, that girl was actively trying to steal from me.

I only found out because she had logged into her email on my laptop and didn鈥檛 log out. I saw that she鈥檇 tried to secure the 鈧�15k loan from my bank account, but it didn鈥檛 work because she didn鈥檛 know my PIN. 

Numbly, I packed up my laptop, left the library and walked to my hostel.

I showed my roommate the email, and everything fell apart.

When I texted Rachel to ask her about the loan, she pretended like she didn鈥檛 know what I was talking about. Only after I showed her the email did she start begging. She said she just needed money because people were angry at her for the other loans she had, and that it was the devil.

At the same time, another friend, who Rachel owed 鈧�20,000, was asking for her money. Rachel sent her a picture of an ATM stand, claiming she was trying to send the money. My friend thought the picture seemed fishy.

Sure enough, after a Google reverse image search, we discovered Rachel had gotten the picture from the internet.

Everyone was enraged. We created a group and a spreadsheet to tally up all the money she owed us. Aside from the snacks, the staff debt, and other scams we didn’t know about, Rachel owed us 鈧�65k.

I鈥檇 never been so hurt in my life, and I never felt more like a fool. How could I have been the last to see this happening?

The next day 鈥� the day before our test 鈥� 12 of us gathered Rachel in a classroom for what was meant to be a peaceful intervention. But as we started talking, we learnt that scamming wasn鈥檛 her only crime.

She lied about all of us. Sometimes, she would use one friend鈥檚 name to cover up a scam she committed against another.

One girl in particular, Hamzat*, wasn鈥檛 even part of our group, but Rachel went to complain to her that we were ganging up on her and wanted to hurt her. On the flip side, Rachel told us this same Hamzat had sex with strangers on her prayer mat and was trying to pimp her (Rachel) out to older men. 

When Hamzat saw us that day and confronted us, the truth came flying out, shattering the idea of a 鈥減eaceful鈥� intervention.

People were yelling and threatening Rachel. Hamzat nearly slapped her, and it got so bad that the school security had to separate us.

In the end, we told Rachel that she either repaid all she owed us or we would take the matter to student affairs.

To cut a long story short, she got her aunt to settle the loans. She tried to apologise, but by this point, everyone was fed up. Not only did she refuse to take full accountability, but she also went as far as telling curious strangers that 40 of us ganged up on her and beat her up.

My response to her apology text was that she was a bitch who would burn in hell.

The story spread throughout the school, and by the end of the school year, nearly everyone was aware of it. 

It was an odd rest of the school year. Most days, I woke up enraged, thinking of how Rachel had played in my face. On other days, I felt sad for her. How could she have fallen so low?

We all graduated and left school in 2024.

Today, I鈥檓 still friends with that friend group. I love them to bits, but I still felt a lot of anger toward Rachel that I needed to let go of. And so, sometime last year, I reached out to her.

I asked if she was okay, and I told her that I鈥檇 let go of what happened between us. Minutes later, she responded, saying she was sorry and wished she could’ve apologised in person.

Because of this, and because so much time had passed, I let it go. I do hope she鈥檚 okay and has worked through whatever issues she has.

Oh, and by the way, I did pass that test.

NEXT READ: I Was Nearly Scammed in Nigeria, but I Still Think the Country Is Extremely Efficient

Then reality starts doing its thing.

The stock鈥檚 value drops, or the dividend you were expecting isn鈥檛 as substantial as you hoped. You realise the 鈧�20 stock you bought isn鈥檛 necessarily cheaper than the 鈧�100 one. And suddenly, you鈥檙e checking your portfolio every morning like the market is personally waiting to ruin your day.

Some investing lessons only make sense after your money is actually on the line. But if you鈥檙e buying your first stock, these are 10 things you鈥檒l be glad someone told you beforehand.

1. Dividends Aren鈥檛 Guaranteed – Olumide*, M, 28

I genuinely thought buying 100 shares in a company meant I would automatically get dividends every year. I bought my first stock partly because I wanted that extra income. It was only later that I realised a company can decide not to pay dividends. Now, if dividends are part of why I鈥檓 considering a stock, I actually check its dividend history instead of assuming I鈥檒l get paid.

2. Your Stock Can Stay Down For A While – Chidinma*, F, 25

Nobody warned me that I could buy a stock and watch it stay below my buying price for months. I thought that, if I picked a good company, the value would eventually rise in a reasonable amount of time. The first time mine dropped and stayed there, I was checking my portfolio as if I was waiting for exam results. I eventually learned that the market doesn鈥檛 owe me a quick recovery.

3. A 鈧�10 Stock Isn鈥檛 Automatically Cheaper Than A 鈧�100 Stock – Atinuke*, F, 32

I used to think a 鈧�10 stock was automatically cheaper than a 鈧�100 stock. So if I had 鈧�50,000, I鈥檇 rather buy 5,000 units of the 鈧�10 stock than 500 units of the 鈧�100 one. I didn鈥檛 realise that the number of shares I could buy didn鈥檛 indicate whether a company was actually cheap or expensive. That was one of the first things I had to unlearn.

4. Don鈥檛 Invest Money You Might Need Soon – Sam*, M, 25

I had 鈧�5million invested and then needed cash unexpectedly. I had to sell shares when the price wasn鈥檛 where I wanted it to be because I needed the money. That鈥檚 when I understood why people say you shouldn鈥檛 invest money you鈥檒l need in the short term. If I had known that earlier, I would have kept my emergency money separate.

5. You Can Lose Money Even When The Company Hasn鈥檛 Collapsed – Abu*, M, 27

I thought the only way I鈥檇 lose money was if the company completely went under. So when my stock dropped by almost 20%, I was confused. The company was still operating normally, but my investment was worth less. That was my first real introduction to volatility. Nobody had explained to me that the price could move that much without the company disappearing.

6. Don鈥檛 Buy A Stock Just Because Everyone Is Talking About It – Habeebah*, F, 26

My first stock was basically a group project. Everybody around me was buying it, Twitter was talking about it, and I didn鈥檛 want to be the only person watching from the sidelines. I couldn鈥檛 even properly explain why I bought it beyond 鈥榩eople said it was good鈥�. When the price started moving differently from what I expected, I didn鈥檛 know what to do. Now I won鈥檛 put money into something I can鈥檛 explain to myself.

7. There鈥檚 More To The Cost Than The Price Of The Stock – Lami*, F, 28

I was so focused on whether the stock was 鈧�50 or 鈧�100 that I didn鈥檛 really think about the costs of actually buying and selling it. Then I saw deductions and realised there were other charges involved. They weren鈥檛 necessarily huge, but when you鈥檙e starting with a small amount, every deduction matters. I wish I鈥檇 understood the full cost before making my first purchase.

8. You Don鈥檛 Have To Check Your Portfolio Every Day – Steven*, M, 33

I was obsessed. I could check my portfolio three times before lunch and still check again at night. If it went up, I felt like Warren Buffett. If it went down, I was questioning every decision I鈥檇 ever made. Eventually, I realised nothing was changing because I was refreshing the app. Once I became clearer about why I bought the stock and how long I intended to leave the money there, I stopped treating every red number like an emergency.

9. Know Why You鈥檙e Buying Before You Buy – Yetunde*, F, 38

My first investment was just, 鈥淚 have money, let me invest it.鈥� I didn鈥檛 have a goal, a timeline or even a clear reason for choosing that particular stock. I just wanted to be able to say I owned shares. Looking back, that made it difficult to know what to do when the stock moved. Now, before I buy anything, I ask myself what I鈥檓 actually expecting from the investment and how long I鈥檓 willing to leave the money there.

10. Past Performance Doesn鈥檛 Mean It鈥檒l Happen Again – Oluwatomi*, M, 44

I bought my first stock because I saw how much it had grown previously and assumed I was getting in before the next big jump. Of course, the market did not care about my plans. It didn鈥檛 perform the way I expected. That鈥檚 when I learnt that a stock having a good run doesn鈥檛 mean it will repeat that performance after you buy it.

In this story, Dr Anna talks about her Jamaican upbringing, being paid to do a six-year PhD, the three chaotic months she spent homeless in Lagos that nearly led to her being scammed, and why, even after experiencing 鈥渟hege鈥� in Nigeria, she still believes it is one of the most efficient places she’s ever lived.

This is Dr Anna’s story, as told to Azara.

鈥淭his place is chaotic.鈥�

That was my first thought when I arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, in September 2020.

But who can blame me? It was my first time moving to the country, and after 18 hours of travel and 10 suitcases in tow, I arrived with no visa and no clear idea where to go. After three hours spent sorting out my visa, I arrived at a hotel room that turned out to be too small for my luggage. 

How did I end up in Nigeria in the first place? For one, it wasn鈥檛 for a lack of options.

I was born and raised in New Kingston, which is basically Jamaica鈥檚 version of Lagos鈥檚 Victoria Island. My family was comfortably middle-class. We travelled on most holidays, I went to some of the best schools, and we lived in an apartment building with a big pool in the backyard.

By 2006, at the age of 17, I had earned a scholarship to attend Stanford University. It covered my tuition, room, and board, everything I needed to complete a bachelor’s with honours in Economics in 2010. 

Fast forward to 2011, I got a job as an economics researcher under a former prime minister of Jamaica. It paid around 2.5 million Jamaican dollars a year ($30,000) and was one of the best jobs I ever had. It gave me a sense of purpose.

By 2013, I wanted to continue my education, so I opted for a fully funded PhD from Northwestern University in the United States, where I studied Learning Sciences. The stipend was about $2,000/month, but because I was a competitive student, I negotiated it up to $2,500/month. I graduated in 2019.

When the offer to run a VC-funded foundation in Nigeria came up, I took it. I was ready for a new challenge and tired of America. I knew that social impact work in Nigeria, as complex as its society and economy are, would be a great training ground for the work I wanted to do in Jamaica later on. I knew the connection I made there would be important. 

My friends have described me as crazy before. They think I do things on a whim, and I don鈥檛 always have a plan. But I do. They may have some gaps, but my plans are solid. I believe the rest will figure itself out. 

Standing in the Lagos airport that day 鈥� September 14, 2020 鈥� to start a job as the Director of Impact and Research at a brand-new foundation, I was sure I had made the right decision. 

I spent two weeks living out of a hotel, and then the house hunting began. 

I hopped between Airbnbs for the three months I spent house-hunting. Some of these apartments were in areas that, in hindsight, I never should have been staying in. I stayed in apartments where the tap water ran yellow. It wasn鈥檛 safe at all. I think that was the first time I actually considered leaving Nigeria. 

The house-hunting was even worse. Every time I found a beautiful apartment, it would get scooped up before we could pay. And my desperation almost got me scammed. 

I wanted this beautiful, airy, open 3-bedroom apartment in a high-rise building. Come to find out, the agent recommended to me didn鈥檛 have the authority to represent the landlord. In fact, he was trying to collect 10% rather than the usual 5% agent fee. That should have been a red flag, but in my desperation, I overlooked it. 

I was 30 minutes away from transferring company money when, thankfully, someone in my office pointed out the deal鈥檚 sketchy nature, and I reluctantly let the apartment go. 

A few weeks later, I finally found my current apartment. It was slightly over the 鈧�4 million – 鈧�4.5 million/year budget, but I was just glad to put house-hunting behind me. 

My problems didn鈥檛 end with housing.

Work was another kind of adjustment. I came from professional environments where I had been rewarded for being direct, asking difficult questions, and saying exactly what I thought. In Nigeria, I quickly learned that being right was not always enough. How you communicated mattered. Relationships mattered. Respect, hierarchy, and recognition often carried meanings I did not yet understand.

At first, I found some of this frustrating. I thought the quality of the work should speak for itself. But Nigeria taught me that work never exists outside of people, and people need to feel seen, respected, and included. I did not become less direct, but I became more discerning about when to speak, how to say what needed to be said, and what might be happening beneath the surface of a professional interaction.

By 2022, I was also becoming clearer about the kind of career and life I wanted. I did not want my future to depend entirely on one employer, one country, or one traditional career path. So I left the foundation and moved into fractional strategic consulting. I get to continue earning in USD while living in Lagos. 

Earning in a stronger currency while living in Nigeria gave me more room to save, experiment, and begin building a life with greater freedom.

And to this day, despite the mess of it all, Nigeria is still one of the most efficient places I鈥檝e ever lived. 

I know it鈥檚 surprising to say that, but “efficient” is really the best word to use. In Chicago, finding clothes was such a hassle, especially for thick-thighed women, but over here, I can have clothes made and sent to me in two days. Sellers follow up if I haven鈥檛 bought, and it鈥檚 all via text, from delivery to the door. The indifference from other countries is so glaring compared to Nigerian eagerness. 

And for a foreigner like me, who speaks English as I do, I get my Nigerian friends to help me negotiate costs. I have to. My accent adds another 鈧�50k in some cases.

Last year, I threw a birthday beach party in Ilashe, and the cost of renting a boat for 20 people was close to 鈧�1 million, so I went to a friend who knew people who rented boats and asked him for help. He negotiated it down to 鈧�320,000 for a 10-seater boat. And we used his boat to take the other 10 people. 

Domestic care is also incredible here. In Chicago, I cooked and cleaned for myself every day. But not here. I can afford to outsource cooking, cleaning, and walking my dog. It gives me so much more time to 鈥� work. 

And then there鈥檚 the food. In the States, food can be quite expensive, and in Jamaica, the prices are not that different if I鈥檓 eating where I really want to eat.  Lagos is a lot more affordable. Meals that cost about 鈧�20k here could cost roughly 鈧�30k – 鈧�40k back home. 

Nigeria isn鈥檛 perfect; I鈥檝e had to fire a cleaner for chronic lateness, and it’s still so jarring that a traffic light at a major intersection will sometimes just not work. Still, the speed of business and Nigeria鈥檚 affordability are unmatched. 

I know that earning in US dollars has made this life more accessible to me. It has allowed me to save more intentionally, invest in my ideas, and imagine possibilities that did not feel available earlier in my career.

I still want to experience more of the continent. My dream is to create satellite homes across Africa. Places with more beautiful places and people to work with. There is so much we can do as a black family, and by that I mean a Global Black family. Kingston will always be home, and Lagos has become another kind of home. I am grateful.

READ NEXT: #NairaLife: He Made Millions From Crypto and Invested It In a Cab Business. Then Everything Crashed

What鈥檚 your earliest memory of money?

Money was important to me since primary school because of snacks. I could get tired of school food and want to get meat pie outside. I remember a lady who sold meat pies for 鈧�50 back then, and they had actual, huge chunks of meat inside.

My parents gave us snack money, but sometimes I saved mine for two or three days just to buy that meat pie, or to get ice cream after school. The ice cream guys on bicycles had Jamil Yoghurt or Fan Milk for around 鈧�30, while the cheaper ones, basically ice block and colour, were 鈧�10 or 鈧�20.

How much would your parents give you?

I can鈥檛 remember the exact figure; maybe 鈧�20 or 鈧�30. My older sisters got more because they were in higher classes. But we always had lunch boxes from home too, so we weren’t lacking.

What was growing up like financially?

I鈥檓 the fifth of six children. My dad worked at an oil company, so things were good. One thing he never compromised on was school fees. He made sure everyone鈥檚 fees were paid promptly, so no one was ever chased out of school. My mum worked in community health.

I wouldn’t say I was born with a silver spoon, but we had the necessities: shelter, food, and clothes. Getting new Christmas clothes every year was a big deal, and we always had that.

When was the first time you did something to earn money?

In secondary school, I was heavily into video games, mostly fighting games like Mortal Kombat and Dragon Ball. People at the game centre would bet on my games, and if I won, I鈥檇 get a percentage of the win. I also entered small gaming tournaments. Winning could fetch up to 鈧�1,000, which was a lot of money when one hour of gameplay cost just 鈧�50.

I finished secondary school in 2009 and stayed home for two years while trying to get uni admission. During that time, I did basic computer training and learned safety procedures under a safety officer. My boss was an HSE officer who trained people for rig work and worked with companies like Shell.

I worked with him informally, learning CPR and how different fire extinguishers worked. I鈥檇 go to schools and hotels, market fire extinguisher refills, and collect the cans. My boss got his cut, and the profit margin was mine.

What was the pay like?

I earned around 鈧�50k monthly. It was big money for someone who had just finished secondary school. The transport fare to the office was like 鈧�50, and I could even walk there if I wanted. Since I didn’t have real responsibilities, I spent most of the money on clothes, gadgets, and video games.

I left in 2011 after I was admitted to the university and moved to another state. 

Did you make money while in university?

It wasn’t steady because I’ve never been much of a business person, but I did side hustles when opportunities came up. I used to buy graphic tees and resell them to guys. When Dashiki shirts started trending, I bought them for cheap from a seller around school and took them back home to Port Harcourt on order.

I also bought charm bracelets from Amazon, swapped updated video games for a fee, and sold downloaded PC games to guys in the hostel from time to time.

That said, I didn鈥檛 really need cash at uni because my dad was transferred to the same state where I schooled, and his house was close to campus. I lived with him, and he gave me 鈧�2,000 a day for transport, plus pocket money on the side. Since I ate at home and didn’t have off-campus rent, I practically had zero expenses.

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What happened after graduation?

I graduated in July 2015 and went for NYSC in Abuja. My Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) was at a government agency. They paid a stipend of 鈧�5,000 in addition to the 鈧�19,800 federal allowance. My job involved compiling data on national issues from all 36 states and summarising it into reports sent directly to the President.

I stayed close to the office so I could walk to work, which saved transport costs. Abuja was great; good roads, nice parks, and accessible malls.

Did you stay back in Abuja after service?

No, the agency complained about a lack of funds, so they couldn’t retain us. In 2017, I returned to Port Harcourt and went back to the safety firm where I had worked after secondary school. My salary was raised to 鈧�100k/month, along with a promised office phone and laptop that I never received.

I stayed for about five months, worked briefly at a fuel station my sister managed, and then spent the rest of 2018 preparing for my master’s degree.

How did you fund your master’s degree?

My dad deeply valued education. When I expressed interest in a master’s, he backed it and released the funds before he passed away in 2018. I also secured a 50% scholarship. In January 2019, I left Nigeria for Cyprus.

I鈥檓 sorry about your dad. 

Thank you. It鈥檚 life. It happened.

How did you handle your finances while abroad?

Shortly after arriving in Cyprus, friends introduced me to cryptocurrency. I bought one Ethereum coin for 鈧�80,000 (around $170鈥�$200 at the time).

When COVID hit in early 2020, the entire market crashed, and my Ethereum dipped to $114. Friends told me to sell, but I decided to hold. By 2021, when the crypto market boomed, my single Ethereum token rose to $4,000. When it started fluctuating between $3,800 and $4,000, I converted it to USDT to lock in the profit.

But you weren鈥檛 spending the crypto, right?

I wasn鈥檛. To make extra money, I did some odd jobs. I worked on a bee farm where the owner paid 300 TL (Turkish Lira) a day, fed us well, and gave us fresh honey. Normal odd jobs paid around 60 – 80 TL per day for hard labour. I also did farm clearing, moved restaurant equipment, and chopped firewood for an elderly neighbour who paid 50 TL for 20 minutes of work.

I wasn’t purely surviving on odd jobs, though. Before leaving Nigeria, my family made a joint investment of 鈧�10 million into a bitumen company (everyone contributed equal shares of about 鈧�2 million; my contribution came from what my dad left me). My share returned $300 monthly. But during COVID, financial policies shifted, the dollar skyrocketed, and the investment payouts froze.

Thankfully, things weren鈥檛 really expensive in Cyprus. The TL equivalent of 鈧�10k could last me for a week. I also had some money left over from my dad鈥檚 master鈥檚 funds. I completed the degree in 2021.

What came next?

I tried to move to Australia on a work visa. An agent asked us to come to Nigeria for biometrics, so my roommate and I flew to Lagos and paid over 鈧�300k. Then the agent started giving endless excuses, and by then, our Cyprus student visas had expired, so we couldn’t go back. 

Phew. So, what did you do?

In 2022, after a few months of staying at home doing nothing, I withdrew 鈧�1.550 million from my crypto profits (almost the entire amount) and bought a car to run an e-hailing cab service.

Initially, I made over 鈧�20k daily after covering fuel. Over time, I built a network of private offline clients. I picked up remote call-centre workers between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., did airport drops for 鈧�20k, and handled inter-state trips.

By 2023, fuel and maintenance prices had skyrocketed. Engine oil went from 鈧�6,000 to 鈧�14,000. Nigerian roads cause heavy wear and tear, and I was constantly fixing something. I decided it didn鈥檛 make financial sense to drive full-time regularly. So, I cut back my hours and focused more on private clients. My daily income dropped to around 鈧�15k, but I was still making good money and was very comfortable.

How long did you run this e-hailing business?

Until February 2025, when my car was stolen.

I had parked near a church to answer a phone call about a driving gig. I left the car parked behind some school buses and went inside to wait for my friends. When we came out, the car was gone. My tracking subscription had expired, so I couldn’t trace it.

Oh my. I imagine you must have felt terrible

I did. That car was my business and my main source of income, so losing it just like that was a huge blow. But I still joined my friends for karaoke that same Sunday evening. 

Skrim. Was the plan to sing your pain away?

Well, the car was gone, and we already had plans to go out that day. Sundays were my only time off and my only opportunity to hang out with my friends. That day just turned out to be an unfortunate Sunday.

So, yes, we still went out. They were all trying to console me, but I just figured the car was gone. Later, my friend, who worked at the church, reported what had happened to the church management. They involved the police, but nothing came of it. A few weeks later, around the end of March, the head pastor gave me 鈧�1 million as support. 

I spent most of that money trying to fix a family Sienna car to see if I could work with it, but it鈥檚 currently parked at a mechanic shop with gearbox issues.

What did you do after?

Around the time my car was stolen, my uncle called me about a potential government job in another state, so I spent five months living with my sister there. The job eventually didn’t work out, so I returned to Port Harcourt in August 2025.

Back home, I focused on building a faceless YouTube gaming channel. I鈥檝e always been something of a gamer, and I figured I could try to make money from it.

How did that go?

It took me a while to hit 1,000 subscribers, but when I did and qualified for monetisation two months ago, I faced multiple ID verification issues. I eventually linked a friend’s AdSense account to get approved.

Just recently, the post office called me to pick up my physical Google AdSense code. But the exact day I brought the code home, my laptop battery died. The battery model isn’t available in Nigeria, so the code remains unread, and my $62 channel earnings are stuck until I get a working PC.

Sigh. How do you make money now?

I assist my sister by marketing her organic cosmetics and supplements on social media for a commission, earning around 鈧�10k or more per month. I also clip music on another YouTube channel of mine, which earns about $60- $80 (approx. 鈧�90k) monthly after taxes, alongside occasional side gigs. For instance, I recently helped administer online exams for an institution. I just do whatever brings money. 

I鈥檝e been applying for various opportunities, but jobs in Nigeria are time-consuming and pay poorly. Recently, I applied for remote call-centre expert roles with foreign companies, but I didn’t get the job because they wanted someone with an upbeat American accent and tone, which I don’t have. With many remote jobs, once you state you are Nigerian, it becomes much harder to get hired, even if you’re qualified.

I鈥檓 also looking into AI video making and animation. People recommend AI, but no one talks about the expensive subscription plans. If your prompts fail, your money goes down the drain. Still, I want to learn it because I can already generate AI voices and images, and I want to master video creation next.

Currently, my monthly income sits around 鈧�100k.

What kind of life does that afford you?

Life? Ah. I鈥檝e become an introvert by force. Living in Port Harcourt is expensive now. We are on Band A electricity, where 鈧�1,000 only gives 4 units of power. So, in a week, electricity can cost around 鈧�15k. That鈥檚 like 鈧�60k per month just for power.

Wild. Do you live alone?

I live with a friend, and we share the expenses, but he contributes more than I do. If I were to break down my share of the monthly expenses, it would be:

Power: 鈧�30,000 (my share)

Internet: 鈧�10,000 (my share of a three-way MTN Fibre split with our neighbour)

Food: Varies, but takes up the bulk of the remaining funds. My flatmate contributes more to the food.

Our rent jumped from 鈧�800,000 to 鈧�2.2 million last year, so my share is now 鈧�1.1 million.

Mad. I thought they only did that in Lagos. Do you have a safety net?

It鈥檚 down to about 鈧�2 million. Half of that is from cryptocurrency I鈥檝e invested in over the years, and the other half is savings from what I earned driving cabs. With my laptop broken and rent coming soon, this cushion is going to go down again, which is really worrying. I鈥檓 just trying to get back on my feet. 

How would you describe your relationship with money?

It鈥檚 toxic. When I have money, unexpected issues pop up, or I spend on wants because I can afford them. But my current financial state has forced me to prioritise needs over luxury.

Do you have any money regrets?

I don’t like to live my life in regrets. Whatever is in the past is past, and unless I own a time machine, I can’t go back to change it. What if going back in time to change something caused me to die, and I wouldn’t be here to give you this story? As long as I’m here right now, I still have a story to write. Whatever will be, will be.

Is there an ideal amount you think you should be earning?

鈧�1 million a month. It鈥檚 a realistic target if my hard work pays off.

What is one thing you want right now but can’t afford?

A high-performance laptop for video editing and AI content creation, like an HP Onyx, which will cost around 鈧�750k, or an Alienware, around 鈧�1 million.

Have you ever considered where you鈥檇 have been today if your car hadn鈥檛 been stolen?

I鈥檇 probably still be driving private clients at night and focused on growing my YouTube during the day. At least, I鈥檇 be earning enough from driving to sponsor YouTube content creation.

How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?

2. Going from having $4,000 in crypto and an active daily cash flow to where I am today is a massive drop.

Losing my car set me back significantly, but I haven’t gone all the way back to level zero. It鈥檚 like playing a game where your data gets corrupted; instead of dropping from level seven to level zero, an auto-save brings you back to level four. It鈥檚 just a setback, and if I get the right equipment and opportunities, I know how to get back up there.

Find all the past Naira Life stories聽here.

But one thing we never see talked about is how terrible our Nolly leads can be at making financial choices.

Here are some of your favorite Nollywood leads and the questionable financial decisions that set their lives off course.

Eniola Salami 鈥� King of Boys

Eniola鈥檚 (Sola Sobowale) rags-to-riches story is one of Nollywood鈥檚 greatest (ignoring her cr!minal activity, of course). But her downfall began when she used her wealth to bankroll a political ally, triggering government investigations that threatened her empire.

Efe Edewor 鈥�To Kill a Monkey

At first, Efe (William Benson) joined his friend鈥檚 crime syndicate to pull his family out of poverty. But once the money started flowing, he didn鈥檛 stop. Thanks to his greed, he eventually loses all the people he was fighting for in the first place.

Quam Omole 鈥� Quam鈥檚 Money

Quam (Falz) is a security guard turned overnight millionaire. In a too-good-to-be-true deal, Quam 鈥渋nvests鈥� 鈧�500 million, subsequently losing all his riches in what is, of course, a scam.

Andy 鈥� Sugar Rush

When the Sugar sisters stumble upon $800,000 that isn’t theirs, Sola’s boyfriend, Andy, decides the smartest move is to quietly steal some of the cash for himself rather than stick with the plan. The cost is high: his life.

Chief Beecroft 鈥� Chief Daddy

Chief Beecroft (Taiwo Obileye) was generous, but he was a terrible financial planner. Leaving behind a stupidly vague will, the chief leaves his dysfunctional family fighting over his massive wealth.

Zuri 鈥� The Smart Money Woman

Zuri (Osas Ighodaro) earns 鈧�600k/month. By Nigerian metrics, she is a high earner. However, her designer lifestyle massively outpaces her income, and soon she鈥檚 drowning in debt.

READ NEXT: The Most Expensive Gifts Nigerian Pastors Have Ever Received

From private jets to mansions, these six Nigerian mega-pastors have been recipients of mega gifts from those thankful for their divine service.

Bishop David Oyedepo – approx. 鈧�800m鈥撯偊1bn each 

For his 70th birthday in 2024, Bishop Oyedepo was gifted two brand new Rolls-Royce Cullinans by his 鈥渟piritual sons,鈥� including Bishop David Ibiyeomie and Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo.

Pastor Jerry Eze – approx. 鈧�500 million 

Just last month, Nigerian socialite Obi Cubana gifted his longtime friend and pastor, Jerry Eze, a 鈧�500 million mansion to celebrate the pastor鈥檚 44th birthday. 

Bishop Tom Samson 鈥� approx. 鈧�132.8 million 

In 2016, Bishop Samson was gifted a 2014 Rolls-Royce Phantom for his 50th birthday by his organising committee and congregation. 

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor 鈥� approx. 鈧�769.3 million 

In 2012, pastor Oritsejafor was presented with a pre-owned Bombardier Challenger 601 private jet for his birthday. The money for the gift was crowd-funded by his congregation.聽

Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo 鈥� approx. 鈧�1.5 billion 

In 2025, pastor Fatoyinbo celebrated his 50th birthday and received a Rolls-Royce from his 鈥渟piritual sons.鈥� The pastor called this gift a consequence of his own gift-giving.聽

Pastor David Ibiyeomie 鈥� 鈥渕illions of naira鈥� 

In 2021, Pastor Ibiyeomie revealed that Pastor Komaiya gifted him 12 cars in 12 months and a luxury wristwatch. Ibiyeomie said they were worth millions of naira.聽

READ NEXT: Love Currency: 鈥淚 Blamed Him for My Failed Japa Plans, and Nearly Ruined Our Marriage鈥�

Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, .

How long have you been with your partner?

Tayo and I have been married for a little over four years. But we鈥檝e known each other a long time. We actually met and were in each other鈥檚 circles for about eight years before we got married.

Aw, cute. How did you meet? 

We met on Instagram. I was still in medical school and had posted a poem on my story. Tayo commented on it, then he put me in a group with fellow poets. We weren鈥檛 close in the beginning; I was getting to know other people in the group, just like him. It took about two to three years of being acquaintances before we actually started talking properly, sometime around 2015/2016.

And was that when the love bloomed?

Ha! No. We were still friends, and barely friends even. We’d connect, gist for a bit, forget each other, then reconnect. I schooled outside Lagos, so we didn鈥檛 even see each other physically for a long time. There was even a point in 2020 when we were supposed to meet, but it just didn’t work out. 

Then, in 2021, while I was rounding up medical school, we started talking again properly. We naturally started dating and got married in six months. This was 2022, some months after I graduated from medical school.

Six months?

When you know, you know. I was drawn to his entrepreneurial spirit. He’s from a humble background, and from his student days, he’d already built multiple streams of income for himself: video editing, Photoshop, writing, and poetry. It felt like he acquired a new skill every time I blinked. I liked his ambition.

He’s also just a reliable person. Looking at what he built for himself despite growing up poor, I believed he could give me a secure future. Whatever happened, our family wouldn’t suffer because he’d find a way to take care of us.

He’s published books, done skits, and is always looking out for opportunities. Even before hustle culture was as serious as it is now, he was on top of everything. All this plus our shared love for writing? Of course, I married him.

Before we get to marriage, let鈥檚 talk about how you both navigated money in the dating days.

Very openly, actually. I always knew about gigs he landed, even if I didn鈥檛 know how much money they brought in, so I had a general sense of what he was working on. 

He took me out often and paid for dates since I’d just left school and wasn’t earning yet. He’d also come over to my place sometimes 鈥� I lived with my parents then 鈥� and I’d cook, make sure there was food and drinks. 

I don鈥檛 know how to ask for things, so it was nice to be given gifts unprompted. The only Valentine’s Day we spent together before getting married, he got me a teddy bear and flowers. I’d never received a Valentine’s gift before that.

Did this extend into your marriage? 

100%. He believes in full transparency and splitting expenses, always saying, 鈥淥ur money is our money.鈥� I share the same belief, and I like our dynamic. We both just sort whatever needs to be taken care of.

Walk me through how you split expenses now.

Tayo handles rent, mostly. He handles our daughter’s school fees, though I chip in sometimes. He takes care of electricity, fuel for the car and generator, and mostly buys the cooking gas. When we go out, at least once a month, it’s roughly a 60/40 split between us, with him chipping in 60%. 

I’m the one who plans and buys food and household stuff, partly because he was a bachelor who lived on ordering food out, so grocery planning was never his instinct. He also sends money for food and randomly sends me gift money, with descriptions like, “For yourself, not the house.”

He also supports my dreams. We both wanted to move to the UK, and we planned to go together. However, that didn鈥檛 work out.

Tell me about that.

I’ve wanted to practise abroad as a doctor since medical school. I took the IELTS in 2022, shortly after we got married, and it cost me 鈧�85k. Then, in 2023, I wrote my 鈥� the first step to practising in the UK. That one cost me 鈧�225k. Tayo supported me through the process. In fact, he reimbursed me 鈧�50k for the IELTS.

I planned to write PLAB 2 (the second phase of the exam) in 2026, as the UK required candidates to pass the second phase within three years of PLAB 1, or the first result would expire. However, in May 2025, I found out the medical council had cut the timeline down to two years. That meant I had less than six months to write an exam that would cost almost 鈧�5 million, including the cost of travel to the UK.

That鈥檚 a lot of money.

Money we didn鈥檛 have. I was earning 鈧�350k/month at the time, and Tayo was earning about 鈧�600k/month from his freelance work, so I thought we could save for the exam that was in 2026. 

But around the time I learned about the revised timeline, our income took a big hit. My husband鈥檚 freelance gigs dried up, and he lost a few other long-term clients at the same time. His income dipped lower than mine, to about 鈧�300k/month. Additionally, our car broke down, so Tayo took out a 鈧�1.5 million loan to fix it. We鈥檙e still repaying it. 

I considered taking out a loan to cover the exam and travel costs, but Tayo was against it.

Did he share why?

He wanted us to try to raise the money ourselves first rather than go into debt, especially because his income was now unstable. We had a family friend who wrote the same exam in 2024 and still hadn’t landed a job in the UK after two years of trying. He didn’t want us in a position where we’d have to repay millions of naira for an exam that might not even lead anywhere for a long time. It felt like too big a risk.

Was the attempt to raise money successful? 

No. I couldn鈥檛 meet the deadline. And it wasn’t just that exam; everything else ended as well. My IELTS expired around the same time, and my international passport expired too. Everything I’d worked toward since medical school seemed to collapse in the same few months.

I鈥檓 so sorry. That must have hurt.

It was one of the worst things that had ever happened to me. I felt like I was watching years of planning go up in flames. This had been my dream for years, and because of one exam, it was suddenly out of reach. 

I understood Tayo鈥檚 point of view, but I was so hurt and very angry at him.

How did this affect your relationship?

It was a really low point in our marriage. That was the only period we鈥檇 ever had actual quarrels over money in the entire relationship. We argued constantly. It was bad. Not to mention that, at some point, we became close to a one-income household, since his gigs had dried up so much. We had to cut down expenses and live on a tight budget. To make ends meet, I stopped saving and fired my housekeeper. Only when the stress got me admitted to the hospital 3 months later did I hire another housekeeper. It was a genuinely tough stretch.

We also communicate differently. I’m the kind of person who broods and overthinks. I need to sit with things alone and cry before I can talk about them. My husband is the opposite. He wants to talk things through right away, because he feels like unspoken things spill into everything else.

So when I finally tried to communicate how hurt I was, I think it came across as me blaming him for not letting me take the loan. And even though I knew, logically, that it wasn’t his fault, because the money genuinely wasn’t there, in that moment, I felt like he hadn’t shown up for me when I needed him most.

Looking back, I think I really hurt him. He would kiss my forehead and try to comfort me when he saw me crying, and beg me, saying, 鈥淚f I had the money, don鈥檛 you think I would have paid for the exam?鈥� But it didn鈥檛 really change how I felt.

That鈥檚 rough. Did you guys get out of this rut?

We were in this weird space for about five months 鈥� starting in March. Eventually, I had to ask myself what else was possible if the UK didn’t happen. In August, I wrote my primaries, a local exam pathway into residency in Nigeria, and passed. It gave me a flicker of hope that I could still have the life I want.

I also had to look at the situation through his eyes: he wanted to help, the intention was always there, but the money just wasn’t coming. Once I stopped centring the UK as the only outcome, I stopped blaming him for it.

He also helped by reminding me of every other way he’d shown up before: paying for study materials, driving me across the country to sort out my passport, and being there through every previous exam. I understood that I鈥檇 forgotten how wonderful he is. 

When you’re in the middle of a hard moment, you forget all the good things from the past.

I鈥檓 glad you guys are back in a good place. Is the UK still your plan?

No. Beyond the money, the UK has also tightened its rules. A new law now prioritises UK graduates for jobs, and residency spots have become much harder to get for international doctors. Starting the whole exam process over again just doesn’t make sense anymore.

So, what’s the plan now? 

Canada. Getting into Canada as a doctor through PR is pretty easy. It鈥檚 when you land that things get harder with multiple exams. It’s less certain than the UK path was, but it now makes sense to both of us. Tayo is on board.

How do you feel about your relationship today? 

We’ve been through good years and hard ones, but we’ve come out closer for it. There’s always been transparency between us, but we’ve had to learn to be even more transparent and understand each other鈥檚 communication styles. 

I don’t know what the future holds, but right now, I know he’s my person. Whether japa works or not, I know Tayo is my future. 

Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, .

*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

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