For many Nigerians, therapy is still surrounded by stigma, misconceptions, and questions about whether it actually works. But for those who have had access to it, therapy has become a turning point. It has helped people process grief, heal from trauma, build healthier relationships, and better understand themselves.

In this piece, Nigerians share how therapy changed their lives.

1. “I don’t feel like I’m drowning anymore鈥� 鈥� Simi*, 27, F

I started therapy in 2019 at a government hospital in Lagos because it was all I could afford. I was sceptical at first, but anxiety was completely kicking my ass, and I needed help.

My therapist changed my life. Even after I moved from Lagos, she continued doing phone sessions with me for free through COVID, grief from losing my dad, and everything else 2020 threw at me.

Things still aren’t perfect, but I handle life a lot better now. I’ve been off medication for a while, and I don’t feel like I’m drowning anymore. I owe it all to my wonderful therapist.

2. 鈥淭herapy helped me realise I still deserve help鈥� 鈥� Kelechi*, 25, F

I fell into a depression after I was attacked on my way home from work one day. Eventually, I reached out to a therapist in Abuja because I knew I was getting dangerously close to breaking point.

I’d tried therapy before with someone online in the US, but I connected more with the Nigerian therapist. She was gentle, supportive, and knew how to call me out when I tried to avoid dealing with difficult issues.

My sessions with her are over now, but therapy helped me realise I still deserve help, even when things get dark again.

3. 鈥淚t completely changed my partner, and I handle conflict鈥� 鈥� Chidera, 48, F

I started couples therapy with my partner a few months ago, and it opened my eyes to so many things about myself, our relationship, and the way we communicate.

Our therapist also encouraged us to attend individual therapy because you can’t really build a healthy relationship if you’re avoiding your personal issues.

One of the biggest things therapy taught us was how to regulate our emotions together rather than constantly reacting to each other. It completely changed the way we handle conflict.

4. 鈥淚 finally experienced what emotional safety feels like鈥� 鈥� Itohan, 23, F

My father was abusive, and throughout most of my life, I learned to suppress my feelings. I genuinely had no idea what emotional intimacy was supposed to feel like.

After my family moved to the US, I decided to try therapy. During one session, my therapist hugged me, and that moment changed something in me. I’d experienced hugs before, but never one that felt genuinely safe. It felt like therapy unlocked a part of me I didn’t even know existed.

5. 鈥淭he first person I came out to was my therapist鈥� 鈥� Charles*, 24, M

Therapy helped me admit to myself that I’m gay after years of repressing it and pretending that part of me didn’t exist.

The first person I came out to was my therapist. Since then, I’ve opened up to some friends and family members, too. I genuinely don’t think I would’ve been able to accept myself without therapy.

6. 鈥淭herapy helped me stop hurting myself鈥� 鈥� Efe*, 45, F

I never really thought therapy was for me until I moved to the UK and became more open to the idea.

I was coming out of an abusive relationship, and even after leaving, I kept blaming myself for everything that happened. Therapy helped me see how much shame, fear, and emotional baggage I was carrying.

I eventually stopped hurting myself emotionally and physically. It took more than six years to find the right therapist, but once I did, my life truly started getting better.

7. 鈥淢y inner child is finally healing鈥� 鈥� Chukwudalu, 22, M

I struggled with mental health issues for years and mostly relied on YouTube videos, music, and motivational messages because I didn’t believe in therapy.

A friend eventually recommended an online therapy platform, and those sessions changed my life. I haven’t had nightmares or panic attacks in months, and I finally feel more in tune with myself.

Honestly, it feels like my inner child is healing.

8. 鈥淭herapy helped me rebuild my life鈥� 鈥� Jacob*, 33, M

Therapy helped me heal from grief and my divorce in ways I honestly didn’t think were possible.

Losing my parents changed me deeply, and for a long time, I felt stuck in pain I didn’t know how to process. Therapy gave me the tools to work through that grief without losing myself in it.

For the first time in years, I felt capable of rebuilding my life.

9. 鈥淟earning how to protect my peace changed everything鈥� 鈥� Taye*, 35, M

I’ve been with my therapist for over eight years, and she has completely changed the way I deal with the dysfunctional dynamics in my family.

She helped me understand how unhealthy my relationship with my mum was and taught me how to protect myself emotionally.

Therapy taught me boundaries. It taught me emotional distance. Most importantly, it taught me that I don’t have to respond every single time someone hurts me.

Learning how to protect my peace has been one of the greatest gifts therapy has given me.

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鈥淚 traded forex with my school fees and lost it all鈥� 鈥� James*, 29, M

My dad sent me 鈧�280k for my final-year school fees after complaining for weeks about how hard it was to get money. But at the time, Forex boys on Twitter were posting insane daily profits, and one part of me genuinely believed I could double my money before sorting out school fees.

I lost everything in two days. 

I still remember staring at red candles on the charts at 3 a.m. and trying not to die. Telling my dad was worse than the loss itself. He was so disappointed and didn鈥檛 talk to me for months. He only paid the fees (while still beefing me) because my mum begged him to. I honestly believed I鈥檇 have an extra year or he鈥檇 disown me. To this day, I can鈥檛 hear 鈥淯SD/JPY trading鈥� without remembering the worst week of my life.

鈥淚 borrowed money for Detty December. Then I lost my job鈥� 鈥� Queen*, 27, F

I got my first big girl job in 2024, and that December, I was determined to 鈥渂e outside鈥�. Almost every day, I turned up at a party or an event. I even started borrowing money because I was confident my January salary would cover everything. By January 8th, my account balance was down to 鈧�8k, and I owed a loan company 鈧�75k. Unfortunately, I got laid off that same week.

The shege I experienced that month is one for the books. It inevitably got to the point where the loan app called and sent threats several times. They went as far as sending obituary texts to my contacts and my mum, who fainted out of shock. It was a terrible time. To date, my phone is always on silent mode because of the trauma of those loan calls.

鈥溾偊700k once vanished from my account. Now, I screenshot every alert鈥� 鈥� Tolani*, 35, F

In 2019, I woke up to find that over 鈧�700k had disappeared from my account due to random transactions I didn鈥檛 make. I dragged this matter with my bank and court for months, while I borrowed money to survive. Eventually, I only got part of the money back.

Since then, I have constantly monitored my account like a security guard. I screenshot every transfer and debit alert I get. I can be doing a random thing on my phone and subconsciously open my bank app to make sure my money is still there.

罢丑别听聽is returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.聽Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.聽.

鈥淚 hoard money by default鈥� 鈥� Josiah*, 31, M

My first employer once delayed salaries for four months. Every week, they sent motivational emails, promising that it was a temporary situation and they were working on a fix. It was an especially dark period for me as I didn鈥檛 have financial support or a second job. I sold my phone to afford food and made it a daily habit to trek for two hours to and from work.

The crazy thing is that even though I earn well now, that period permanently damaged my relationship with money. I panic whenever my account balance drops below a certain amount, even though I know I鈥檓 fine. I hoard money by default; I don鈥檛 know how to spend it.

鈥淚 miscalculated date expenses and embarrassed myself鈥� 鈥� Dele*, 26, M

I went on a first date with this fine babe to a restaurant I couldn’t afford, but I wanted to impress her. I had mentally calculated that the bill would be 鈧�67k, which was just around what I had in my account. Unfortunately, I didn鈥檛 prepare for the service charge and VAT. When it was time to pay, my card kept declining. 

I genuinely wanted the ground to open. The waiter stood there like a debt collector, while my date suddenly became very interested in her phone. In the end, she quietly paid the bill and told me to repay her later. Omo, she blocked me everywhere the moment we left there. I still get flashbacks whenever I eat out, and I compulsively check my account balance to avoid history repeating itself.

鈥淚 overwork because I don鈥檛 want to be broke again鈥� 鈥� Nkechi*, 32, F

During COVID, I lost my job and spent eight brutal months unemployed. I exhausted my savings and borrowed from friends to survive. This is embarrassing, but I once slept with my elderly landlord so I wouldn鈥檛 pay rent. 

Two weeks later, the stupid man still came to disturb me for rent and implied I should sleep with him again. I had to move back to my parents鈥� house, something I had been avoiding because of my dad鈥檚 wahala.

Today, I have three jobs and barely sleep because I鈥檓 terrified of ever returning to that place financially. My employers praise me for being hardworking, but honestly, a lot of it is fear. Rest feels dangerous, and I can’t even imagine turning down work.

鈥淚 buy things in bulk because of an embarrassing supermarket experience鈥� 鈥� Ogechi*, 28, F

I was dead broke a few years ago when an uncle sent me 鈧�50k. I rushed to the supermarket nearby to buy some provisions, forgetting that I鈥檇 borrowed money from the same account. I only realised that my account had been debited when I tried to pay. I had to leave the cart and walk away. I doubt people noticed, but I was so embarrassed.   

Now, whenever I have money, I overbuy essentials because running out of things makes me anxious. My house always has excessive noodles, toothpaste, and foodstuff because scarcity mentally scarred me. I鈥檝e had situations where the food item expired unused. 

*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

NEXT READ: Supporting My Family Landed Me in 鈧�3.8 Million Debt. It Nearly Killed Me

Let鈥檚 be completely honest for a second. For many Nigerians, everything feels incredibly difficult right now. If you are feeling completely overwhelmed by just existing, we want you to know something important: It is not just you.

Many of us are trapped in the same mental loop. The statistics are alarming. The World Health Organisation (WHO) that one in eight Nigerians suffers from mental disorders. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are the most common around here.

Mental health issues have deeply complicated, deeply personal causes. But your brain does not exist in a vacuum. It reacts to your environment. According to the WHO, like poverty, violence, disability, and inequality increase the risk of developing a mental health condition.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e here to tell you that Nigeria is actively messing with your head. Here鈥檚 how.

Tinubunomics 鈥� No Money, More Problems

Let鈥檚 look at the most consistent source of your daily headaches: your empty wallet, and the fact that you can comfortably count the digits in your bank account on one hand.

The World Bank reports that the population of Nigerians living below the poverty line has climbed from 56% in 2023 to a staggering 63% in 2025, trapping over 140 million people in absolute economic survival mode.

We all know by heart now:

• The sudden end of fuel subsidies without any structural social protections to cushion the blow
• Runaway inflation that , the .
• that left it worth a fraction of its pre-Tinubu value.
• A 鈧�70,000 monthly minimum wage, which is practically impossible to survive on.

You are trapped in an exhausting loop where you are working harder than ever, getting paid less in real value, and unable to afford basic necessities because everything is so damn expensive.

Tinubunomics is kicking our collective behinds, and it鈥檚 actively knocking you upside the head. All that desperate, daily stressing about money keeps your body鈥檚 cortisol levels permanently spiked. When your system is flooded with prolonged, elevated cortisol, it alters your brain chemistry, .

Every single time a new bill arrives, you go into emergency fight-or-flight mode, and that constant trauma response is quietly wrecking your mind.

Violence: I See Dead People鈥� On My Timeline

Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places to live, and we鈥檙e not even exaggerating. The country ranks , sitting behind only Pakistan, Burkina Faso and Niger.

It is completely expected that direct victims of this violence will suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. , and the constant cycle of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping is minting new victims every single day.

But what about those who aren鈥檛 directly affected? Like you, reading this right now.

Well, you are still a witness to the madness. Reports of these violent incidents are a daily occurrence, and you cannot escape them on the news or your social media timelines. For instance, many Nigerians had to start the week after a bandit attack on schools in Oyo State.

The sheer volume of violence we consume might make us feel desensitised, but none of this is normal. Even if it starts to feel like regular everyday life, your body and your mind are not actually getting used to it.

Researchers at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Centre media exposure to real-world violence heavily adds to the mental health burden, even 鈥渇or those not personally involved in an incident.鈥� According to their study, people who are regularly exposed to violent reports are .

Infrastructure 鈥� Nothing Works

Do you have light? Is your water running? How鈥檚 your internet connection? If you try making a quick mobile bank transfer, are you sure it will work, or is there a risk the payment won鈥檛 go through because of 鈥渘etwork failure?鈥�

In Nigeria, basic things that should require zero cognitive effort act as constant tiny stressors, making even the most mundane parts of life a struggle. Once again, it鈥檚 not normal to always be on edge the way Nigeria forces you to.

Nigeria is a country with bad and broken infrastructure. The World Bank Nigeria鈥檚 total infrastructure stock as amounting to 30% of gross domestic product (GDP). This is miles away from the recommended 70% benchmark. The Bank also estimates that Nigeria will need to invest to reduce the current deficit.

The result is that nothing works. Trying to get around? Bad roads. Gridlocked traffic. Waiting hours for BRT buses. You dared to get sick? Terrible healthcare system. No medical equipment. One doctor for every ten thousand patients.

At home? You need to provide your own running water. Get a generator or solar setup to generate your own electricity. Collect Internet Service Providers like Thanos gathering infinity stones, and still lose your mind when they all somehow experience simultaneous downtimes.

You鈥檙e constantly thinking about and negotiating broken systems just to get through the day. You don鈥檛 lack mental fortitude. Nigeria is designed to exhaust you mentally. It鈥檚 a miracle if you haven鈥檛 broken already.

Politics: Expect More鈥�?

Your timeline is full of all kinds of political discourse. Campaign flyers, reports of defections, coalitions, party primaries and consensus debates. But you look at the names, and you鈥檝e heard all of them before.

The stagnation in our political space creates intense feelings of . How can you get excited about the future of Nigeria when it doesn鈥檛 look like anything is going to change? The same old men, with their old ideas, are wasting the lives and youth of your generation. It feels completely hopeless.

That lack of excitement and hope is exactly where the damage is done. In psychology, this is called 鈥攖he inability to experience excitement or pleasure for future events鈥攁nd it is (MDD). When your brain literally cannot picture a positive future, it completely shuts down your motivation and leaves you feeling deeply pessimistic and ultimately depressed.

Only If You Let It

This particular fact is where we have the shiniest silver lining. You can actually do something about this because you still have agency here. It starts with getting your Permanent Voters Card (PVC). The current phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise closes on July 10, 2026. You can go to right now to pre-register before visiting an INEC office for your biometrics.

Be an active citizen and an active member of the electorate. Research political parties and candidates. If you are tired of the old guard, find fresh faces and voices that are saying what you actually want to hear and back them. Then, on election day, show up and vote. Take back your country and your mental health, because currently, the government isn鈥檛 doing enough to get you the help you need.

Mental Healthcare: Cycles of Madness

So, Nigeria is actively destroying your mental health in many different ways. This entire structural pressure cooker leads to the ultimate elephant in the room: What happens when you finally break?

The current medical landscape is terrifying.

Three years after the National Mental Health Act was , key provisions like the creation of a dedicated Mental Health Department within the Ministry of Health have still not materialised.

In 2024, the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria it had fewer than 250 psychiatrists serving the entire country. That is roughly one psychiatrist to about 960,000 patients.

The available therapists are way too expensive for most of the population, who also to manage their mental health conditions. To make matters worse, the National Health Insurance Authority does not explicitly cover mental health treatments in its standard benefits package.

When it comes to mental health issues, Nigerians are completely on their own. We need better mental healthcare, and that means we need a better government.

In the meantime, please ask for support when needed for yourself and those you know to be struggling. Your mental health is just as important as any other health need. Don鈥檛 wait until you break. 

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

She Writes Woman 鈥� Free teletherapy & crisis helpline

| +234 800 800 2000

SURPIN 鈥� Suicide prevention & crisis intervention

| 080 0078 7746

Asido Foundation 鈥� Emotional wellness assessments & 24/7 Helpline

| +234 902 808 0416

National Emergency Helpline: 112

We want to hear about your personal experiences that reflect how politics or public systems affect daily life in Nigeria. Share your story with us 鈥攚e鈥檇 love to hear from you!

At 25, Joshua* is navigating recovery after a long battle with substance addiction that started in university and slowly damaged his relationships, self-worth and mental health.

In this episode of On the Streets, he talks about the choices that led him down that path, the relationships he ruined along the way, and the moment he finally realised the damages in his life.

What鈥檚 your current relationship status, and how do you feel about it?

I鈥檓 single, and I think that鈥檚 for the best right now. I鈥檝e struggled with addiction for years and only recently started making progress. It wouldn鈥檛 be fair to drag someone else into my current situation. 

How did you get to this point?

I started smoking in 2017 after I graduated from secondary school. 

I鈥檇 just gained admission into a private university, and my roommates were the cool guys on campus. I got carried away trying to fit in with them. At first, we only smoked weed on weekends to chill because the school was extremely strict.

But by my second semester, one of my roommates got high and caused trouble in the cafeteria. The school management carried out drug tests, and he snitched on the rest of us. They tested us too, and everyone who came back positive got rusticated immediately.

Wow

That period was the first real difficulty I faced in life. My parents were devastated. I stayed at home for months feeling like my life was over. Thankfully, my mum knew someone on the board of another private university, and they agreed to give me a second chance. But I had to start again from 100 level in 2019.

Sounds tough. How did starting over affect you? 

It made things worse. The new school was more relaxed, and drugs were everywhere. I also carried a lot of shame from being rusticated. My dad kept saying I鈥檇 become a failure, and his words really got to me. 

At that point, smoking stopped being fun and became my escape from how disappointed I felt in myself. 

Right. Did all of this spill into personal relationships, too? Were you even dating?

I had a thing with Esther*, we met within my first year at the new school. Her friend approached me because Esther was too shy to speak to me herself. I found that really cute.

We got talking and started dating in 2020. I hid some parts of myself from Esther because I really liked her. I lied about why I left my first university and hid the fact that I smoked.

Hmm

I feared she鈥檇 see me differently. But a friend from my former university told her the truth. She confronted me about getting rusticated, and even then, I denied it. That completely affected the trust between us.

Then the COVID lockdown happened just a few months into our relationship, and things got worse. I became emotionally distant. She鈥檇 send long messages asking what was wrong, and I鈥檇 ignore her for days because I felt ashamed about the things she knew about me.

Eventually, she got tired of my behaviour and broke up before the lockdown ended.

How did you take that?

It pushed me deeper into addiction. I started experimenting with stronger substances. I鈥檇 tell my mum I was going to a friend鈥檚 music studio, but really we were just getting high.

My mental health became terrible around that time. I was depressed all the time. I鈥檓 from a good family where all my siblings were responsible and successful, so I constantly felt like a disappointment. Every time I felt overwhelmed, I chased another high to numb it.

Most of my relationships became casual. I had a few talking stages and situationships, but  they never lasted because I avoided emotional intimacy and was very inconsistent.

In my final year, I had a terrifying experience that made me cut everyone off for a while.

What happened?

I tried colos for the first time and blacked out completely. My friends rushed me to the school clinic because they thought I was dying. The clinic found substances in my system and contacted my parents.

That incident really shook my family. My parents considered rehab, but they couldn鈥檛 afford it then. Instead, I moved out of the hostel and stayed with a family friend who kept a close eye on me. 

The school eventually pardoned me, and I graduated with a third class. It crushed me because I鈥檇 always been academically brilliant growing up.

I鈥檓 sorry. How was life after university?

I landed a job and moved to Lagos in 2023 with some friends from school. That was when things got much worse.

Living without supervision gave me complete freedom, and I abused it. I smoked every single day. Most of my salary went into substances. I鈥檇 stay up partying all night and miss work meetings the next morning because I was too high to function. Eventually, I lost my job.

Thankfully, one of my friends helped me get another job at his older brother鈥檚 company, so my parents never found out. I kept convincing myself I still had my life under control, even though I clearly didn鈥檛.

Around that time, I met Mirabel* at a house party, and my situation worsened.

Tell me about Mirabel.

Mirabel was wild like me. I think I liked her because, for the first time,  I felt like I could be myself with someone who understood that lifestyle.

But the relationship was unhealthy from the start. We enabled each other constantly. Instead of helping me improve, the relationship normalised my bad habits.

Our fights were intense because neither of us was mentally okay. She had a lot of childhood trauma and sometimes called me crying, but by then, I鈥檇 become emotionally numb. Instead of comforting her, I鈥檇 snap at her, and it always led to more arguments. I was constantly defensive and aggressive.

Eventually, I ended things because I felt like her struggles were messing with my mental health. Looking back, she wasn鈥檛 the problem. Substance abuse had changed my personality completely.

Right. So when did you realise your addiction was affecting you?

I realised it in 2024 after I ran into a friend from university. He kept asking if I was alright because, according to him, I鈥檇 changed. I could see pity written all over his face. He was doing well and had landed a job at a popular company. That moment made me realise I was wasting my life.

I tried quitting afterwards, but withdrawal was horrible. I鈥檇 stop for a few days, relapse, then start again. It became a cycle until Faith* tried to help me.

How did you meet Faith?

We met at church. I started going because I wanted to distract myself with normal activities. After a few weeks, I noticed and approached her. Faith was different from anyone I鈥檇 ever been interested in.

She was gentle and very supportive. I told her early on that I was trying to recover from smoking, and instead of judging me, she tried to help. She became my accountability partner. She checked on me constantly and encouraged me.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks, I slipped back into my old ways and started lying to her. I started getting angry whenever she sent me articles or videos about addiction because it felt like she was judging me.

Things got worse when she found my social media accounts. I tweeted disgusting things and posted highly sexual content that completely clashed with the image she had of me.

She confronted me, but instead of listening, I lashed out at her. My friends had gotten into my head, so I called her controlling and said a lot of hurtful things. That day, she blocked me everywhere. 

We鈥檇 only been talking for three months.

That must鈥檝e hurt

It did because she really wanted to help me. I think Faith was the first person who forced me to seriously confront my problem. But losing her only pushed me deeper into addiction. Whenever I felt pain, I ran back to smoking to numb everything.

Even then, part of me still wanted to quit. But to do that, I knew I needed to change my environment. I spent months stalling instead of leaving my friends and returning home. Then two things happened in 2025 that changed my mind completely.

What happened?

The first was realising I was becoming violent. One night, one of my friends got into an argument with our gateman. During the fight, I smashed a bottle over the man鈥檚 head. Even now, I still struggle to believe I did that. 

I grew up in a good home and got the best education, yet I behaved like a tout. That was the first time I realised I wasn鈥檛 that different from the addicts I used to judge on the streets.

The second thing was losing a friend. We used to hype him because he could take insane amounts of drugs. But eventually, he started experiencing psychosis. He became extremely aggressive, and his family forced him into rehab.

We didn鈥檛 hear from him for months and assumed he鈥檇 recover, but in October 2025, his family told us he鈥檇 overdosed and died after leaving rehab.

When I heard the news, I remember shivering from fear. For the first time, I realised I might actually die if I continued down that path.

Did that make you finally ask for help?

Yes. I couldn鈥檛 sleep for days afterwards. Eventually, I opened up to my older brother abroad, and he pushed me to come home. I followed his advice.

When I got back home, I broke down in front of my mum. I begged her never to let me return to Lagos because I knew I was losing myself.

My parents wanted rehab, but I was terrified of it. Instead, I stayed home and asked them to monitor me closely. The withdrawal was brutal. Sometimes I鈥檇 see people smoking outside, and my hands would literally start shaking.

But I鈥檝e started improving. This year has been much better, and I鈥檓 focused on healing mentally. Some days are still difficult because I compare myself to my peers and feel like I wasted years of my life. But I try to use that feeling as motivation not to relapse.

I recently met a girl I really like, but I鈥檓 intentionally keeping things platonic. I don鈥檛 want to drag anyone into my struggles while I鈥檓 still recovering.

I鈥檓 rooting for you. What would you say your experience has taught you about how you handle relationships?

One thing I鈥檝e learnt is that people project their pain onto others. Looking back now, I can admit I was toxic in many of my relationships because I was unhappy with myself.

I used to hate when people reduced me to my addiction, but I now know that it influenced the way I treated people. It made me dishonest and emotionally unavailable.

So before I think about love again, I want to become healthier mentally and emotionally.

Finally, how are the streets treating you these days? Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10.

I鈥檇 give it an 8/10. I鈥檝e been detached from relationships for so long that being single doesn鈥檛 really bother me. If anything, relationships used to feel stressful because of everything I was dealing with internally.

But I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever truly experienced healthy love before. I鈥檓 excited by the possibility that when I鈥檓 in a better place, I finally will.

Read Next: I Reunited With My First Love After 36 Years, But His Children Hate Me

罢丑别听聽is returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.聽Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.聽.

鈥淚鈥檓 still caring for my family鈥� 鈥� Bola*, 58 

I was the only child in my family who made it past primary school. Around the 鈥�80s,my uncle visited us in Oyo and promised to take whoever had the best result back to Lagos for further schooling. I made sure it was me, and he kept his word.

That opportunity changed my life, but it also came with pressure. I became the one my family depended on, and it pushed me into a decision I regret. I married a man I didn鈥檛 love and became his second wife to ease my financial burden.

Building a life with someone I don鈥檛 like hasn鈥檛 been easy. Even now, in my late 50s, I still carry my family鈥檚 responsibilities. I care for my siblings鈥� children and support them financially. It鈥檚 exhausting. Sometimes I feel resentful, but anytime I try to step back, they call me ungrateful and remind me  how privileged I was.

鈥淚鈥檓 afraid of falling into addiction like my siblings鈥� 鈥� John*, 28

Two of my older brothers struggled with drug addiction while I was growing up, and my parents were determined I wouldn鈥檛 end up like them. They were extremely strict, and I internalised that pressure.

I became cautious about everything. In university, I avoided friendships and social situations because I was scared of being influenced. I don鈥檛 let myself indulge in anything because I鈥檓 afraid of addiction.

I once cut out sugar because I panicked over my consumption of soft drinks. That was when I realised how deeply this fear had taken over me. I鈥檓 always on edge and it鈥檚 exhausting.

鈥淢y family refuses to prioritise my career鈥� 鈥� Aisha*, 24

My parents are deeply religious, and I grew up doing everything right. I loved my faith, and in many ways, they built their expectations of me around that.

After I graduated with a first class, I wanted to focus on my career, but marriage came next. My father, an imam, introduced me to a man from the mosque. I didn鈥檛 feel strongly about him, but I went along because it felt like the right thing to do.

We got married after a few months of knowing each other. I planned to start my career afterwards, but I got pregnant almost immediately, and everything paused.

Now I have a newborn, and I struggle to balance being a good mother, wife and daughter. I鈥檝e been feeling low and trapped. I looked it up and believe I may be dealing with postpartum depression. I wouldn鈥檛 have chosen this life so early but I did it to please everyone and be the good child.

鈥淚鈥檓 in a career I don鈥檛 want鈥� 鈥� Samuel*, 19

I鈥檓 my parents鈥� only surviving child. My siblings died at infancy from sickle cell, so everything they couldn鈥檛 be has been placed on me. My parents love me, but it comes with a lot of pressure. I鈥檝e grown up feeling like I can鈥檛 afford to fail because I鈥檝e been given the life they didn鈥檛 get. 

I鈥檝e always been creative and wanted to study fine arts, but my parents pushed me to study law because it was my dad鈥檚 dream. I鈥檝e felt a blanket of sadness since I got the admission.

I鈥檓 resuming school in a few months and it fills me with anxiety. I know I鈥檓 about to waste years chasing a career I don鈥檛 want.

鈥淚 sacrificed my education for my brother鈥� 鈥� Jessica*, 26

I鈥檓 the first of six children, and I鈥檝e been responsible for my siblings for as long as I can remember. I just completed  NYSC and I鈥檓 barely earning enough to get by, yet I pay my youngest sibling鈥檚 school fees. I can鈥檛 even be honest about how much I make because the expectation is that I take on more.

I had to stop at OND because my parents couldn鈥檛 afford to send both me and my younger brother to school when he got into university. I鈥檓 still bitter about it, and at the same time, I feel guilty for even feeling that way.

My life has been one long stretch of sacrifices, and it鈥檚 overwhelming. I get sad thinking about how I鈥檓 supposed to build my own life while carrying my family along. 

鈥淐aring for my sick wife is overwhelming鈥� 鈥� Charis*, 44

My wife was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, and since then, life hasn鈥檛 been the same. I now care for her and our children, while going on like everything is fine.  On some days, I feel like she鈥檚 a burden, and I hate myself for thinking that because I know it鈥檚 not her fault. But the responsibility feels heavy. I鈥檓 overwhelmed and depressed.  I wonder how long I can keep going.

鈥淚鈥檓 tired of motherhood鈥� 鈥� Joy*, 32

I don鈥檛 enjoy being a mother, and that鈥檚 something I struggle to admit.

My husband works offshore, so I鈥檓 mostly raising our three children alone. When he鈥檚 around, I still take care of him too. It feels like I鈥檓 constantly working without getting a break.

I can see it affecting how I treat my children. People say I鈥檓 too hard on them, but it鈥檚 just a reaction to burn out.

Now, my husband wants a fourth child to 鈥榗omplete鈥� our family. I can鈥檛 even imagine it.  I know I can鈥檛 go through that again, I need to protect my mental health.

鈥淢y parents expect me to take on the bills鈥� 鈥� Idris*, 24

I landed my first job in 2025 earning 鈧� 120k. From the moment I started working, I became responsible for most of the household expenses. It was expected since I鈥檓 the oldest child at home.

Most times, I barely have anything left for myself after sorting out the bills, not even transport money. When I try to explain that I鈥檓 struggling, they call me selfish.

I don鈥檛 want to move out because it hurt them when my siblings left, but staying is draining me mentally and financially. I worry that if this continues, I鈥檒l start resenting them.

鈥淚 moved across the country to escape my family鈥� 鈥� Faith*, 25

As the first daughter, responsibility always fell on me, while my brothers weren鈥檛 held to the same standards. When my parents had surprise twins while I was still in secondary school, I became their second mum. I  skipped school on many occasions just to care for them.

When I got into university, I avoided home as much as I could. The thought of breaks gave me anxiety. After graduating, I made sure my NYSC posting was far away. My parents didn鈥檛 take it well and think I鈥檓 distancing myself, but I don鈥檛 really care anymore.

It鈥檚 changed how I see my future. I don鈥檛 want children because I feel like I鈥檝e already raised enough. Even relationships scare me because I worry I鈥檒l end up parenting a partner too.

鈥淚鈥檝e become a people鈥檚 pleaser鈥� 鈥� Precious*, 31

I was a brilliant child growing up and my parents placed all their hopes on me. Somewhere along the way, I became a people pleaser. I started lying to keep up an image. At first it was small things, but it quickly became a habit. I lied about what I was doing just to avoid disappointing my parents.

Even as an adult, I still struggle with it. I catch myself impulsively pleasing people and I鈥檝e lost relationships and friendships because of it. I hate that part of myself, and I鈥檓 trying to change, but it鈥檚 difficult. I鈥檝e spent so long protecting an image that I don鈥檛 know how to be myself.

Need support? Here are some Nigerian mental health resources that may help.

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

| Crisis support: +234 916 841 7413

SURPIN 鈥� Suicide prevention & crisis intervention

| 080 0078 7746

National Emergency Helpline: 112

Despite the laws that have been passed, growing public interest in taking mental health seriously, and renewed government attention, mental healthcare is still mostly inaccessible to the average citizen in 2026.

In this piece, we鈥檒l probe why that is and what it means for the average Nigerian. 

Mental health in Nigeria

of Nigerians are living with some form of mental illness. That is roughly one in four people. Depression and anxiety are among the most common, but the spectrum runs wider than most people acknowledge, from burnout to stress psychosis and PTSD.

The burden falls unevenly across gender lines. Depression and anxiety disorders occur at as in men. Postpartum depression is common but wildly underdiagnosed, particularly compared to conditions that more visibly affect men. Sexual violence, which is prevalent in Nigeria and disproportionately targets women, frequently leads to PTSD; women are twice as likely as men to develop the condition. Yet because many of these experiences go unreported and the healthcare system offers little support, many people are left suffering in silence.

Substance use is another dimension of the crisis that rarely gets named alongside mental health conversations, even though the two are deeply connected. Many Nigerians turn to substances as coping mechanisms when emotional support is unavailable, unaffordable, or stigmatised. Burnout, driven by economic pressure and unstable infrastructure, seems to have become a .

Do something with these laws

In January 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari the National Mental Health Act of 2021 into law, marking a historic moment that replaced the 1916 Lunacy Act that governed mental health policy in Nigeria for over a century. The new law was established to protect the rights of people with mental health conditions, prioritise voluntary treatment, and signal a shift toward a modern, humane approach to mental healthcare.

As is common with the implementation and adoption of laws in Nigeria, only two states,聽 Lagos and Ekiti, have the act as of May 2026, but key provisions, like the establishment of a dedicated Mental Health Department, remain unimplemented. The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has also not provided any updates on when this department will be created, and there is no mention of it on its website.

One doctor to one million patients 

According to the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), as of 2024, Nigeria had fewer than serving a population of over 200 million. The psychiatrist-to-patient ratio is 1 psychiatrist per 10,000 patients. Yet, with Nigeria’s at 240 million, the ratio currently stands at 1 psychiatrist to 960,000 patients. 

This shortage is a result of decades of underfunding medical education and a near-total absence of strong mental health infrastructure in both urban and rural areas of the country. Public like the Yaba Psychiatric Hospital in Lagos, Aro Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, and the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Kaduna, are designed to handle the most severe cases, and the numbers show they are already overwhelmed.

If you find a therapist, can you afford them? 

Private therapy sessions in cities like Lagos and Abuja cost 鈧�15,000 to 鈧�50,000 per session, with each lasting about 45 to 60 minutes. Online therapy services offer more competitive pricing, typically ranging from 鈧�8,000 to 鈧�25,000 per session, and some offer subscription tiers.

Nigeria’s minimum wage is 鈧�70,000 per month, and a single therapy session could consume half of that. For most Nigerians, particularly those outside Lagos and Abuja, or those in the informal economy,  consistent quality therapy is simply not a financial possibility.

Health insurance does not close the gap. The does not explicitly cover mental health treatments in its standard benefits package. Mental healthcare is almost entirely an out-of-pocket expense for Nigerians who can afford it. 

All talk but no workings 

There are signs that the federal government understands the scale of the problem and its importance, even if action has been slow.

The Chairman of the NHIA, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, for a dedicated 鈧�4 billion mental health fund in Nigeria’s 2026 budget, specifically to improve access for vulnerable groups amid rising rates of substance abuse and suicide.

But attempted suicide is still a crime in Nigeria. A person who survives a suicide attempt can, by law, be imprisoned for up to one year. 

The federal government in September 2025 that it intends to decriminalise attempted suicide via amendments to the Mental Health Act, which, when approved, will be set for presentation as an Executive Bill. That process was supposed to be by December 2025, but it has not been.

鈥淭hey will say I鈥檓 possessed鈥�

Policy gaps and funding shortfalls are measurable, but you see stigma and social conditioning? Those are harder to quantify, but still very much real.

A 2020 conducted by professors at Northwestern University, Chicago, on mental health stigma among university healthcare students in Nigeria, suggests that stigma and label avoidance are significant barriers to mental healthcare in Nigeria. Seeking therapy is still widely read, in many Nigerian communities, as an admission that something is fundamentally broken about you. 

Nigeria, being a deeply religious country, also contributes to this floating stigma. Religious frequently interpret mental illnesses through a spiritual lens, labelling them as demonic attacks, curses, or punishment for sin, which in turn leads to a prioritisation of prayer and deliverance over medical care. 

The same Northwestern study corroborates this claim. Among the respondents, 92.68% stated they would pray sometimes when feeling depressed or anxious. Nearly a quarter (24.69%) of respondents say mental illness is sometimes caused by sin, and 21.95% believe evil spirits sometimes cause mental illness.

Perhaps this tells what happens when a healthcare system fails so thoroughly that spiritual intervention becomes the only, seemingly viable, accessible alternative.

Are you listening?

The 鈧�4 billion fund, if approved and properly administered, would be meaningful. The decriminalisation of suicide attempts, when it finally happens, will matter. Still, neither of those things will mean much to someone who cannot afford a single session, cannot find a provider in their state, or cannot tell their family they are struggling without risking their reputation.

The conversation about mental health in Nigeria has never been louder. The question for 2026 is whether the government is listening well enough to act and fast enough for the people who cannot afford to wait.

This is proudly brought to you by . Let鈥檚 solve your payment issues. PayApp is a global cross-border tuition payments platform dedicated to helping students and educational institutions streamline the international payments process. .

What鈥檚 your earliest memory of money?

Money was a big part of my childhood. My mum鈥檚 a hairdresser, and growing up, my siblings and I spent our extra time at her shop. At the end of the day, we鈥檇 organise my mum鈥檚 money from the smallest to the highest denomination.

My mum also sold hair products and drinks at her shop. She always told us how much she bought and resold each item, so I understood how money worked pretty early. I knew I had to add a particular percentage to items before reselling to make a profit, and to only calculate the profit as the money I made. 

I applied that same knowledge to my first money-making attempt, when I sold beads at 10 years old. 

10 years old? 

My dad made sure his kids learned multiple skills early. He鈥檚 a well-to-do data engineer, but it was never a 鈥淢y dad has money, so I鈥檓 okay鈥� situation. He鈥檇 always tell us, 鈥淢y money is my money. Learn skills so you can make your own money.鈥� 

I remember one time I sold a lot of red bracelets during Valentine鈥檚 season in school. Then I needed to buy a textbook, so I asked my dad for money. He was like, 鈥淎ren鈥檛 you making money? Use your money.鈥� It didn鈥檛 make sense to me. In my head, my parents鈥� money should attend to my needs, while my money should go into my savings. But my dad thought differently. That鈥檚 the kind of person he is.

Hmmm

Anyway, back to my skills. I learnt a bunch of them. At 10, I learnt how to work with beads, which I made into bracelets and sold to my classmates. I can鈥檛 even remember how much I sold them. In JSS 2, I upgraded my skills to include wirework jewellery. 

Then, in uni, I attended a two-month goldsmith training course. I鈥檝e always loved jewellery, so I guess I followed the natural order and acquired skills related to it. 

Did you try to make money from jewellery in uni?

Interestingly, I didn鈥檛 actively try to sell jewellery in uni. I may have made a few pieces, but I focused on and made a lot more from fitness.

Let me break it down. In 2019, I was in 200 level and very broke. My 鈧�20k monthly allowance barely covered my food, data and textbooks, so I felt like a poor church rat. 

It was so bad that I literally counted how many pure water sachets would take me till the end of the month and planned around the number. Whenever my best friend came to my hostel and drank water, I鈥檇 get destabilised because it鈥檇 throw my entire ration off and trigger my anxiety.

For context, I鈥檝e been diagnosed with anxiety and depression for years. I had my first mental breakdown after secondary school because I had to wait seven months at home. I graduated at 15, a year younger than the minimum age requirement for uni, so I had to wait and then get into a diploma program before I could get into uni. 

So, when I started feeling the same way again, I saw a doctor, and at the first appointment, he said, 鈥淚 know you suffer from anxiety and depression, but your biggest problem now is your finances. If you can earn more now, half your problems would go away.鈥� He told me to think of something I could teach people to make money, and I picked fitness. 

Were you already a fitness enthusiast at the time?

I鈥檇 picked it up after my mental breakdown. The doctor advised me to get into something, and I decided to try exercise. Plus, it was a way to lose weight. After a while, I tried a fitness trainer but wasn鈥檛 satisfied with the process. 

It didn鈥檛 make sense to me why a trainer would tell me to squat, and when I asked why they added squats to my routine, they鈥檇 be like, 鈥淲hy are you asking? I鈥檓 the professional here.鈥� I鈥檓 someone who likes to know why I鈥檓 asked to do stuff, so I ditched the trainer and became best friends with Google. 

I did my own research and learnt everything I needed about building muscles, training people, and even exercises to avoid when you have injuries or how to modify exercises based on different medical conditions.

So when the time came to pick a skill I could monetise, fitness was the easiest option. I already had a pretty good idea of what I was doing. 

How did monetisation work?

I started with one person. One thing I鈥檝e learned from business is, you see extroverts? Hold them tight. My first client was an extrovert, and I charged her 鈧�5k for a month. My uni had a gym, so we鈥檇 both go there, and I鈥檇 show her exercises to do. 

When my client鈥檚 friends started seeing results, they asked her, and she told them I was her trainer. That鈥檚 how I got more clients. I charged between 鈧�5k and 鈧�7k for a month, then I鈥檇 make the clients register at the gym I used so we could both attend and train. Some clients preferred morning sessions, while others preferred evening. I only had to be there whenever they were at the gym. 

I had about seven regular clients, and it was my major source of income until I got to 400 level and added hairdressing and locs to my hustle.

Tell me about that

I started hairdressing by chance. I knew how to do it because that鈥檚 my mum鈥檚 job, but I grew up in an area where my mum would do hair for six hours and make 鈧�1500 or 鈧�2k. She was even one of the most expensive hairdressers. It felt like a lot of work for little money, so I never planned to do it.

Then, one day, a friend randomly posted a hairstyle on her WhatsApp status, asking for people who could do it. I told her I could, and she became my first client. It was a very complicated, niche hairstyle, and I think she paid me 鈧�17k or 鈧�20k. 

Remember what I said about extroverts? This friend was an extrovert, and she brought me three more clients. And those ones also brought more people. That鈥檚 how I kept getting customers. At one point, I did my best friend鈥檚 hair, and it went viral on TikTok. That hairstyle brought me so many customers.

I also started getting requests from people who wanted to install locs. In my final year, I comfortably made between 鈧�50k and 鈧�100k/month from hairdressing and fitness training.

Did you have to learn how to install locs?

Yes and no. There are about three installation methods for locs; I already knew two and learnt the third one on YouTube. 

Some context: I wanted to install my locs in 2022, but locticians charged 鈧�50k. That was big money for me, so I learnt how to do it, taught my mum, then had her install my locs for me.

I respect the dedication to not paying a dime. Did you continue both hustles after uni?

Yes, I did. Instead of returning home after graduating in 2023, I rented a 鈧�20k/month hostel around school and continued my work. Managing both gigs was pretty seamless. I could do hair in the morning and then go to the gym in the evening.  I just made the appointments work around my schedule. Plus, I didn鈥檛 always have clients every day.

My rates for fitness training remained in the 鈧�5k – 鈧�7k range because I had the same set of clients. 

But I made more money from hair and installing locs. My rates for locs were a flat 鈧�20k for installation and 鈧�7k for retie. I typically got at least one new client monthly. I also got the occasional food and allowance from home. My dad slashed the latter to 鈧�10k as punishment for refusing to return home.

I鈥檓 curious, was there a reason why you didn鈥檛 want to return?

All I can say is, that neighbourhood isn鈥檛 a place for young adults who want a lot from life. It鈥檚 full of Yahoo boys and their girlfriends, whose goal in life is to own a frontal hair and an iPhone XR. It鈥檚 a shitty way to live, and I can鈥檛 go back there.

In September 2023, I dropped the fitness training gig because I got a 9-5 job and couldn鈥檛 handle everything together. 

What was the job?

A telemarketing, commission-based role at a fintech. My income was typically between 鈧�50k and 鈧�80k monthly. The job was hybrid, so I鈥檇 work two days onsite, three days remotely, and then take on hair clients during the weekend. 

In January 2024, I moved from telemarketing to a growth intern within the same company. My salary became a fixed 鈧�76,500/month. The plan was to become a full-time staff member, and they said the easiest way was to go through an internship. 

However, office politics entered the matter, and even after my internship ended in October 2024, they said something something 鈥渉iring freeze鈥�. Meanwhile, they made another intern a full staff member. Then they moved me to another team and made promises. It was a lot. 

The straw that broke the camel鈥檚 back was when they added multiple new KPIs to my responsibilities in February 2025. One of them was a monthly revenue target of 鈧�5m.

For someone who wasn鈥檛 even earning 鈧�100k?

See. My job title was still intern, and I was managing 25 people in POS operations. I complained to my line manager, who promised to see what he could do, but I鈥檇 already checked out.

At this point, I was earning about 鈧�150k – 鈧�200k monthly as a loctician. I honestly should鈥檝e left the 9-5 much earlier, but anxiety is a terrible thing. I鈥檓 very risk-averse, so I hesitated. It was like a 鈥渢he devil you know is better than the angel you don鈥檛 know鈥� situation. 

One day, I gathered strength and resigned. 

My manager tried to get me to stay and promised I鈥檇 become a full-time staff member in the same month, but I was tired of hoping. Plus, my salary would鈥檝e only increased to 鈧�200k, which I was already getting from making hair. I鈥檇 also started taking some clients during the days I worked from home, and a full-time role would mean cutting down on the hours I could manage. 

I considered all that and decided I鈥檇 rather focus on increasing my efforts as a loctician and making more money. 

What鈥檚 your income like these days?

I currently make at least 鈧�550k/month from doing hair and locs. Since I left the 9-5, my clients have noticed that my work has become faster. Maybe it鈥檚 because I no longer have to worry about my line manager calling or feeling guilty that I鈥檓 neglecting my 9-5 duties. I鈥檓 at peace. There is no stress.

That said, I have an insatiable need to earn more. Once I notice I鈥檓 earning in the same range for three months in a row, I start brainstorming how to increase my income in the coming month. This especially applies to my business. I鈥檓 always thinking about what I can do to improve my earnings. I use social media extensively; I even walk into the DMs of people who have locs and pitch my services to them.

My income has been around 鈧�550k for about three months, and my next move is to look out for events targeted at creatives, attend and start conversations with as many people as possible. I also plan to run social media ads as the year ends, especially as the IJGBs will soon begin planning their return. 

Sounds like a plan. Are your charges still within the 鈧�20k range?

Ah. God forbid. Installation rates now range between 鈧�50k – 鈧�200k depending on the loc style, size and hair length. 

Dying at 鈥淕od forbid鈥�. You mentioned living with anxiety. How does it impact your work?

Therapy and medication help me a great deal. I used to have really bad anxiety and depressive episodes. I like to describe it as having a random person in your head who鈥檚 always trying to gaslight you. So, I had to learn a lot of coping mechanisms. 

In school, I practised complimenting people to overcome my anxiety. Now, I find it easy to strike up conversations with people, and I get a ton of clients that way. I’ll live with anxiety and depression forever, so I just learn to manage them.

How would you describe your relationship with money?

It’s pretty good. I live within my means. I’m an introvert who doesn’t go anywhere. So, 50% – 60% of my income typically goes to savings, and then I use the rest for my upkeep. 

I can also ascribe my financial habits to anxiety. I grew up with a dad who could wake up one day and be like, 鈥淢y prayer in life was to do better than what my father did. My father stopped paying my school fees in secondary school. Now you’re in 200 level. I’ve definitely done more than what my father did. You should start paying your school fees yourself.鈥� 

I never knew when he’d wake up and actually decide he wasn’t financially responsible for me anymore. I never want to live with that kind of anxiety due to being dependent on another person again, so I guess that’s why I save so much. 

Let’s break down what your typical month in expenses looks like

This is an estimate because I don’t receive my income all at once at the end of the month. So, what I typically do when a client pays me is to save 50% and use the remaining 50% to cover living expenses, transportation and anything that comes up.

I have about 鈧�1.2m in my savings and $35 in stocks via an investment platform. I’m just starting to build my stock portfolio, though. I still don’t really have an idea what I’m doing, but I have financial analyst friends who help answer the questions I have. I’m hoping, from next month, I can put at least 鈧�50k in stocks monthly and see where that takes me. I hope to have at least $1k in stocks by the end of next year.

You’re a full-time loctician now. Do you think you’ll stay that way for much longer?

I don’t know really. Anxiety is a goddamn bitch. My doctor still asked me the same question recently. 

I know my heart is more at peace right now that I don’t have a 9-5. But the economy isn’t smiling, so I don’t know. I know I need more than one income source to survive in this country, but I’m not sure what to do right now.

There’s also the fact that I’m an Oliver Twist who just always wants more. I’m not suffering, but I still want more. I was talking about this with a friend, and when she asked why I wanted more, I said, 鈥淚 just want to be looking at it in my account.鈥� 

Is there an ideal amount you’d like to earn monthly?

At least 鈧�700k – 鈧�800k/month, and I’ll see where I can go from there.

Is there anything you want right now but can’t afford?

A better apartment. I currently share a 鈧�300k/year room with someone. I want a room and a parlour or a mini flat 鈥� I could work out of my parlour and live in the room. But the rent prices these days? It’s like the government wants us to work just to pay rent. 

Phew. I can relate. Is there anything you’d like to be better at financially?

Investments. I hate being risk-averse so much, and I’m actively trying to be better at taking risks.

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

6.5. I’m happy, but I’d like to save more. My rating will increase when I earn more and have more in investments.

Find all the past Naira Life stories聽here.

鈥淧eople come to TikTok to learn, share their experiences, and connect with communities around the world. That is why we work collaboratively with our partners to build a digital space that reflects our collective commitment to safety, innovation, and positive social impact,” says Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, TikTok.

TikTok also came prepared with some major updates and features aimed at helping Africans manage their digital lives better. From mental health support to meditation features, here鈥檚 everything they鈥檙e rolling out:

1. Meditation Is Now Built Into TikTok

TikTok is now offering a guided meditation feature within the app. It’s part of a tool called Sleep Hours, which automatically kicks in at 10pm for users under 18 (older users can opt in too). The idea? Help people, especially teens, wind down, breathe easier, and stop scrolling endlessly when they should be getting some rest.

Mindful meditation is proven to help with sleep and emotional balance, and TikTok wants to help young users develop healthier nighttime habits without shaming them for being online.

2. A $2.3 Million Mental Health Fund鈥擭ow Open to African Organisations

TikTok鈥檚 Mental Health Education Fund, which launched in 2023, just expanded to include Sub-Saharan Africa. For the first time, African mental health organisations will get funding and support to create content that tackles stigma and spreads mental health awareness.

The first three African partners are:

• South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG)
• Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI)
• Kenya鈥檚 Mental360

Expect to see more local, relatable, and culturally relevant mental health content from these organisations, with the help of TikTok鈥檚 ad power and platform reach.

3. In-App Helplines for When You Need Real Support

In the coming weeks, African users will start seeing local mental health helplines directly inside the TikTok app, especially when they鈥檙e reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, bullying, hate, or harassment.

It鈥檚 like TikTok saying, 鈥淗ey, we鈥檙e taking this seriously,鈥� and offering real-time access to counselling and mental health resources, not just content removals. These helplines have already been tested in Europe and are now making their way to the continent.

“TikTok is committed to user safety and community well-being and provides tools and protections to help our community enjoy their experience on the platform. But to achieve this, we all need to play a very vital role in fostering a secure and respectful environment,” says Mercy Kimaku, Regional Risk Prevention Lead (Sub-Saharan Africa).

4. Mental Health Ambassadors Are Here to Talk You Through the Tough Stuff

TikTok is also teaming up with the World Health Organization to introduce its first-ever Mental Health Ambassadors from across Africa. These are verified medical professionals who鈥檒l be sharing expert advice and relatable content on mental health, emotional well-being, and how to deal with online stress.

Meet the first African ambassadors:

• Sanam Naran (South Africa)
• Dr Claire Kinuthia (Kenya)
• Doctor Wales (Nigeria)
• Doctor Siya (South Africa)

They鈥檒l be popping up more in your feed. Think of them as your TikTok-friendly therapists in your pocket.

5. #MentalHealthMatters Is Getting Bigger

If you鈥檝e seen the hashtag #MentalHealthMatters around TikTok, you鈥檙e not alone. TikTok says it鈥檚 doubling down on this campaign to keep pushing conversations about self-care, therapy, anxiety, and mental health into the mainstream.

So next time you see a TikTok reminding you to take a break or breathe, don鈥檛 scroll past too quickly.

Why This Matters

TikTok knows it鈥檚 a huge part of many people鈥檚 daily lives, especially young Africans. These updates show that the platform is paying attention to how being online affects mental health, and it鈥檚 trying to create tools that actually help, not just keep people scrolling.

It鈥檚 not perfect, but it鈥檚 a step forward. And with African organisations now getting direct support, the conversation around mental health is finally becoming a lot more local, and a lot more real.

Mfon* (28) was broke, depressed, and recovering from the psychological effects of a toxic job, until she decided to change her life. In this story, she shares how getting a foreign job and relocating to Japan with less than 鈧�7 million has taken most of her problems away. 

Where do you currently live, and when did you move out of Nigeria?

I currently live in Japan. I moved in March 2025 because I needed a break from Nigeria. It was the easiest and most affordable place for me to live. 

Why did you need a break from Nigeria?

I was depressed at the time, and it all went back to 2023, when I had to quit a toxic job for my sanity. I moved in with my parents after quitting my job. I was doing nothing with my life, and it continued that way until 2024. I decided I couldn’t continue living like that, so I started focusing on fashion design, but I didn鈥檛 find satisfaction in it because the mental effects of that toxic job still haunted me. I also wanted to do something tangible with my life. That’s why I started considering relocation. 

I鈥檓 sorry you went through that. How did Japan come into the picture?

I got a job that came with a visa sponsorship. In pursuit of tangible achievements, I stumbled on websites where I found international job listings. That’s usually the easiest way to get a job in Japan. The website is called . Some Japanese companies have websites where you can apply for jobs directly.  I did both鈥揑 applied through company websites and GaijinPot – but the one that went through was the company website job listing.

Can you share more job-hunting tips?

From personal experience, you can’t do much to influence the Japanese hiring process. However, having basic qualifications goes a long way.

I applied for a language teaching assistant job, and I needed at least a bachelor’s degree, which means that I was required to have 12 years of education. They also added that I needed to be a native English speaker or from an English-speaking country. I couldn’t meet that requirement, so I substituted with something close.

What did you do?

I acquired a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate from . This worked for me, but other people’s journeys might be different. Just do your research, find out what your employer wants and tailor your application to match their requirements. Whatever the case, having teaching experience helps when applying for a teaching job. I only had three months of experience, and I got the job.

Thank you. What was the immigration process like for you?

After I got the job offer, the company asked me to send some documents to process my Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which is a necessity in the visa application process. 

Here鈥檚 how it works: The party sponsoring the visa (the company) has to apply for the COE in Japan. When it’s out, the sponsor sends it to you. Once you receive it, you can apply for the visa. You have to book an appointment at the embassy, go with your passport, COE, and the rest is pretty straightforward. The visa is typically ready within a week. It was a fast process for me. I got the job in December, my COE was prepared in February, and I moved in March. 

How much did the process cost you?

The company’s sponsorship didn’t cover much, so I had to pay for my visa and every other minor expense. My company recommended budgeting 600,000 yen for the relocation process, which is about 鈧�7 million. My flight cost me about $1,000. I needed a police character certificate, which cost around 鈧�50,000, and the visa cost me 鈧�12,500. Those were the major expenses.

Oh, that’s relatively affordable! How’s life in Japan going?

It’s been two months, but I love it here already. I’ve always wanted a life outside Nigeria.

Life didn’t magically become great, but it’s easier because there’s a system in place here. And as someone who loves nature, it feels like a perfect fit because of the beautiful parks. I can go to the park anytime I like because it is free. The only thing I’m still trying to get used to is how much they mind their business. Even when you try to greet them, they won’t respond sometimes. But everything else is great!

Is that because of the language barrier?

I don’t think so. The primary requirement of my job is that I speak no Japanese to my students, because the school is trying to encourage them to use English as much as possible. So I don’t speak Japanese at all at work. That is the entire point of my job. 

When I’m outside work, I use a translator app or speak the basic Japanese I know. But that’s not why they like to mind their business. I’ve concluded that it’s either a national trait or they are shy.

Aside from the solid system in Japan, what are the perks of living there?

It’s a really safe country, and my salary here is much better than what I earned in Nigeria. My favourite part is that there’s stable electricity, and it doesn’t cost that much. The transportation system is also solid. There are more perks that I’ll discover the longer I live here.

Is Japan your final destination?

It’s a beautiful country and a great place to raise children, but Japan is famous for not being completely accepting of immigrants. Most of the time, you can only get English teaching jobs. With my visa, that’s the only career I can explore here. Getting permanent residence can also take 10 years if you don’t have a really good job. So, I’m not sure if this is my final destination.

I was not happy in Nigeria. I was broke, depressed, and without electricity. It sounds funny, but it was a big deal. I was a tailor, and I needed constant electricity, but the power supply was nothing to write home about. I was spending too much on fuel. 

On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in Japan?

A solid nine. I鈥檓 just happy to be away from Nigeria. 

 Want to share your japa story? Please reach out to me .

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When did you realise the importance of money?

In the university. I attended a boarding secondary school and didn鈥檛 handle much money as a child. I think that鈥檚 why, the first time my dad gave me a 鈧�40k allowance in uni, I went wild and finished the money in one week. And this was in 2007.

The whole thing? 

Yes. It was the first time I realised that money could come easily but go just as quickly. My dad was surprised when I called to ask for more money after a week. 

He was like, 鈥淵ou know what? I鈥檒l only give you 鈧�20k for the whole month from now on.鈥� So I had to learn to manage. It wasn鈥檛 difficult to adjust; I just knew what I had and managed my expectations accordingly. That was the only option after my dad made it clear I鈥檇 only get money from home once a month.

Speaking of, what was the financial situation at home?

We were middle class. My parents are divorced, so I grew up with my dad. I鈥檓 not sure if my mum contributed financially, but my siblings and I lived with my engineer dad. 

There were occasional periods of lack growing up, but my dad took care of the bills and gave us a comfortable life. I didn鈥檛 need to do anything extra for money, though I tried once in my final year at uni.

Tell me about it

I had a printer in school because of my final year project. So, I thought of charging people for printing services.

I had plenty of customers because students always need to print something. I might have charged 鈧�50 per page and made about 鈧�10k/month. The business only lasted two months because I didn’t know I was supposed to keep business money aside; I spent it all. When it was time to replace the printer ink, I had no money left. That was the end of my money-making attempt in uni.

I graduated in 2011 and moved to the UK for my master鈥檚 degree.

How did you handle your day-to-day expenses in the UK?

My dad gave me a 拢150/month allowance, which covered all my expenses. In fact, I lived a pretty comfortable life. Food was cheap in the UK. I鈥檇 buy foodstuff in bulk for 拢30 at the beginning of the month and cook when I needed. The rest of my money went into occasionally eating out and using the train.

I returned to Nigeria after my degree in 2013, and NYSC was the next step. I served in the army because they wanted people who could teach them a language I studied. My NYSC allawee, plus the stipend I received from the army, brought my monthly income to 鈧�60k.

Was 鈧�60k good money?

This was 2013, so it was good money. The 鈧�60k took me the whole month and then some. I wasn鈥檛 partying so much, but I hung out with friends regularly. My dad had bought me a car at this point, and fuel wasn鈥檛 expensive, so things were great.

After NYSC, my dad helped me get an interview with a bank. I got the role and interned for three months, earning 鈧�100k/month. Training school came after, and I was there for two months, also earning 鈧�100k. It was a lot of money back then. 

2014 was my most active year; I spent most of it outside. There was no restaurant in Lagos I didn鈥檛 visit. I met up with friends for drinks, went to the beach, and just generally was everywhere. I had zero savings. 

Then, just before the end of training school, I decided I didn鈥檛 want to work in a bank and quit. If I鈥檇 stayed, my salary would鈥檝e been increased to 鈧�250k, but I had to leave.

Why?

I couldn鈥檛 deal with the stress. I was undiagnosed at the time, but I鈥檇 developed . I鈥檇 been manic for most of the year, and at that point, I just felt like I鈥檇 die if I didn鈥檛 leave. I could tell something was off.聽

My dad was understandably upset and tried hard to convince me to stay. When I insisted, he took my car and said, 鈥淵ou want to be an adult? Be an adult. Do things how you want to do them, but know there will be consequences.鈥� 

He later forgave me, but he thought I threw an opportunity away. 

When did you get diagnosed?

A few months later, in 2015. I also started taking medication, so I became more stable. I wasn鈥檛 sure what I wanted to do with my career, but I thought marketing would be a good fit because I consider myself creative.聽

I told my dad, and he supported me. He paid for the online marketing courses I took, and after I got my certificates, he linked me up with a marketing agency. I got the job as an assistant manager for client services, and my salary was 鈧�100k/month.

Did you prefer the job to banking?

Yes, in many ways. There was a better work-life balance, and my workplace was five minutes away from my house, which was great.

The only downside was that there wasn鈥檛 much prospect for income growth, and they often delayed salaries. Some months after I got in, I found out my supervisor earned less than I did; she鈥檇 been there for five years.

You say?

They had a thing where the salary you negotiated at the beginning is what you get, and the salary only increases by like 鈧�3k or 鈧�4k as the years go by. Even my 鈧�100k was the gross pay; my actual pay was about 鈧�80k+ after deductions.聽

I supplemented my salary with a side hustle. I got close to my supervisor, and she introduced me to the foreign company she worked for on the side. I got paid in naira, and my job was to provide client services (remotely). My income from that was 鈧�60k/month. 

How long did you juggle both roles?

Two years. I left the marketing agency in July 2017 because they kept owing salaries. I lived on my income from the side hustle until January 2018, when I had a massive manic episode that landed me in the hospital for a few weeks. 

Even after I was discharged, I didn鈥檛 feel like myself. My dad suggested I visit with my mum in the UK to recover, so I did. I stayed in the UK for six months. I even stopped my medications because I felt they weren鈥檛 working. What was the point of taking medication if they couldn鈥檛 keep manic episodes at bay? 

So, I rawdogged life without medication for about a year. Looking back, I was manic throughout without realising it. 

I started job-hunting when I returned to Nigeria in August 2018. Again, my dad helped, and I got interviewed for a project management role with an oil servicing firm in October. I asked for 鈧�500k, but they could only pay 鈧�120k, so I took it. I should mention that I鈥檇 taken a project management course in the UK, which helped. I worked there for two years, and my salary grew to 鈧�150k. I left when the place became too toxic.

Did you have another job lined up?

Yes. A job in communications and business development at a startup. It was practically two roles in one, and the salary was 鈧�200k/month. I tried to negotiate higher, but I think I鈥檓 bad at negotiations. 

At this point, I was living alone. My family had moved further away, and my dad didn鈥檛 want the longer commute to trigger another manic episode. My rent was 鈧�700k/year for a one-bedroom apartment. Living on my own made it clear my salary wasn鈥檛 great. I had to save and manage money to meet my living expenses.

Fortunately, six months into the job, a job I鈥檇 applied for at a foreign embassy in Nigeria came through. I applied for the job the previous year, and it took six months before they called me, and another six months to complete the interview process. This was in 2021, and I鈥檓 still at the job today. I work in the passports and citizenship office.

I imagine the salary was a big jump from your pay at the startup

It was. When I got in, my salary was 鈧�770k/month. It has increased several times over the years because of inflation. It went from 鈧�770k to 鈧�800k, then 鈧�1m. After a few more bumps, my employers just decided to pay in dollars, so now I earn $1,100, which is around 鈧�1.7m after conversion.

I wouldn鈥檛 say I鈥檝e really enjoyed the pay increases because, sometime in 2020, I got into gambling. Right from when I got this job in 2021, I was already repaying gambling loans.

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How did you get into gambling?

It was a period when I needed extra money to supplement my salary. I鈥檇 dabbled in putting money on horse racing and casinos in the UK, but it was nothing too serious. I also tried once from Nigeria using my UK card details and won 拢90, but the betting companies got stricter about only allowing UK residents to use their services. 

I decided to try casinos again in 2020, and won 鈧�500k with a 鈧�20k stake. That鈥檚 how I got hooked. The thing about gambling is, one never really makes progress. If you keep gambling, especially at casinos, you鈥檒l certainly win up to a point and then start losing money. 

I didn鈥檛 know how to stop, so I constantly lost money. When I earned 鈧�770k, I took out 鈧�200k for feeding and 鈧�298k for rent, and spent the rest gambling. When my salary finished, I moved on to loans. At first, I used loan apps, but after they embarrassed me once, I moved on to banks for loans and kept racking up debt.聽

I initially planned to use a percentage of my salary to repay the loans every month, so I’d still have money for other living expenses. But as my debt increased, my ability to repay decreased.

My dad stepped in twice and paid off all my debt, but I just went back and racked up more debt. It was a full-blown addiction. All my money went into the casinos and settling debt. I barely had anything left for food. I didn鈥檛 know it then, but my constant gambling was linked to my mental illness. 

How so?

In 2024, I started taking active steps towards recovering from my gambling addiction. I reached out to an NGO for therapy. When the therapist noticed I was on medication for bipolar disorder, they pointed out that my medication wasn鈥檛 strong enough.聽

It turned out that impulsive spending is a symptom of my condition, and my medication wasn鈥檛 fully managing it. So, I switched medications and noticed that the urge to gamble went away. But the new medication came with serious side effects: weight gain, constant sleepiness, and my monthly flow disappeared. 

I stopped the medication for a while because of the side effects, and the urge to gamble returned with a vengeance. It was so bad that whether I had money or not, I鈥檇 find a way to get or borrow money just to gamble it all away. My worst day in gambling ever was when I gambled away 鈧�2.2m in one day. 

Wow

I returned to the stronger medication a few months ago and accepted the side effects like that. I also gave my dad all my money to hold so I wouldn鈥檛 have quick access to it.

It鈥檒l take a while for the medication to kick in with full effect, so the urge to gamble still comes once in a while. But it鈥檚 nothing compared to before. I鈥檝e blocked gambling websites on my phone, and whenever I manage to find a new website, I set 鈧�20k wager limits so I can catch myself before I go overboard. Once I realise I鈥檓 gambling again, I close the account and practice self-exclusion. 

It鈥檚 not easy, but I鈥檓 managing it well. Right now, I鈥檓 focused on settling my debts and learning how to manage my money again. I keep most of my money locked away in fintech apps, so I get minimal access at certain times. Also, I often send my salary to my dad after taking out what I need to repay loans monthly. 

I鈥檇 like to increase my self-control to the point where I don鈥檛 need to send money to my dad; it鈥檚 not the best locking-money-away measure. My dad still gives me my money if I ask for it, which isn鈥檛 really effective.

You mentioned settling debts. How much do you currently owe?

About 鈧�5m. It used to be around 鈧�9m across three banks and a UK credit card, but I鈥檝e been actively repaying monthly since last year. I currently pay 鈧�600k in loan repayments every month. At my current repayment rate, it should take another year to pay everything off.

While we鈥檙e on the subject, what do your typical monthly expenses look like?

I no longer pay rent because I moved back home in 2024. I needed to make some lifestyle changes and save money, so instead of paying rent, I pay a driver to take me to work.

I have about 鈧�500k in my savings account right now, which is puzzling because I save 鈧�400k monthly. I don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 because I鈥檓 still gambling or haven’t figured out a good spending habit.

How have your experiences impacted your relationship with money?

At some point, all I thought about was gambling with money. Now, I鈥檓 trying really hard to save. I understand that money doesn鈥檛 need to come quickly; it can also go quickly. Regardless of how long it takes to make money, it can go fast because there鈥檚 always something to spend on. 

I鈥檓 still learning how to manage money. I think I didn鈥檛 learn earlier because of my background, so I鈥檓 playing catch-up. I鈥檝e started with savings and hope to build on that and find more ways to accumulate wealth. 

I would have tried investments, but I think I鈥檝e expended all my risk in my gambling days. So, I鈥檒l stick to savings plans that allow me to lock up my money for now.

What do you imagine the next few years will look like?

First, I want to be completely debt-free and never take out loans again. I also hope to grow my savings to 鈧�6m within two years.

I鈥檓 considering moving to Canada in the next few years, so I could either do that or stay in my role. By the way, I really enjoy my work, so I wouldn鈥檛 mind continuing what I鈥檓 currently doing. 

That said, I still want to have a side hustle. This might be the only job I鈥檝e had without something else on the side. Some options I鈥檓 considering are content writing or something in marketing. I haven鈥檛 been able to actively pursue gigs because my medication always makes me tired, but I鈥檓 on the lookout.

What was the last thing you spent money on that made you happy?

My phone. I got it in February for 鈧�570k after the previous one got stolen in traffic. I know having a phone increases the risk of returning to gambling, but I still do other things with my phone, and I was happy I could replace it.

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

3. I still have a long way to go. It鈥檒l be a 10 when I鈥檓 debt-free and have at least 鈧�6m savings.

Find all the past Naira Life stories聽here.

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