Dear Nairalanders,

In the past decades, Nigerians travelled abroad to study, earn their degrees and proudly returned home to join the civil service, teaching commissions, etc, etc. Not so any more, thanks to the past and present leadership. Hence, I'm posting this in the politics section.

I recently ran into an old school friend of mine (he was my classmate in the secondary school in the 80s) in London during a lunch break. By the way, I have his permission to post this anonymously.

This old schoolmate, arguably, has really struggled. Moving from NCE to gaining a BEd degree, teaching in a few Nigerian schools before moving to the UK to study for his MEd, he finally gained his doctorate degree in education in 2009 and hasn’t secured any meaningful jobs to even earn a graduate salary. Nonetheless, he currently earns around £15,000pa (some £15,000-£20,000 short of what he could potentially be earning if he secures a PhD job, lecturing in a UK university).

He has an uncompleted building project back home in Nigeria (needs roofing, windows, doors, plastering and general finishing which in his estimate would gulp some =N=3-4m). He also has a mortgaged property here in London. This could self-service itself (i.e. mortgage repayments), through rents, even if he decides on moving back home. Oh yes, he has kids currently schooling here in London and his very humble wife, a UK graduate, works as a social worker, earning significantly (£15,000pa) more than he does.

Unhappy with his current situation (working in a job centre), he told me he’s seriously considering returning home with or without his family. Despite gaining citizenship through his wife (a Nigerian-British), he’s not considering other EU countries or North America. I strongly advised him against returning to Nigeria for the following reasons:

1. If he returns to Nigeria and gets a lecturing job, even as Lecturer II (CONUASS 3), he couldn’t earn the equivalent of £15, 000 pa which he’s currently earning. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

2. The quality of life he would enjoy here in the UK earning £15k pa is far better than that of Nigeria, earning a lecturer 1 wages.

3. The wife as a social worker is not likely to get a SW job in Nigeria. If she does, she’ll never earn in Naija what she’s currently earning here in the UK.

4. The couple’s potential earning capacity in Naija would prevent them from educating their children in Nigerian secondary schools with standards similar to those of UK schools.

If you’ve had the patience to read this far, please drop a line or two of advice to my old classmate, Chidi, not his real name.

Thanks,


Patsey.

When you're comparing the pay, Kindly Add the Cost of Living.

But I have to Add, he should NEVER attempt such if he hasn't been offered a Job here in Nigeria.

I wouldn't recommend moving from a secured Job in the UK to joining the "Job Seeking" Labour Category in Nigeria. No Sir.

Nigerians need to wise up, things have changed, despite the odds white collar jobs employee nigerian can feed a blue collar job nigerian abroad and even sponsor that individual's education at home.

Also, tell him that Nigerians dey kill any how, these days. No place is easier than the other.

Unless he's preparing his mind to collect blocking and do other type of runs as a lecturer here.... If not, he shld remain whr he is and be hopeful....
We all knw lecturers who enjoy here in naija are those who make extra earnings(school runs and stuffs)... And even if he plans to relocate bk to naija, I'll advise he cums alone and leave the family there... Cos the possibility of the wife getting a job that wil pay her as much as wat she's receiving in d uk at the moment is slim... Even the kids getting a beta education here in naija, we all knw d answer to that

He needs not to relocate except he secures a better job here. But if he has high hopes of relocating first without securing,then its OYO

He should try the US since he's looking for further greener pastures. But as a family man, I think he better stay close a while with his wife and growing kids!

he can come back home if he is ready to start a biz thru the savings he has from the uk..then he should be ready for the initial roller coaster of the nigerian business climate...after this come the enjoyment of coming back home...far better than the uk

Even with that low income in the UK, his pension benefits is as good as secured when he retires, I wonder where he will start from when he relocates back to Nigeria. He should try and do some savings before considering going back.

Guy i will advice you to seriously encourage your friend to hang on.
he should only consider returning if he has like 10 - 50million naira
to invest and run his own show. Otherwise he will abuse you for not
using chain to hold him back when he was planing to return to naija to
huzzle.

Waht he is earning is equal to N300K a month, and his wife's is N600K a month
men, thats like a director's salary.

nass07: Nigerians need to wise up, things have changed, despite the odds white collar jobs employee nigerian can feed a blue collar job nigerian abroad and even sponsor that individual's education at home.

Why do you guys use a few people to judge the huge number of struggling Nigerians in Nigeria. I studied outside of Nigeria for my B.Sc and it would be good to tell you that a large number of Africans who are hard working where i live would have completed a nice duplex easily in Nigeria before they got their B.Sc. Now tell me, all the years i spent studying in Nigeria, i was caked up by my parent for pocket money.

Take a look at the photo (Independence day celebration in the U.S) below. Would you tell me that all these people have white collar jobs in the U.S? Let us assume the heads you see in this picture is the population of Nigerians in the U.S and they all come back to Nigeria with at least a Masters degree, who will employ them?

See, Op, life is not easy anywhere, your friend should have had a back up plan. I always say Nigerians stay back in the U.K. because they think they have found their nirvana. Europe is a big continent, go out and explore.

The very fact that he's even considering it is dangerous o! You know one funny thing that I have noticed, many Nigerians abraod, especially in the UK, seem to have the impression that insecurity, bad roads and the big bad NEPA apart, life mustn't really be that bad for Nigerians to be able to come to London in droves and spend so much shopping, while they themselves exist on Sainsbury sales' items and cheap Asda food. Of course, they overlook the KEY point: the fact that (apart from our government people and their hangers-on) the average Nigerian who can afford to jump into a planne and cross the Atlantic is NOT an average person here in Nigeria by definition. In a country where 70% of the population are living in poverty, the remaining 20% are managing to keep body and soul from quarelling definitively, and most of our consumption is done by approx 10% of the population, raising 150k for a plane fare isn't easy.

And secondly, most of them have ACTUALLY come to shop. The money our UK brethren see being spent apparently lavishly is NOT spent everyday back home in Nigeria, and usually represents a significant proportion of that person's income. This I know from experience. So my advice would be: Chidi, stay where you are. You could consider moving to the U.S. or Canada, but NOT, NOT, to Naija. Biko. E jo.

There is shortage of phd lecaturers in Nigerian (private) universities so he would definately get a good leacturing job. But he should apply from the UK and secure the best offer before he relocates. It's better he leaves his family there if he's spiritually sound- as in, will not mess up his marital home because of distance from spouse.

Living in a country oustside our's should be temporary. Why should we live forever in other man's country! I hope one day, those countries will not turn us to: "Nigeria(n) must go" similitude of the infamous "Ghana must go"

Let's have contribution as to how much a phd holder is paid in Nigerian universities.

Living in Nigeria is not easy although it is much easier for a PhD education holder from the UK. But Nigeria is home ,it is where this gentleman belongs.I know there is unrest and risky situations but I would never advise a fellow Nigerian to abdicate from his responsibility of contributing to the rescue of our dear nation. I would never feel at home even if I was lecturing in Oxford or Cambridge - except if I was a visiting lecturer and everybody knew that i live in my country Nigeria.

My only concern about this gentleman is his wife who you said is British. If she was born and bred in the UK then her views must be considered carefully. Apart from that I feel your friend is wasting his talent and the productivity he can give to his country.There are so many higher educational institutions in Nigeria both public and private. This man will surely be socially and psychologically more satisfied here in Nigeria. After all productive life stops at 70 years of age or so whether in UK or anywhere. Come home.

Living in Nigeria is not easy although it is much easier for a PhD education holder from the UK. But Nigeria is home ,it is where this gentleman belongs.I know there is unrest and risky situations but I would never advise a fellow Nigerian to abdicate from his responsibility of contributing to the rescue of our dear nation. I would never feel at home even if I was lecturing in Oxford or Cambridge - except if I was a visiting lecturer and everybody knew that i live in my country Nigeria.

My only concern about this gentleman is his wife who you said is British. If she was born and bred in the UK then her views must be considered carefully. Apart from that I feel your friend is wasting his talent and the productivity he can give to his country.There are so many higher educational institutions in Nigeria both public and private. This man will surely be socially and psychologically more satisfied here in Nigeria. After all productive life stops at 70 years of age or so whether in UK or anywhere. Come home Dr.

Let him first get a job in Nigeria and gradually bring his wife and children here.
About the salary he is currently getting some multinational in Nigeria pay they graduate more than that.
It all depend where he gets the job, but let him first get a job in Naija for himself then his wife before making any move to return.

This is the problem with an average 'educated' man. You are looking for money, and a good life, and you are already afraid of the unknown. Who will hire, when everyone is searching for someone to hire him ? If your friend has the 'hire me' mindset, let him continue to stay on gear one in UK for ever, but if he is ready to come an take the risks in businesses and investments here, I can assure you, he will have set backs, but in the next 3 years, he will earn 10 times what he is earning annually in 6 months. Nigeria is virgin, and many of us are cashing in. 15k pounds is what an average entrepreneur makes in a month or less. Believe me.

Billyonaire: This is the problem with an average 'educated' man. You are looking for money, and a good life, and you are already afraid of the unknown. Who will hire, when everyone is searching for someone to hire him ? If your friend has the 'hire me' mindset, let him continue to stay on gear one in UK for ever, but if he is ready to come an take the risks in businesses and investments here, I can assure you, he will have set backs, but in the next 3 years, he will earn 10 times what he is earning annually in 6 months. Nigeria is virgin, and many of us are cashing in. 15k pounds is what an average entrepreneur makes in a month or less. Believe me.

20likes

seriously even if he does intend returning Nigeria,

My advice to him is;

First,let him first start circulating his CV down here in Nigeria and searching for a job down here in Nigeria. One thing i know is some Nigerian companies are sometimes crazy about Nigerians who studied abroad especially if its a relevant course like IT related, engineering courses and some on.

Next even if he is coming down, i strongly advice him not to bring your family down to Nigeria, most especially your kids. Leave them were they are and if he gets the job, come down here and work for a while, then your wife can join later(when you are settled but don't wait too long)while your kids should continue their education there (perhaps you or your wife have relatives there) and visit during holidays! he should make sure his wife too circulates her CV and starts looking for a job as well too before she also comes down here!

The reason your kids should continue their education there is quite clear, the standard of education here, is very very, very poor! Giving his kids an education over there is not really a bad idea! If you come down to Nigeria with your family, without getting a job down here first, i assure you that you would regret it. Better still, if he wants to try things out , then he should come alone, to search for a job down here.

Many people in Nigeria with white collar jobs (even in banks) don't even earn up to what he earns annually!
Be wise!

My opinion though!

This is a very serious decision to just make. But my own concern is that when are we planing to contribute to our own nation, i kno nigeria is not good. This Country will be better one day and u can't say if u will be d engine of dat change. This life is very short, think of what u wil contribute to ur village if not nigeria. Every thing is not just abt money, but abt how u effect changes. With ur qualification u will certainly get good jobs of ur choice in nigeria and u must come wt ur wife. Ur children can come and go as they like, so no broblems wt their studies.

Hope he doestn't know that he was opportune to live in uk. Majority of lecture are luking for all means to immigrate from this nation we call naija.
Advice him not take such decision, cos here in naija things have not been easy. There is popular notion that the reward of teacher is in heaven(in nigeria).
If his cruel, he can vacate uk and cum to naija for his family to live a degenerate and hustle on nothing for there livehood.
Unfortunately, coming down here jobless, hopefully u wil be mocked and comic at.

My advice
1 take a break and come to 9ja for two weeks to see how things really are reestablish old contacts.
2 it's better to leave ur family there cos no social worker job in naija even if they exist they pay nigeria minimum wage which u know is fhuked
3 working abroad can be frustrating because u work like a slave but no appreciation cos ur getting paid. If he wants to ge a lecturer in naija what sch? If his long term goal us to return to naija he has to know there r advantages and disadvantages. He has to weigh his options and see what aligns towards his long term objective.
4 at the end of the day it's all about his luck and stategy cos he can get a better paying job in naija or he might not in a sector different from education. Nothing is certain u can only plan and strategise and pray every thing that u plan works out

brother continue your life with your family in the uk,now every were is the same story

He needs to come home. If you have spent 10years abroad and you cant even afford to own a house at that age, it means the UK has failed you. Mortgage and uncompleted building in the village for a man of his age is failure. And make sure you have like 10million Naira in your account before coming back. Stay off the academics except you are one lazy fellow. Fold your sleeves and take the bull by the horn, go into small scale manufacturing, import or exports etc, when the money grows to 50m, you can start property development and sales. Start from Lagos and you will thank me later. Gentlemen dont make billions.

Strange and interesting topic, why are u using just one person to equate millions of Nigerian abroad. why not tell Achebe and Soyinka to come back home because those people are not even earning what MDs in Nigerian banks are earning.Please, how many of ur mates are in the same shoe like u (i mean primary to secondary). Omo just dey happy and thank God for most things He did for u.
£15000 = 3,7500,000.
Average Lecturer salary N250,000 to N300,000
Multiply by 12months 3,000,000 to 3,600,000 respectively
Can that money pay for duplex in lekki phase one, NO.
that is why the country is still backward.

Watever he's going to eran here will be swallowed up by fueling his generator and unnecessary payment of spurious charges from different tiers of govt like VAT, Land use charge, bribes in processing building documents, crazy NEPA bills, bribes by LASTMA, Police and other agencies.
Pls,let him stay there considering that his wife might not have such high paying job she earns to support the family, period.

Patsey: Dear Nairalanders,

In the past decades, Nigerians travelled abroad to study, earn their degrees and proudly returned home to join the civil service, teaching commissions, etc, etc. Not so any more, thanks to the past and present leadership. Hence, I'm posting this in the politics section.

I recently ran into an old school friend of mine (he was my classmate in the secondary school in the 80s) in London during a lunch break. By the way, I have his permission to post this anonymously.

This old schoolmate, arguably, has really struggled. Moving from NCE to gaining a BEd degree, teaching in a few Nigerian schools before moving to the UK to study for his MEd, he finally gained his doctorate degree in education in 2009 and hasn’t secured any meaningful jobs to even earn a graduate salary. Nonetheless, he currently earns around £15,000pa (some £15,000-£20,000 short of what he could potentially be earning if he secures a PhD job, lecturing in a UK university).

He has an uncompleted building project back home in Nigeria (needs roofing, windows, doors, plastering and general finishing which in his estimate would gulp some =N=3-4m). He also has a mortgaged property here in London. This could self-service itself (i.e. mortgage repayments), through rents, even if he decides on moving back home. Oh yes, he has kids currently schooling here in London and his very humble wife, a UK graduate, works as a social worker, earning significantly (£15,000pa) more than he does.

Unhappy with his current situation (working in a job centre), he told me he’s seriously considering returning home with or without his family. Despite gaining citizenship through his wife (a Nigerian-British), he’s not considering other EU countries or North America. I strongly advised him against returning to Nigeria for the following reasons:

1. If he returns to Nigeria and gets a lecturing job, even as Lecturer II (CONUASS 3), he couldn’t earn the equivalent of £15, 000 pa which he’s currently earning. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

2. The quality of life he would enjoy here in the UK earning £15k pa is far better than that of Nigeria, earning a lecturer 1 wages.

3. The wife as a social worker is not likely to get a SW job in Nigeria. If she does, she’ll never earn in Naija what she’s currently earning here in the UK.

4. The couple’s potential earning capacity in Naija would prevent them from educating their children in Nigerian secondary schools with standards similar to those of UK schools.

If you’ve had the patience to read this far, please drop a line or two of advice to my old classmate, Chidi, not his real name.

Thanks,


Patsey.

Is it that he can't find a job or he is not qualify for the available jobs?
A friend of mine in Wolverhampton gave me a site that sent atleast 20 high pay jobs in Uk but the problem is; are you qualify for the job?

if his motivation is money, then i think he needs to stay where he is. between he and his wife they earn £45,000 annually. not an exceptionally great amount but it is double the national average in britain. in nigeria as an educator you are never going to earn that much.

if his motivation is that he is just tired of being in britain and wants to be around like minded people and be around the foods he grew up with and not be a minority and a second class citizen, which normal thinking prideful nigerians will get to that stage in their stay in britain when they get between the ages of 30 - 45, then if he is at the stage, i suggest you put money at the back of your mind and just come to naija. you will always get a teaching job. try going to those federal secondary schools like kings college or fgcl. those schools have staff houses. then you pick it up from there.

*Yawn* Do You Care for Black Collar Job in Mogadishu or Maiduguri

munaco: Strange and interesting topic, why are u using just one person to equate millions of Nigerian abroad. why not tell Achebe and Soyinka to come back home because those people are not even earning what MDs in Nigerian banks are earning.Please, how many of ur mates are in the same shoe like u (i mean primary to secondary). Omo just dey happy and thank God for most things He did for u.
£15000 = 3,7500,000.
Average Lecturer salary N250,000 to N300,000
Multiply by 12months 3,000,000 to 3,600,000 respectively
Can that money pay for duplex in lekki phase one, NO.
that is why the country is still backward.

this is the part that really grates on my nerves. it was the junkie misconception we were fed with before straining all nerves to come over to the UK. @OP, I'm more or less in the same shoes with your friend except for being single. Currently I'm also rounding up a PhD program after my Msc. So. I could say I've been around 4 yrs and old enough to know what obtains.


Firstly, I'll start by saying things are not the way people at home see and judge it from popular stereotype. Sometyms, I sit back and reflect and I must confess that often I feel as if it's way better back home. dont get me wrong, the quality and standard of living (generally speaking) at home may not really be so pleasant (worst still is the current security state of affairs, but lets shove that aside for now since it's unrelated to the topic). In 9ja, you can tailor your means (earnings) flexibly to get what you want which is not often the case in the UK. I used to share this bogus misconception like the author of the quote above until I came over and saw things for myself. it's entirely a charade o! it just doesnt work that way.

Everyone is more or less fixed in the UK. the system is so organised such that you churn whatever you earn back into the system leaving you with little or nothing as savings. who wants to live without savings? it's the reason many believe its better back home. for-instance I feel the plight of your friend: Chidi because I more or less fall within the range of his earning by virtue of some little entitlements to my studentship (£13k). Now, that is untaxed. just imagine if Chidi's wife was'nt working! that would have been worse for him if we are true to ourselves. there are many like Chidi out here in Uk also contemplating the same thing. if I say I haven't looked at things through his lenses, I'll be telling a big lie. have you stopped to consider a country where 30% of what you earn goes to tax, leaving you with 70% as take home pay. Now, just when you think that is for you, rent and bills gulp half of your 70%, leaving you with 30-35%. though food is cheap, but you'll spend nothing less than another half of remainder (30%), that means 15% only is left on you after all these unavoidable expenses. so you'll be lucky if other miscellaneous/unbudgeted expenses doesn't engulf up the remaining 10/15%. I'm not exaggerating here. do a survey and you'll find out that this is what goes for many in UK. the more reason why for many of them, it can be very difficult sending money back home either for projects to be completed or to support siblings.

On the other hand, 9ja may hve its issues, but when it comes to saving, dont be surprised that you may be saving more. you don't have to live in lekki or Ikoyi or VI, neither do you have to live in Marokor because you wanna maximise saving. but you can come in-between and get a decent accommodation in places like Surulere, Maryland, Gbagada etch which are also really nice places with decent accommodation. 'I tell ya', accommodation and bills KILL earnings in the UK.

earning £1000 and earning 250k in naija are NOT the same. the guy with £1000 saves practically nothing at the end of the day in Uk. as a matter of fact, he can only share a flat with some-one in UK. if he decides to hire a 2 bedroom alone and pay the bills, he may spend more than £550 + £150 = £700! feed on £200 n save only £100 (25k) but the guy with 250k in naija, can get at least a not too bad 2bed for 250k/annum..that translates to 21k montly, get a gen and fuel it with less than 10k montly for power. if he is not extravagant, tell me how he'll find it difficult saving between 50-100k from his 250k?

lets consider these issues critically, becos when pips in Uk complain of coming back home, others at home do not seem to take analytic view to their complains.

overall, make eno be like say I dey talk too much. it may not be a bad idea relocating if your friend cannot find a better job (which apparently is becoming more difficult by the day in the Uk and even in the US advocated by some others). however, it's a VERY WISE IDEA NOT to relocate unless he gets a job first. education in UK is far better and worthwhile, so, I'll advice his children stays behind with his wife. he may even save more in 9ja with a lecturing job... and the job may allow him 'free/extra-time' to do other things (personal business) be more productive and maximise earnings. I've thought of this severally and that's my take. if I find a gud lecturing position in 9ja after my program, I wont hesitate o! it's better than loafing around jobless in UK or earning and not saving at all.

pato405:

this is the part that really grates on my nerves. it was the junkie misconception we were fed with before straining all nerves to come over to the UK. @OP, I'm more or less in the same shoes with your friend except for being single. Currently I'm also rounding up a PhD program after my Msc. So. I could say I've around 4 yrs and old enough to know what obtains.


Firstly, I'll start by saying things are not the way people at home see and judge it from popular stereotype. Sometyms, I sit back and reflect and I must confess that often I feel as if it's way better back home. dont get me wrong, the quality and standard of living (generally speaking) at home may not really be so pleasant (worst still is the current security state of affairs, but lets shove that aside for now since it's unrelated to the topic). In 9ja, you can tailor your means (earnings) flexibly to get what you want which is not often the case in the UK. I used to share this bogus misconception like the author of the quote above until I came over and saw things for myself. it's entirely a charade o! it just doesnt work that way.

Everyone is more or less fixed in the UK. the system is so organised such that you churn back whatever you earn back into the system leaving you with little or nothing as savings. who wants to live without savings? it's the reason many believe its better back home. forinstance I feel the plight of your friend Chidi because I more or less fall within the range of his earning by virtue of some little entitlements to studentship of £13k (untaxed sha). Now, that is untaxed. just imagine if Chidis wife wasnt working! that would have been worse for him if we are true to ourselves. there are many like Chidi out here in Uk also contemplating the same thing. if I say I havent looked at things through his lenses, I'll be telling a big lie. have you stopped to consider a country where 30% of what you earn goes to tax, leaving you with 70% as take home pay. Now, just whaen you think that is for you, rent and bills gulp half of your 70%, leaving you with 30-35%. though food is cheap, but you'll spend nothing less than another half of remainder (30%), that means 15% only is left on you after all these unavoidable expenses. so you'll be lucky if other miscellaneous/unbudgeted expenses doesn't engulf up the remaining 10/15%. I'm not exaggerating here. do a survey and you'll find out that this is what goes for many in UK. the more reasn why for many of them, it can be very difficult sending money back home either for projects to be completed or to support sibblings.

But on the other hand, 9ja may hve its issues, but when it comes to saving, dont be surprised that you may be saving more. you dont have to live in lekki or Ikoyi or VI, neither do you have to live in Marokor because you wanna maximise saving. but you can come inbetween and get a descent accommodation in places like Surulere, Maryland, Gbagada etch which are also really nice places with descent accommodation. 'I tell ya', accommodation and bills KILL earnings in the UK.

earning £1000 and earning 250k in naija are NOT the same. the guy with £1000 saves practically nothing at the end of the day in Uk. as a matter of fact, he can only share a flat with some-one in UK. if he decides to hire a 2 bedroom alone and pay the bills, he may spend more than £550 + £150 = £700! feed on £200 n save only £100 (25k) but the guy with 250k in naija, can get at least a not too bad 2bed for 250k/annum..that translates to 21k montly, get a gen and fuel it with less than 10k montly for power. if he is not extravagant, tell me how he'll find it difficult saving between 50-100k from his 250k?

lets consider this issues critically, becos when pips in Uk complain of coming back home, others at home do not seem to take analytic view to their complains.

overall, make eno be like say I dey talk too much. it may not be a bad idea relocating if your friend cannot find a better job (which apparently is becoming more difficult by the day in the Uk and even in the US advocated by some others). however, it's a VERY WISE IDEA NOT to relocate unless he gets a job first. education in UK is far better and worthwhile, so, I'll advice his children stays behind with his wife. he may even save more in 9ja with a lecturing job... and the job may allow him 'free/extra-time' to do other things (personal business) be more productive and maximise earnings. I've thought of this severally and that's my take. if I find a gud lecturing position in 9ja after my program, I wont hesistate o! it's better that loafing around jobless in UK or earning and not saving at all.

truth be told, in the UK if you are not a fraudster, you aint getting out of that cycle. you will become daddy london strolling around in your gasby cap at the age of 70 on peckham high street

obadiah777: truth be told, in the UK if you are not a fraudster, you aint getting out of that cycle. you will become daddy london strolling around in your gasby cap at the age of 70 on peckham high street

lol