Most Nigerians youth would fancy traveling abroad to better their lives, which is not a bad thing. In fact, some people's lives have changed for the better only because they traveled out of Nigeria.

However, this thread is about those who chose to return home for reasons such as
1. Inability to get legal papers to continue to reside there.
2. Personal choice
3. Better Job offers
And by Abroad, I mean developed “1st world countries “like USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany etc

As a Nigerian in Diaspora myself, one of my good friends (We both in our 30s’) who is Ghanaian is ready to go back to his country. He has been very frugal here saving over $100,000 cash/yr for the past 3 yrs. He says he has dedicated 3yrs of his life to working so he can set himself up for life. He worked as a health care support worker, taking care of the disabled and aged ppl, a job many people will consider dirty. His plan includes buying affordable rental real estate that can generate passive income. And retire at age 50. He is also good with stock trading and does that to generate some money on the side, something he can do anywhere in the world. He has plans to also go into politics as he feels he can impact his hometown.

Some of his concerns include:
1. Inclusion: Despite how well-spoken and intelligent he is, he never feels like he belongs here especially when he is being racially profiled.
2. Women are Powerful here. I have known this guy for a while and he is a decent Christian, but by marrying her he could lose everything he has worked for if things go south. The government does not want to know who is right or wrong oo, they would cut your assets and leave you to pay child support.
3. Loss of culture: He fears when he has kids, his children will lose a sense of their culture and tradition
4. Old age: Old age here can be scary too, especially when you grew up in Africa where we have a family-orientated family structure. When you are old here and can't support yourself. Families dump their aged parents in aged care facilities. Not the fault of the kids but it's how the system is run.

Anyway, I was wondering why don’t Nigerian’s dream the same dream. Some Nigerians turn out to be very successful abroad, but many are just living paycheck to paycheck and would be better off returning home where the money has much more value. 1USD = N505. Or is Nigeria so bad, that opportunities don’t lie in it? Remember the Indians, Chinese come here to take advantage.

I must give credit to Nigerians. We dey Hustle. God. Nigerians dey try.

It was when I met a 40yr old oyinbo that has retired that I started thinking deep that there is more to life than working working working.
Haven said all these, I know my country and the many issues we have. Security, healthcare, family or village people, etc. but Still, Are many Nigerians not better off going back home with all they have saved Abroad. Let's not forget, Banky W, Tinubu, Tiwa savage, Some Top Bank executives, and corporate ppl all returned home. Had they remained abroad, they could still have been just ok but maybe not as successful.
So this takes me back to the question

Nigerians who returned from Abroad, Any regret?

Moderator : Abeg front Page. Thank you

Front seat... Let me learn from "IJGB" crew.

Op, just in case you’re planning to return home, at least wait until Buhari is out of our lives!

He’s the pain in our collective butts!

It all depends how much you have saved so far

And another thing, make sure you bring your westerner wife and children back home when you're returning

I wouldn't really say no regrets but having a job waiting for me before relocating back in 2014 was a major decider in the move. Financial stability is key, so before relocating you must have saved enough to start up something down here or have a job waiting for you.

I am now used to the endless traffic situation in Lagos, coupled with the insecurity and being in a place where nothing works. Like I said earlier financial stability is key when making the decision.

UDUJ:
I wouldn't really say no regrets but having a job waiting for me before relocating back in 2014 was a major decider in the move. Financial stability is key, so before relocating you must have saved enough to start up something down here or have a job waiting for you.

I am now used to the endless traffic situation in Lagos, coupled with the insecurity and being in a place where nothing works. Like I said earlier financial stability is key when making the decision.

I’m stressed on your behalf!

If you knew then what you know now, would you still have come back?

Make I siddon and read comments

Klass99:


What your Ghanaian friend did is something I wish I had known earlier or younger me had done sooner (i.e. the aggressive saving then investing, towards an early retirement) Too bad I don't earn in foreign currency like him, the naira go slow runs for me.

What the oyinbo man did, is a realization I came to last year when Covid happened and we were in lockdown. I realized (Klass) you can retire early and not continue this rat race, I realized this work and quench mentality or work till retirement age, doesn't have to be your story or reality.

Thank you Klass....

Nothing beats passives income. An income you earn with little or no effort.

Not all of us have that opportunity to earn so much, but if you can earn and save that much abroad. You can set yourself up for life in Nigeria and put yourself in a position to build generational wealth.

I am not talking doing business ooo, I am talking acquiring assets that generate passive income.

Also , alot of our people go through alot just to have papers. So change courses, u will see a someone good in engineering studying to be a nurse just so he can get papers. Or marrting people they have no love for just for papers sake. That's alot of burden on mental health alone.

Continuing to stay abroad forever , may not always be the best.

May God guide us sha.

Botking:
It all depends how much you have saved so far

And another thing, make sure you bring your westerner wife and children back home when you're returning

Hmmmn.... That one go hard because they won't return. Even if you marry your wife here initially and they born for there. If you wan return and those kids are of age and knows what's up, even though they yearn to know home, this place won't be their home.

They can only settle here if there is a change in the nation and a change can only be feasible when Nigeria divides.

Edited; No regrets.

I haven't even boarded a plane before but then I'd love to read other people's comments...

.

You can't compare your friends country (Ghana) with Nigeria

Klass99:


What your Ghanaian friend did is something I wish I had known earlier or younger me had done sooner (i.e. the aggressive saving then investing, towards an early retirement) Too bad I don't earn in foreign currency like him, the naira go slow runs for me.

What the oyinbo man did, is a realization I came to last year when Covid happened and we were in lockdown. I realized (Klass) you can retire early and not continue this rat race, I realized this work and quench mentality or work till retirement age, doesn't have to be your story or reality.

Hahahahahaha @ work and quench

My nature abhors extreme of anything or facing only one thing so the rat race has never appealed to me.

I love to live a fullllllllllllll life.

The Ghanaian friend is very admirable.

I have colleagues seriously chasing early retirement too.

Some of them want to leave the race before 50.

@Tony: he should have stayed the extra year. What he endured for 9 years, he could push for an extra year. (That's my personality talking sha).

Klass99:


@ The bold, in doing my research on how to quit the rat race one article said to do it effectively - you'll need monthly income from non-job sources which exceeds your monthly expenses

In my mind I was like, why don't they teach these things in school? Or why do our parents not teach financial literacy in the best way they can? Na to dey groom person for marriage only, we sabi for Africa.

I know 4 people who returned home after about 10, 13 and 9yrs overseas. The duration of stay differed from person to person but I remember the number of years correctly.

Tony 9 years in the UK - said he got tired of the system and systematic racism he occasionally encountered. He was just one year from acquiring his residency and people advised him to just hang in there for one more year before returning to Naija........but he said he was so fed up and another year would have felt like Yaba left to him

Mike 13 years in the UK - said everything worked right, as in, the system, infrastructures were efficient, the govt wasn't an inept one etc, but he would never be rich there as much as he would be in Naija. So, he came home.......plus he was ready to marry and as a traditional Igbo man to the core I'm not sure any foreign based women would have worked for him, whether black or white.

Amanda, 4 years in the UK then another 5 in France - said she returned because we have a strong network of family & friends relationships here unlike overseas and she really missed that. According to her if you need like 10k, 20 or more there's no way your family or friends won't raise that money for you, even if the 20k comes from 4 different people (as in, 5k from each person) But, overseas if you need like £2 OYO will be your case. Plus, she wanted to do give back to her community in Naija.

Alex 6 years in............I can't remember the country again , came back because he felt his life was too regimented by bills. According to him he couldn't do much after paying every damn bill, as in, he never had enough left over to just chill or do nice things for himself the way he could in Naija.

He said in Naija, you can pay bills and still have something left over to travel, lavishly hang out with your guys, assist others who need financial help etc His hands were pretty much tied when it came to these activities overseas

All of these people are doing well and I haven't heard or detected a trace of regret from any of them.

Nice one Klass. Very educative as usual.

Just a little note from me.
Tony really should have stayed one more year and gotten the citizenship. What he did was like refusing to climax after all the hard work.

I have a friend too who has got UK citizenship. He's been there for years. He recently sold his house over there (paid for completely through mortgage) and came to Nigeria to build a very spacious duplex.

He then set up a business in Owerri which didn't yield much returns. So he came back to the UK and worked for a year and gathered more money.

He's still looking to go back to Nigeria and establish again.

Being a citizen gives him the leverage to be able to shuffle between UK and Nigeria depending on his needs.

By the way Klass, which is the exact idea of retirement that you envision? Is it to have your own business as means of income or to have passive incomes from a stream of investments

At least your friend realises how bad things can get for a man abroad. He also realises how different their thinking and attitude towards family is.

There is no place like home.

...

Eyaa..different strokes for different folks. While some will do everything within their powers to leave this country on a one-way ticket, others are pondering on returning back home.

Indeed, Home is where the heart is.

Which ever bucket you fall in, I wish you good luck. Please do not follow the crowd. Know what works best for you.

Klass99:


So, you are not in the rat race? We need to spread the stress of it, so all of us are running the race .

I feel you, when you say you love a full life. I want to gain freedom over how I spend my days and not be regulated by certain policies, a clock in and clock out regimen, etcetera.

I didn't question Tony's choice too much. When you're tired of something, you are tired. No amount of logical or strategical thinking will take away that exhaustion or feeling of I can't do this anymore, I'm done.

I am in the rat race, trying to run out of the maze

@Tony: Endurance is a very good character especially when the end is in sight.

I remember a neighbor who was related to the husband (aka auxiliary maid). She stayed till SS2 3rd term and said she was going home.

She was older than I was however, I was done with school and waiting for JAMB.

I begged and begged her to stay, she insisted on leaving. I don't know what happened to her after that.

My mind wanders to her sometimes.

Klass99:


The day I start hearing too many stories and there are cash flow issues, na to close shop, sell the items and all of us go move, no time for nonsense.

Klass99:

I am not an endure and manage the situation kind of person, especially when the situation messes with my emotional and mental health, I change the situation even if it means I may suffer in the process.

I understand you.
Did you at any point consider pursuing an interest outside Nigeria? Perhaps it might give a boost to your goal. In terms of saving up over there and returning to invest/retire early.

Asides real estate and properties. What other options of passive retirement income in Nigeria might you know of?

Neptunium:
@ your dp... Niagara Falls? Boat ride?

Yes, this past Saturday. Yes (Maid of the Mist Boat Tour). It was phenomenal.

We are talking about japa and this one is talking about return. Brother if you're tired of staying abroad, come back let us exchange passports. You will live here and I will live in your abroad as long as the abroad is not Afghanistan.

Except you want to invest any saved millions of dollars or there is a federal government appointment job waiting for you like Minister, commissioner e.t.c. Many are afraid of returning home.
Why should one return home and face Buhari?


Village people are sometimes responsible for bringing people back home. It could be through a whisper that he forgot something. Or arrange something or an unimportant event in Nigeria that doesn't demands his presence or needs his or her urgent attention. It is when that person get to the Nigerian Airport that they return his senses back to him.

...

Omoh... Make i just leave this country first.
Haba



Meanwhile, I sell and I buy any breed of dog swiftly at a very reasonable price. I also offer boarding and pet care services

Neptunium:
I hear it's quite something

Did you go alone?

It sure is. No.

InTheCloudySky:
Re. his concerns:

Inclusion ― If this is important to him, he has to seek it out himself. He can get involved in his community or at church, or move to another city, state, or province (depending on the country he's in). Bottom line is leaving the country may not be the solution because he may very well experience the same thing in Ghana when he goes back, especially after being away for years.

Women are powerful here ― Women aren't awarded settlements in divorce cases simply because they're women. Several factors will be looked at but typically each situation is unique and treated as such by courts. If he's so concerned about this, he should remain single, or sign a prenup before marriage.

Loss of culture ― When/if he has kids, one of his duties as a parent would be to instill his culture into them. Believe it or not, more and more people are taking pride in their roots. That's why DNA ancestry tests are becoming popular. These days, it's way cooler to say 'I'm American and _________ [insert other nationality]' or 'I'm Canadian and ___________ [insert other nationality]' than just 'I'm American' or 'I'm Canadian'.

Old age ― I was watching a home listing show last week in which a white woman was adamant about buying a new house with a spacious room for her mother (who visits her and her husband every summer for 4-months). The father is late and it was important to her that her mother has a big, comfortable room in their new home. Her husband was very understanding and they ended up finding the perfect home that they were looking for. The point is that the idea that people abroad abandon their old parents in retirement homes, isn't always true. There are some whose parents live with them and who hire caregivers to look after them while they're at work. In any case, older adults are treated much worse in Africa, some by their own kids, who won't hesitate to accuse them of being witches (https://www.nairaland.com/6695362/laws-abandoned-mother#104650184). Things like that don't happen abroad, where there're laws against elder abuse and the gov't spends millions of dollars every year to look after old people.

My people, don’t allow some persons deceive you. The west is a complete capitalist society and it even reflects in senior care.
What this person failed to mention is the number of homeless old people littered everywhere in the abroad that government has ignored.
Even the old people’s homes are of different grades. You will only be taken care of according to how your pocket can provide for you. If your money no reach, you are on your own. And you know it’s not hard to be homeless in the west.

If you want to spend your last days in an old people’s home, start saving money now so you can afford a home with excellent care. Or else…