Ifeoluwadev: Before anybody calls me a liar or a complainer, sit down and read this first. Because I have numbers. And numbers don't lie.
In 2019, I was earning ₦150,000 per month. Junior staff. I was not rich at all. But I was comfortable. I could breathe.
Today in 2026, I earn ₦500,000 per month. On paper that is more than 3x growth. I should be living large. I should have savings. I should be talking about investments by now.
Instead I am broke before the 25th of every month.
Let me show you exactly why.
THE NAIRA ITSELF In 2019, one dollar was roughly ₦360. Today in 2026, one dollar is over ₦1,500.
The naira has lost about 75% of its value against the dollar in 7 years. So anything imported, whether electronics, medicine, baby products or even some food, now costs 4 times what it used to.
My ₦500k today equals roughly $333. My ₦150k in 2019 was worth roughly $416.
Read that again.
I earn more naira but fewer dollars. In real purchasing power I have gone backwards even though my salary tripled on paper.
FOOD
In 2019, I fed myself comfortably for around ₦30,000 per month. Decent food, market twice a week, occasionally a small restaurant.
Today that same lifestyle costs me at least ₦120,000 and that is me managing carefully.
My food budget went up by 400%. My salary went up by 233%. The food is winning.
RENT
In 2019, I paid ₦350,000 per year for a decent one bedroom in a Lagos suburb. That is about ₦29,000 per month if you break it down.
Today that same apartment, same area, same size, same leaking ceiling, is ₦1.2 million per year. That is ₦100,000 per month equivalent.
I now spend 20% of my gross salary on rent alone. And landlords still want one to two years upfront. So every renewal season I need to drop over ₦1 million at once like I am buying land.
ELECTRICITY AND GENERATOR In 2019, NEPA was bad but manageable. Fuel was ₦145 per litre. My monthly gen fuel was around ₦8,000.
Today petrol is close to ₦1,500 per litre. My monthly generator fuel alone is ₦45,000. And NEPA is still giving me the same 4 hours they gave me in 2019. Nothing changed on their side except the bills went up.
TRANSPORT
Bus from my estate to office in 2019 was ₦150 each way. That is ₦300 per day, about ₦6,600 per month.
Same route today is ₦700 minimum each way. ₦1,400 per day. Nearly ₦31,000 per month.
Ride hailing? Multiply that by three. I now spend between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000 every month just moving my body from home to work and back.
SO WHERE DOES THE ₦500K GO?
| Expense | Monthly | |---|---| | Rent (broken down monthly) | ₦100,000 | | Food and groceries | ₦120,000 | | Generator fuel | ₦45,000 | | Transport | ₦35,000 | | NEPA bill | ₦18,000 | | Airtime and data | ₦12,000 | | Toiletries and misc | ₦20,000 | | Tithe | ₦25,000 | | **Total** | **₦375,000+** |
That leaves me ₦125,000 for savings, emergencies, hospital, clothes, sending money home, school fees if you have children, and anything unexpected.
In 2019 on ₦150,000, my total expenses were under ₦90,000 and I had ₦60,000 left. That leftover was worth $167 at the time. My ₦125,000 leftover today is worth $83.
I saved more real money when I earned less. That is not a feeling. That is arithmetic.
THE PART NOBODY TALKS ABOUT Beyond the numbers, what has changed is how money feels.
In 2019, seeing ₦100,000 in my account felt like safety. Like I had options. Like I could breathe easy.
Today I see ₦500,000 land on payday and my first feeling is anxiety, not happiness. Because I immediately start calculating what is owed, what is running out, what will still not be enough.
That shift from feeling okay to feeling like you are always one emergency away from trouble, even as your salary grows, is what this economy has quietly done to the Nigerian middle class.
We are not imagining things. We are not lazy. We are not bad at managing money. We are just running on a treadmill that keeps speeding up.
MY QUESTION TO NAIRALANDERS: What was your salary in 2019 and what is it today? Are you genuinely better off or are you like me, earning more and living less?
Drop your numbers in the comments. No judgement for anybody. Let us count together.
Good one. When the govt borrows and their family and friends loot them away, inflation is how they steal from you, impoverish so they can keep borrowing and continue to maintain their opulence.
And to make matters worse, the govt keeps borrowing like it's nobody's business.
You just haven't pointed to any reason for divorce from this epistle which suggests that maybe you are the problem.
Probably admiring someone else or taking counsel from friends or comparing your man with other people.
Do him a favour. The soon you let him go the better. Because people like you who are half involved will only continue to break the other person mentally over time. I can imagine his frustration of doing the best he can but just never understanding why you seem distant.
They sold most of you a wrong notion of marriage. It's not a union where all your problems are solved, but rather a union where members try to find solution to life's many problems together.
A married woman trying to leave her marriage because she no longer gets butterflies is irresponsible
rickpat: 30m a year na still big money na...if NET end up at 25m sef..na big money..except the person no sabi use money
If you live in Lagos, supporting a family of 3 and maybe parents, you would realise that even with that much you will struggle to buy a car.
Just 3 years ago, you could get a decent, direct toks car for 3M. Now, same quality of cars go for 10M+. Question is who is taking all that money out of your pocket? The govt. directly stealing from you in the name of taxing importation.
To cook any small meal today, you have to buy 1000 naira pepper. Freaking 1000 Naira. Same quantity of pepper used to go for 100# just 2 to 3 years ago.
Cost of stables 10X and 5x, but average earning maybe 1.5X.
To provide electricity in Lagos for a house with 1 freezer and 1 fridge, your monthly cost would be a little shy of 100K.
Let the poor breath. But accountability is enforced, they're never given.
Well, he has a track record of delivering. I wish him well. If he pulls this off, this will be the most ambitious undertaking by the state since its Inception.
With an abundant supply of coal, and a governor with the will, financing should not be that difficult to pull in especially considering that the project would generate massive cashflow when completed.
Water supply is actually a very big deal especially in our kind of country where infrastructures are left to decay before ever attended to. Most of Nigeria live on self supply, but when the ground doesn't have enough water for borehole drilling, then it requires strategic effort and clear commitment.
The yeye woman still sat inside the car comfortably. And to even open her useless mouth and say she went to a massage parlour with a politician in a hotel.
adenigga: Bishops under the aegis of the Ecumenical Synods of Bishops, Archbishops, Apostles and Senior Clergy have disagreed with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, over his warning that men should not marry women who cannot cook.
Adeboye gave the warning while sharing marital guidelines for young men during the May edition of the Holy Ghost Service on Saturday.
He cautioned that marrying based solely on beauty or ignoring practical considerations could lead to what he described as a “deep trap.”
The cleric stressed that spiritual discernment and domestic competence should take precedence over physical attraction and social status, warning men not to be carried away by outward appearance.
He said, “There are many demons that are very beautiful. If you marry because of beauty, you might choose a demon. I’m not saying all beautiful people are demonic. If it’s beauty alone that leads you into marriage, it’s a deep trap.
Citing Sarah and the Shunamite woman as biblical examples of hospitable cooks, Adeboye said, “Don’t marry a girl who cannot cook. We are talking of excellent counsel. Only I can tell you these things. Even if a prophet says this is your wife, if she can’t cook, say ‘Thank you, keep her.’”
Commenting on the warning, the International Secretary of the Bishops, Archbishop Osazee William, disagreed with Adeboye’s position, describing it as an opinion rather than a scriptural standard.
William, while speaking with Sunday PUNCH said, “Is it scriptural for a man not to marry a woman who cannot cook? Even men can cook. This is not directly opposing the father of faith, who is a revered God’s general, but this is an opinion.”
The President of the International Fellowship of Ecumenical Ministries argued that cooking ability should not be used as a major yardstick for marriage, noting that character and values are more important.
He added that individuals who lack cooking skills could learn over time, stressing that marriage decisions should be based on broader qualities.
“What about a good cook that is a witch? What about a woman who can cook and becomes obsessed with cooking to the extent that she loses character? You can know how to cook and not be neat or hygienic. Man shall not live by bread alone.
“If a person does not know how to cook, the person can learn. You can even buy a cookery book. I think the yardstick for marrying is a good, godly and industrious character.”
According to him, economic realities have also reshaped family roles, with some women serving as breadwinners and having limited time for domestic duties.
“There are so many women who are breadwinners and do not have time to cook. You can be a good cook and all you know is cooking and nothing else. Men need more than delicious meals. Such a career woman only needs to employ a good cook,” he added.
Earlier at the programme, Adeboye also advised men to reconsider marriage plans if a prospective bride insists on a wedding that could plunge them into debt.
On personal appearance, the cleric warned against excessive use of cosmetics, including false hair, eyelashes and nails, urging men to look beyond outward beauty.
“Don’t marry a girl who does not do things in moderation. No matter how close you are to a wedding and your girl is suggesting a wedding that is going to cost you everything you have and get you into debt, call it off.
“The girl you are going to marry must not be heavily made up. If you look at the girl, the hair on her head is from India. The eyelashes are false. The nails of the hand are false. The nails of the toes are false. You must ask yourself the question, ‘What is behind the mask?”
Citing the Bible, he added that excessive makeup could be a sign of concealment, referencing the character Jezebel in 2 Kings 9:30–37.
Adeboye is 💯 correct on this one. I pity men that settle for women that can't cook. In this age of YouTube, a woman has no reason not knowing how to cook.
And as time passes, very few things will be available to the man. He would have lost most of his friends and social networks from being isolated by his wife and trying to raise children. Sex drive and strength would have dropped. The one thing that can still make him happy for real is a woman that can make the house smell good sweet aroma from the kitchen.
Don't fall for the cheap and lazy trap of I cannot cook or I don't like to cook.
chigopat1977: This is one of the commonest activities which spread HIV and Hepatitis B but even the learned Nigerians do not know. Most of them thinks it’s a show of class to have Aboki cut your nails.
Absolute trash. If this can transfer hiv, then half of the population in the north would have gone by now
It is a slow, quiet way to suffer with dignity. And the worst part?
People will still argue with you and say, “manage it well.” Manage what exactly?
Let’s strip emotions and face numbers: You wake up every morning already owing life.
🏠 Rent — even in “affordable” areas, when you break it down monthly, you’re spending almost half your income just to have a roof. Not comfort. Just shelter.
🍲 Food — this one is no longer about eating well. It’s now about what you can skip. You start negotiating with hunger: “Should I eat twice today?” “Can I drink garri and sleep?”
🚗 Transport — going to work now costs enough to make you question why you even have the job.
📶 Data — without it, you’re cut off from opportunities, information, even basic communication. But it still takes a chunk out of the same ₦100k.
Now tell me… After all this, what is left? Nothing. No savings. No investments. No future plan.
Just a cycle: Work → Spend → Survive → Repeat And then life happens…
Someone falls sick. Family needs support. Something breaks.
That’s when reality hits hard: ₦100k is not just small… it is dangerous. Because it keeps you alive, but never lets you move forward.
Now let’s talk about the bigger picture.
Since the current administration came in, policies have been introduced that hit directly at the average Nigerian:
Fuel subsidy removal — transport costs exploded overnight.
Naira instability — prices of goods climbed like they had no ceiling.
Electricity tariffs — rising.
Food prices — unbearable.
Everything increased at once. But salaries?
They stayed where they were… or barely moved. So what does that mean in real life? It means: The same work now gives you less value The same effort now buys you less food The same salary now gives you more stress
People are not lazy. People are being squeezed.
You see it everywhere: Graduates taking any job just to survive.
Workers skipping meals to balance bills.
Families reducing quality of life quietly.
Young people losing hope.
And then someone says ₦100k is enough? No.
It’s not enough to live. It’s not enough to grow. It’s not enough to dream. It is only enough to endure. This is not just a complaint.
This is a question: What kind of country do we want? One where: Hard work still leads to suffering? Full-time workers still live like dependents? Survival becomes the national standard? Because every election is not just about politics. It’s about:
your rent your food your future
If a system consistently makes life harder for the average person, then the real question is not “can we cope?”
The real question is:
“How long do we keep accepting it?” Think about it.
My bro. It's not even worth considering, but to each their own.
In 2017 I was earning 120k and could comfortably fly return ticket Abuja Lagos every other month.
I was living very fine on that modest pay.
When we tell people APC openly steals from them, it's hard for people to understand to scope. All Tinubu cares is impose direct and indirect tax on already tax-laden citizens.
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I'm scheduled for an implant sometime this month. I have only being chewing with one side of my mouth for some time now, an implant is far better than outright removal. I was very relieved when that option was recommended by the doctor and the procedure isn't even that expensive; about 190k.
Dude is a registered gaaaaaay democrats member....... Cum teacher
Na them dey teach students nonsense for school
You see that party, na evil to humanity
Same LGBT people killed Charlie Kirk. This fool just wasted his parents money. Imagine studying mechanical engineering and masters in computer science in the US only to wind up as a classroom teacher.
He ain't teaching shit. Just indoctrinating the children. He will have a long stay behind bars. Enough time to have all the dicx behind his ass.
Abraham Lincoln's words come to life: "I can understand how men can look down the earth and say there's no God, but I cannot understand how anyone can look up to the skies and say there's no God."
Another common saying: When people first encounter natural sciences, they do so as atheist, But as they dig deeper, at the very bottom of the discipline, God awaits.
That explains why most of the brightest scientist, the ones who have discovered theories and changes the course of science are people of deep faith, not photo-ops scientists like degrasse
And then there's the insignificant tiktok content creator, who started earning dollars and suddenly finds their voice in abusing everything sacred. The fools say in their hearts, there's no God.
onatisi: How many people know how to use all these ai tools ? You think just because people can browse the net means they are tech savvy? Only few people that takes the pain to learn will actually know how to use these powerful ai tools
You haven't caught up yet. Even the most none-technical people I know these days use AI. Like, do you not see fliers random people post on WhatsApp and how clean they look? AI makes these things super easy.
Mattswaggz: The earlier these guys understand that all these trying to be politically correct, promoting of LGBTQ, being soft on extremists within their territories will only lead to internal destruction....the better it will be for them and that's exactly what Trump is working in earnest to see that it doesn't happen in America though it looks like it's almost too late.....America will need someone like him to continue after his tenure for his dreams to manifest but the big question is if there is anyone like that and if he/she will be the one replacing Trump.
Could in all honesty be late. Look at campaign of hate unleashed by so-called conservatives (wolves) like Tucker. Hopefully a strong candidate wins after him, but even if they don't, Trump would have already done his best. Posterity would be kind to him.
Mattswaggz: As him jam strong head Trump him don day calm down.....him been think say Trump send anybody before not knowing that for Trump book , "if you price you go pay" regardless of who you think you are......see how the mentality they're preaching is making Europe weaker by the day while Trump is trying to destroy that mentality in America he has been facing lots of adversaries because of how short sighted most of them are.... They don't know that Trump has foreseen the repercussion of all this madness and he is trying his best to reverse it..... regardless of whether the next president will continue where he stopped or reverse most of his policies or not is for fate to decide but for Trump, at least he has washed his hands off any future decay of America.
Someone that understands the matter. God bless you.
As a catholic, the pope's hypocrisy is nauseating. You have giant walls and the tightest securities guarding the Vatican, yet a sovereign country like America cannot build a fence to protect its sovereignty?
The same pope never spoke a word even as Nigerian catholic priest are kidnapped, Christian churches burnt down, communities ransacked and cleansed by islamic forces,
Suddenly the pope finds his voice for islam. It's the same global Marxist ideologues that has weakened Europe. The pope is no different from Soros, he's just hiding under the church.
God will protect his church from wolves in sheep's clothing
If these murders, rapist, cold-killers, deserve to be free, who then are the people in our prisons? Yahoo boys? Thieves? This is an indictment on our criminal justice system.
Saturnalia: The thing is, why must anybody insult someone else’s god?
Why can’t they just resist the demonic urge of insulting what others hold onto as their gods?
Why can’t you just live and let other’s live?
You will go and find the trouble that is bigger than your papa and then turn around and start crying foul when the consequences of your actions come biting.
So what if I don't? You'll kill me? That's why we say Islam is barbaric and not compliant with civil modernity. You just proved the point that all Muslims are terrorists regardless of moderate or extreme status.
SixSeven: I thought this post was from one of the blogs but I'm still finding it hard to believe he actually said this. It's a lie.
He is right in the fact that it is actually governors who have more of the work to do and we put so much blame on the FG but the timing of the statement when people just died is wrong. It's your country Goddammit man, you don't say that when people have died regardless of whether the Governors are responsible or not.
Make this make sense👇
According to the President, his administration was determined to put a stop to killings of innocent citizens of the North central state.
“To you leaders, I’ve had this to refute (sic) you. “There is nothing I can give you, whether money in billions, but console you and promise you that this experience will not repeat itself.
How is it governors when the police in your state are controlled by Abuja. This is exactly why we say give the fuckin states an autonomous police. Since the fed has proven to be inept in matters of security of lives and properties, then return that to the states so governors can plan their security and protect the interests of their states.
Alternatively, allow the citizens the option to carry arms . The only reason these murders would do what they do is because they know very well these locals have no arms for fighting back.
Cum4me: All this mummies boy that has been brainwashed by religion will always caused issues with beautiful ladies. OGA waistbide is African fashion it's our way of dressing. Must everything be diabolical. I love my woman with waistbid. Do you think if a woman wants to hurt you diabolical will use through waistbit. What about food and others thing's she dose for you. Una done too carry religion and western world life full head. Now everything about out fashion looks diabolic to you guys. It's a pity
My man, we profile for a reason. A significant number of lesbians wear leg chain. Now that doesn't mean all leg chain wearing women are lesbian. But as a man, if my woman wears leg check I'll watch her closely. The dress style that appeals to you says a lot about you
James4358: I forgave her, but how can I forget? I was using my wife's Sim card for data, and the pastor dropped a text that he just remembered the style my wife gave him, and it made his pennis to stand. This was 2am at night o. I just came out of depression not long ago. She is even having problems with conception. It's a scar I'll leave with till I die
Omo, na to go church on Sunday, climb alter read out that text to congregation
FreeStuffsNG: It is not a religion thing. If it is religious, US that identify itself as a christian country will not be the capital of racism in the world.
I doubt if you even know that there black Arabs that are ethnically blacks!
And you honestly believe US is the racism capital of the world. No country in the world is more accommodating than the US. Not even any African country or European country.
ManirBK: Most Christians don't know that Jewish people don't believe in Jesus Christ may peace be upon him.
Every Christian knows. You're just the shallow one here. Peace be upon him, but you declared war and hell on his disciples. The delulu of islam is unmatched
shoodboi2: Israel should return Lebanese land before Lebanon recognizes it.
The irony is that a major part of Lebanon belongs to Israel and they released it for peace to reign. Israel has been to generous with its neighbours and as you can very well tell, enough is enough. If anybody fvcks around, they gonna find out
Business › Re: I Earn ₦500,000/month But I Am Poorer Than When I Was Earning ₦150,000 In 2019 by mobi5592: 6:53am On Jun 08
