₦airaland Forum

The other opportunistic fellow that wanted a cheap fare and got hitched with a thief. .
My question is , some folks , God has lifted you, yet, you still want to act needy and broke. There are places, you shouldn't be found, the difference between the cheap Indrive n BoltUber won't be more than 6k..tops 10k.

For instance, food stamps in the USA is basically for people with income problems, now imagine someone earning 6-8,000 dollars monthly still hustling for food stamps.

For the man to press 3 zeros without even realising immediately, shows he's not in lack. , having a poor mentality is not good,

You have the funds, yet, deep down in his heart, he was actively trying to outsmart the other fellow with the fares, he was looking for cheap things, and yes , you got it,he got a cheap driver with a warped value system.


Why is this so? Some shop owners too want to send expensive items , like phones or gadgets worth millions, instead of using a notable courier service - DHL,FedEx. They will go ahead and start looking for Cheap Indrive.. and they have the resources, I still don't understand this behaviour?. God has blessed you, but you are still acting n behaving like a poor person.

Ifeoluwadev:
Let me start by saying this: I know what you are thinking. "This guy don craze." Even my own mother cried when I told her I was coming back.

I left Nigeria in 2019. Got a visa through my company's transfer program, packed two bags, and landed in Manchester on a cold Tuesday morning that nearly killed my Lagos raised soul.

For 5 years, I did everything "right."

Got a better paying job. Sent money home every month. Upgraded my family's life. Got my indefinite leave to remain sorted. On paper, I was living the dream every Nigerian prays for at night.

But last December, I packed those same two bags now four and came back to Lagos.

Here is why.

1. I WAS LONELY IN A WAY I CANNOT FULLY EXPLAIN

Nobody warns you about this.

You can be surrounded by colleagues, housemates, even "friends" and still feel like a ghost. British people are polite but not warm. There is a difference. You will smile at your neighbor for 3 years and never know his first name.

In Lagos, my street alone has more genuine human connection than my entire postcode in Manchester. My landlord's wife used to bring me food when I was sick. My neighbor knew my name within 24 hours.

I did not realize how much I needed that until I did not have it anymore.

2. THE MONEY LOOKED BIG UNTIL IT DIDN'T

Yes, I was earning in pounds. But London/UK cost of living will humble you fast.

Rent: £900/month for a small flat. Food: £400/month if you cook mostly at home. Transport: £200/month. Bills: £150/month.

By the time you finish doing the math, that "big salary" is already half gone before you enjoy anything. And if you have family back home depending on you, which most of us do, you are effectively running two households.

Back in Lagos, with the savings and investments I had built up, I now run a small logistics business. Last month I cleared more in naira than I was taking home in pounds after expenses.

People forget to calculate purchasing power and cost of living when they are dreaming about abroad.

3. I WAS AGEING WITHOUT LIVING
This one is personal.

In the UK, my routine was: wake up, commute, work, come home, cook, sleep, repeat. Weekends were for grocery shopping and rest because Monday was always coming.

In Lagos, even with the chaos, there is LIFE. There is noise and owambe and suya at midnight and people who actually want to sit with you and argue about football for 3 hours. There is color. There is energy.

I went to the UK and became productive. I came back to Nigeria and started actually living.

4. MY PARENTS ARE GETTING OLD
I watched my father shrink over video calls. My mother's hair went completely white in 3 years. They never complained, that is the Nigerian parent way, but I could see it.

No amount of money sent home replaces presence. I know that sounds like something on a greeting card, but I promise you it is true. My father's face when I walked through the door in December is something I will never forget.

I refuse to be the child who shows up for the burial after spending the last good years sending money instead of time.

5. OPPORTUNITY IN NIGERIA IS UNDERRATED
This will be controversial, I know.

But hear me out. Nigeria is hard. The infrastructure is a disaster. Fuel prices are criminal. The government is not your friend.

AND YET, for someone with skill, international exposure, savings, and the willingness to grind, Nigeria rewards you in ways that a saturated Western economy cannot. The competition is not as fierce at the top. The gaps in the market are enormous.

I identified a logistics gap in my area. Started small. Now I have 6 staff and three vehicles. I am building something. In the UK I was building someone else's dream.

THE HONEST DOWNSIDES, I WON'T LIE TO YOU

Light situation is still a spiritual attack. Generator fuel is expensive. The roads want to kill me daily. Some things that should take 30 minutes take 3 days because of bureaucracy. I sometimes miss the simple efficiency of abroad. Ordering something and it actually arrives. Bills that just work.

I am not here to sell you a fantasy. Nigeria is hard. But it is MY hard. And I am building something meaningful inside it.

FINAL WORD

I am not saying don't Japa. If you have the opportunity and you are young, GO. Gather experience, save money, build skills, see the world.

But do not let anyone make you feel like returning home is failure. It is a choice. And for me, it has been the best one I ever made.

I am home. I am building. I am alive.

Need a business website, e-commerce store, or SEO strategy? Let's talk. devifeoluwa@gmail.com | Whatsapp +2348109733031

Drop your questions or your own experience below, let us talk.

Your Number 4 point is very valid. It's a good reason to return. You are very lucky to have your parents.
You are right about the opportunities. Yes, the terrian is tough, but it also offers rewards.
There are various gaps in the business landscape of Nigeria and the ROI is unprecedented.

I

Eazilyfe:
Bro you are talking asif you dont understand simple analogy to explain things, but let me lecture you on biology even if you decide to show ignorance on that part see the attached picture. Most disease are invented in the lab, some disease are contracted by regions thats to show you how nature runs things and humans are just tweaking things to their own taste. Dont use ur moral knowledge to judge all situations.

Don't view sex lightly going forward especially from a standpoint of married women..
Ever heard of "thunderbolt " before. .
I witnessed it happen in one of the southwestern cities months back..
I'm also the type that usually dismiss esoteric stuff , what i witnessed that day. bro, there's dark magic.
The spirit realm operates on legalities." There's no curse causeless." ( this is a saying from the wisest king on Earth).. if you touch the forbidden, there are consequences.

taxiappguy:
I worked there

Does Cabzero have a workshop/maintenance department? Because they can't pair 2 drivers to a car and expect a seamless workflow.

At some point, there will be need for repairs..

taxiappguy:
Fun fact: CabZero is owned by Sterling Bank.

Are you sure? cos that set up doesn't smell corporate banking at all..

Kaymax2222:
did you heard the problem those cheap Chinese EVs being used by lagride is facing? ......I don't trust all this cheap EV to be as durable as the cars we have now

A lot of cabzero cars are grounded. The EVs they bought are cheap n low quality. and I don't understand who sold them that stupid idea of a car working 30 days back to back cos it's EV.

Bolt , Uber n indrive would never invest in cars. They are too smart for that...

Those talking of Cabzero, they have over 30 of their cars grounded presently due to mechanical issues and where their cars are grounded shows the investors never thought of repairs /maintenance, because that ground has no semblance of an organised setup.

Look at their cars, they are the low end rung of EVs. It wasn't built solid. Cheap EVs wont work in ehailing, zero standards. It will break down easily under the rigours of ehailing.

Pearl1910:
EV is d way to go.
EV is d future.
The only problem is the companies are greedy. So because they provide EV car to driver, they now want to charge d driver the fuel money he would have used to work for the day that's why u hear big big amounts as daily returns.
The aim is eventually defeated because the innovation is to reduce stress and running cost but they are now charging d driver again so no point driving an EV cos u will still submit all the money u worked for the day.

d salary is between 150k to 300k. D drivers I ask keep saying different amounts. Maybe they are hiding their salary or target based commissions makes it very.

[My EV plans are still underway, I need 60m to bring in minimum qty of 10 units. [b]

My advise is stick to what's working for you.
EV has no future with ehailing maybe CNG.

Do you have a standby Technical person in case of repairs or a standard workshop.

ksmart027:
In ph, korope delivers 12k daily and 6k on Sundays. While ehailing delivers still deliver 25 to 30k compared to 80k korope delivers.

Just one repair, All your weekly earnings is gone. Investing on ehailing this days doesn't make t.

Imagine, it's just logical for investors to move towards the transport subsectors with better ROI.

dapotemi:
It's a combination of both but I'll agree with you. To be honest, if transportation is really what you want to do, buying a car for ehailing should be the least on ur plan. Most especially if you're not going to be driving it yourself..If you still insist, then you must PLAN well!
An experience but retired driver did something really weird last year. Bought a nig used buy and drive matrix for 4.5m in Oct last year. Did 1m in Oct, 1m in Nov, 1.5m in Dec. Sold it in mid-January after netting 300k, for same amount (4.5m). He say he will rinse and repeat this year. He said he can't drive any other month due to unreasonable price.
One weird way of thinking outside d box if you ask me. He made about 2.5M net!

Keke business too has its own challenges ( responsible rider/operator, diligence of operator among others) according to my sources, they were frank with me. Regardless, ROI is solid.

When I probed further as regards returns about Keke (Ogba- Ishaga axis). I was suprised they were remitting 50k weekly.🤔. I was told similar arrangements apply across Agege, Dopemu, n environs.

I'm like ,no wonder investors have dumped Uber business . Because, how on Earth will Keke be matching rentals with Uber/Bolt vehicles and still expect Investors to be there.
A lot of Uber Investors are licking their wounds, only the brave ones come out to speak of their losses.

Vela01:
I agree with your points, but Struggling to make 1m a year? nah! Don't exaggerate, how will you struggle to make a profit of 1m driving for a year. Haba!
Ibadan drivers sef not fit talk that one, let alone abj and Lagos.

The focus is on investors. Vis a vis ease of getting cars.

8

Gentlelife50:
I am talking about the prices of cars, I don't know what Keke delivers.
4 years ago people still had cars and were looking for drivers but now it's the other way round.

The fares you're complaining about when corrola was sold at 2 million people complained how much more now that the 2 million can't even clear a corolla from wharf?
If you like be defending bad leaders, everything boils down to bad leaders!

No one is defending any leader..I'm saying the fares are not matching up.. Fares on Ehailing has been static..

Patching of tyres is 1500.. 2023. I bought tyre 195R15. 9,000. Right now it's 18-19k.
Spare parts of cars is on the increase.
So, investors are not seeing that ROI.

How can you invest 5 million naira and you are struggling to even make a profit of 1 million as an investor in a year.
Is that business?..

That's why most investors who are interested in transportation have left the Uber /Bolt sphere..

Gentlelife50:
Imagine, some people sef.
Don't give up, you will see.
Cars weren't this scarce until these Bala blue people came on board.

I

It's not Bala buleu. It's the ROI due to the poor fares of the app companies. . Keke Marwa, Danfo are being bought in hundreds n given out by investors...

How can Keke be remitting the same rental with an Uber vehicle...
Any wise investor can't inject vehicles at the fares the app companies are setting n expect to make a profit. It doesn't add up.

And if you do strong head as an investor. Uber/Bolt would have taken 25-30% off the labour of the car and leave you, the investor to lick your wounds.. Wisdom is profitable to direct.

Eazilyfe:
128K after deduction of 40K for fuel & others i got 88K on Uber with some other short trips on Indrive

Alright. That's good.more wins ahead..👍

Eazilyfe:
My Total net profit on Toyota 2009 Matrix is 88K with 40K fuel on Uber. Most Uber riders dey always ask for AC.

I think our profit margin is similar with 60-68% boss.

You mean 48k profit driving for one week using a 2009 matrix.🤔

capetownboyz:
My car just got a abs sensor issue problem , break lights keeps going and off and making it hard to break when a loud siren 🚨 sounds comes on and then it goes off ..checking the engine I saw that oil was leaking under the abs .I was told the price of a Camry 2008 hybrid Abs , mehn I’m quite out of enough funds to afford one now , so I’m asking if the abs can be repaired or part replaced for easier repairs than buying a new one or how do I fix this issue , cause I need to get back to work ..

Are you on any of the WhatsApp groups. You could easily get a referral from those who have experienced such.. I'm sure it can be salvaged pending when you can get to buy a new one. There's another option to bypass it., this is a last resort , your mechanic will advise you better.

That's the reality, the app companies don't show you when they advertise huge earnings on social media. Huge maintenance fees for certain vehicle brands.
Car repairs is on the high side.. it literally competes for your earnings if you are not careful. As a driver , going and driving to all destinations in Lagos is not advisable.

Mechanics and spare parts dealers won't share the same sentiments app companies use in crashing fares.

tobby98:
I don't know how you guys do it o but i am strictly on comfort. I don't even change it at all. If I need a destination trip I use Indrive, with 5 very nice trips especially long ones, you're good for the day

There are low fares on Comfort too. Most times, you don't observe.. Cross examine the distance with your fares. Do you get 550-600/ km on the so called Comfort..?

Pearl1910:
There is really no shade for this Chief.
Hardex no be better oil, u can't be bragging with hardex. quote me anywhere. U can drain it at 1k km that's ur choice but that doesn't mean if u use original extended performance synthetic oil u can't use it till 10k miles.
Dru isn't telling u to use synthetic and flush it out at 3k km. So it's not like he is marketing his product. He is just saying the truth. If u use original oil, it can carry u till 7k miles on ehailing and even way more if it's private use

He started the shade by quoting me and stating that you hide something in books for a black man and ended "I come in peace". Does that look like a peaceful man to you? .. ..
Recall, that's the same issue he had with @BAZ001. Before Baz001 gave him gaza gaza.. you can't shade personalities. Let him state his opinion n move on.

and I'm not bragging about Hardex.. it's labelled synthetic, isn't it. ? and I have used it for 4 years ..so at least I can qualify to offer a review. To me, it has been very fantastic. The issue wasn't about the value of the oil rather than frequency of oil change.

I still maintain, an old engine is an old engine. Regular oil change tends to preserve the life of the engine.

Why are we even dragging this? Let everyone do what suits him..

dru23:
Me na talk and do . I like to do show and improve. Whether na kabu u dey or not changing oil at your recommended advice na waste of time and money..

If using high mileage and original full synthetic oil you can change at least 7k miles. Changing oil interval like u mentioned is only advisable if you dey use your motor carry load or use am dey haul, which will stress the engine and transmission....

As you dey u no fit afford the engine oil business i do. U no get the capital or the logistics. No be lie I dey talk my brother. Stick to ur Uber business...

Everybody dey great in their own lane... Dey ur own lane

Which engine oil business are you yapping about..?
They should drain engine oil at 7000miles . .on ehailing..that's an equivalent 11,000km. . A car should cover 11,000km before they drain oil on ehailing ..
Look at the advise of the educated black man. . Arrogant and empty.

I also use synthetic Hardex 5w20.n regardless of what they talk about extended miles.
I drop the .oil 2500-3000km.

Why are you pained? No one is going to stop your sales, so relax and stop stressing yourself.. educated black man.

O

dru23:
My 2011 Infiniti G25X . I dey drive average around 20k miles a year . I use Mobil 1 high mileage. And my engine no dey short oil .. my current mileage now is 204k Miles.......... The engine is very quiet sometimes I can't tell if the engine is even running......... I change the oil every 10k miles,but essentially na 7k supposed change am

Use quality engine oil and it will reduce or eliminate oil shorten.... Many of you guys dey buy cheap oil ....

My 2016 Honda Civic with over 160k no dey short . I dey change oil every 7k miles......d car dey run like mad and very quiet . Na high mileage oil 0w20 I dey use ran am


Education is very important..... U want hide something from black people put inside book .. I come peacefully

Don't go ballistic. No one is after your Engine oil business.. I see you ran to Google to pick screenshots n narratives favouring your position.
Talking about education, you ran to AI as your source.. .. and you think you are the educated one. ?... Get some sense now..

you should know there are certain premises that are neither black nor white but absolutely on the prevailing circumstances at that moment.

I'm just saying. An old engine is an old engine. Using synthetic doesn't mean anything, especially if it runs commercially... Is your car also running commercially? Do you use them to do kabu -kabu..
I marvel at drivers covering 6000-7000km without an oil change , lying to themselves about synthetic bullshit..
An old 20-23 year old engine expecting to run like a brand new engine.

A lot of drivers run to buy synthetic thinking it's going to save them from the cost of changing oils..

An old car is an old car ,regardless of the appellation, Tokunbo ooh / foreign used especially when it's been used for commercial activities( ehailing).
The ideal mileage to change your oil is 2500-3000km. Which is even far less on the dashboard cos most Dashboard is configured in miles..

How do you drive a car for more than 2 month without oil change on ehailing and not expect the oil to shorten?. 20 - 23 year old vehicles.....

Regular oil change is one of the ways to prolong the life of the engine.

chidifrank:
just bought the car as tokunbo and its my first oil change which I was told to use 5w30 semi synthetic. So I just started using it

When was the last time you changed the oil? How many months ago before this change?.

Who bought the oil? and where did you buy it?

Kumuyiii:
its strange to you becus ure not a billionaire and probably havent done business at scale to understand the economic nuances and intricacies that exists. There's not a single billionair that lives in nigeria full time, they might visit often, but never live here. Even ur president no dey stay nigeira , lmao

Don't tell me you have Comprehension issues?
The focus here is to Japa as a billionaire.. I.e to leave the country indefinitely..

Nelochukwu:
What are you doing in a foreign land? Are seriously asking this question? Iz like u haven't handled real money before cause if u have seen some money u will first think of abroad atleast to vacation. Not even japa just to go breathe sane oxygen not this shit hole.

Cause a shit hole is a shit hole. Even if u gold plate it iz still a shit hole and shit must pass tru that hole regardless of the gold plating

Read to understand.. when I meant leave. It's in the context of Japa.

Nelochukwu:
In Norway d professional worker earned that much. Tha average workers earns 80k-100k euros. I mean workers with papers not dagbo workers. For example for starters in Norway ur first job (no experience) can earn u 60k euros per year. Italy, Spain Portugal not so good with pay but Denmark Sweden Norway perfect

In america dey pay even more for professionals and d average worker with papers earn more.

2k -5k euros/ monthly is the average salary range across Europe for jobs.
I'm suprised where you got your 100k euros/annum

As a struggling youth, yes , you can japa if you have the funds..
But as a billionaire.. it's strange. Because what are you going to be doing in a foreign land.

Kaymax2222:
very correct 💯

Funke Akindele, her recent movie just grossed 1 billion naira in sales.. Just within the local cinemas in the Nigerian market ..
Yes, she's not a billionaire. But if you ask her at her level to Japa? She will be like. Japa to go and do what?

Talk less of a billionaire.

I'm not happy with the present government. Because they seem not concerned with the plight of the masses...

But the question is, it's not a matter of party or who's leading. Nigerians as a whole, we are not patriotic . If something is going to benefit the Nation or a state, but it's going to affect a select few individuals.. such individuals are ready to destroy the system because of their selfish gains...

A typical case is the Dangote refinery versus the importers.
Why should we import what can be sourced locally?

Kumuyiii:
Someone earning 50k euros lives the same life a billionaire would live in Nigeria. He doesn't need 200k

You obviously don't know what a billionaire is in Nigeria..
Comparing 50k euros earner to a billionaire. Who's now the myopic one?

Kumuyiii:
Ure myopic, education and research will avert such statements.... Many countries offer FAR MOREEE conducive business clime than Nigeria... Billionaire clueless, in the same sentence, lol na agbo?

You obviously don't understand what I'm saying. Why will a billionaire leave Nigeria?. Nigeria offers a higher ROI on investment than any European country you are touting. You can take this to the bank...

There are a lot of billionaires in Nigeria that have poor taste. Very clueless.. they don't know how to leverage on their wealth to get waivers as regards international travel.

I dont think a billionaire will leave Nigeria.. leave for where? To do what?

O

Nelochukwu:
You don't get it bro. Billionaire in Naira is not billionaire in dollars. You will be shocked how many billionaires we have in Nigeria. In festac alone sef make we no go far and I'm telling u that the average billionaire will not pray to be treated in Nigeria. Cases of high profile hospital still doing rubbish talk less of normal hospitals.

Do u know how many people die in this country from nonsense? Either substandard drugs, injection etc. even with ur billions u will still purchase fake products at a premium price.

What I understand from his definition of pay check to pay check is not what u think. He means just a regular average worker in a place like Norway etc is far better than a billionaire in Nigeria esp as regards to basic amenities available to both.

That average worker sef no small ooo. Prolly earning 200k euros per year. Not bad bro

The average worker in Europe can't earn 200k euros/year. It's impossible.
Workers just earn to live a normal life. The wage structure is meant to just keep you in the system.