₦airaland Forum

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.

| Item | 2019 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Bag of rice (50kg) | ₦18,000 | ₦85,000+ |
| Cooking gas (12.5kg) | ₦3,500 | ₦18,000+ |
| Groundnut oil (4 litres) | ₦2,800 | ₦12,000+ |
| Tomatoes (paint bucket) | ₦800 | ₦5,000+ |
| Full chicken | ₦2,500 | ₦10,000+ |
| Big loaf of bread | ₦350 | ₦1,500+ |

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.

Toolegit123:
Good day everyone out there.

Lately, I have been traumatized. Like so depressed. My fiancee and I have been together for over 2 years and we've been planning to take the next step,which is our marriage arrangements.

But recently,I have noticed how she has been distancing herself from me. Though we had a little quarrels not quite long ago,but I really wanted to settle things up. And unfortunately, before I could calm things up,I noticed she had blocked me on Whatsapp.

Now,the pain in me,is that I've tried to talk to her,but she seems like who doesn't want to listen to me and it's really hitting hard on me.

This is someone who has always been toxic and disrespectful to me,but whenever I try t walk away completely from her,i always find myself going back to her. And I'm so tired and fed up with the whole thing.

I have tried to walk away,like forget about everything we've together in the past but the healing process hasn't been easy. I really want my peace of mind back. Please,has anyone been in this kind of situation before? How did you navigate yourself through it. Please,help a brother in need.

Dominzyloaded:
Only legends can relate
Genz step aside

Lasveg:
An imaginary God/Jesus will always need people to be defending its existence.

AqualinaXYZ:
This man and HIV news



E go shock una say this guy no even get HIV



Everyday u go dey put fear for person body

SpaceX:
Only weak men take women seriously, they are mostly for recreational purposes only.

mejai:
Na wa o. USA please come and bomb us back to stone age. Let's start a fresh. This one na renewed suffering. Gosh!!!

WriterNig:
😂 🤣 😭 🤣 😂 🤣


I guess Nazi Germany is now Sweden then. Since Russia did not fight Germany.

Stop fooling and pick up a book. Russia defeated the formidable Nazi Germany. Eliminating 85% of the Nazis.

Creamypie:
yet, Russia couldn't fight Germany in ww2, infact, russia was only concerned about loberating those parts of soviet union under German occupation, like kharkov and stalingrad, until u.s entered after bombing of pearl harbor by Japan. They declared operation overlord and executed it on June 6, 1944 by midnight.in 2 weeks to one month, u.s liberated Spain, France Poland, nethelerland, england and many more.don't say what u don't know

WriterNig:
🇷🇺 🐻 ❤️

Poor and weak countries fear the US & NATO. While the most powerful nations on earth (US/NATO) fear Russia.

What does that make Russia?

Mind you, the West have been afraid of Russia long before Nuclear weapons even existed.

Russia defeated Nazi Germany without nukes.

Northernblood7:
My problem with this man is that he supported gays and lesbians. Sharp contrast to what Bible says.

Bible says Even the devil appears as the angel of light

Maliqcious:
Relax everything you said it so false that you need a brain reset. All over world your people are known for bringing bad name to your our dear country and the continent. Well, your tribesmen is the reason why we in this mess called Nigeria. Because of greed. Nobody brags like your people? In school I have never seen an Igbo man over all best. If you want to talk further I would give you name of people of Edo origin who has help contributed to the U.S. My people can never feel intimidated in anyway firstly we don’t worship money, we are so blessed and the blessings still on us. We still love your people even though your short fuse still brings out the stupidity in you check among all the tribe in southern Nigeria nobody still shows you love like we do?

Maliqcious:
no tribe minority like the 3rd alleged most populous tribe in Nigeria

Maliqcious:
no tribe minority like the 3rd alleged most populous tribe in Nigeria

Maliqcious:
no tribe minority like the 3rd alleged most populous tribe in Nigeria

Hotfreezing:
Begging for freedom
Cry marginalisation
Your entire 5 states can't even produce President
You are tied indoors every Monday
Your type surrendered as defeated people and signed instrument of surrender.
Your ancestors died of kwashiokor and starvation
My ancestors sold your ancestors.

Yet, you want me to reply you?

Naah

Hotfreezing:
You're the first and last akpu slave I will reply here.
My ancestors sold your ancestors as slaves.

https://www.nairaland.com/6663008/how-bini-used-sold-igbos

If not for civilisation, I would have bought your entire family and lined them up to be singing for me as I sleep tonight.

jamoyakz:
GTbank tried during the yuletide season when it comes to their ATM dispensing cash

Thundafireseun:
I pity who takes this gold diggers seriously….

They all have toasters …. But she is only crying because the kinda man she is expecting hasn’t come her way yet…

I see them every day….

Gold diggers

WannaHowzit:
20 won't still be enough - 60 of the 100 are South African 🇿🇦🏆🏆🏆🏆 Talk about total domination!

franchasofficia:
Lol, Russia using outdated military technology, I am just waiting for the day Mputin will foolishly try to use USSR ancient outdated nuclear weapon, believe me, it will mistakenly explode in his bedroom


People that can't accurate guide ordinary drone given to them by ordinary Iran, na the people weh wan measure prick with the great America, anyway dog weh wan loss no de hear the hunter whistle

MrPOTUS:



Make Russia no go nuke Ukraine o,

Putin na mad man o.

Zonefree:
I detest rapists, gays, feminists and simps. If I have my way I'll move all of them closer to the sun.