₦airaland Forum

79733139:
UK is not the only destination when people japa, there are other countries and people have different skill sets and can also learn new skills.

Yes skills like bricklaying, carpentry n wood work, plumbing, painting, welding with years of experience in Nigeria

fullclub:
Insightful. Can u list a few of those countries

Austria and Germany.

I actually mean skills like, bookkeeping (with knowledge of construction accounting), data analytics, business intelligence analytics, web development, quantity surveying/construction estimating etc.

fullclub:
Yes skills like bricklaying, carpentry n wood work, plumbing, painting, welding with years of experience in Nigeria

OkanlawonB:
Austria and Germany.

Modified
You gon learn . UK is actually the easiest and cheapest oo . Germany pof is almost 12k€ locked for one year . You no fit run dagbo oo because they must confirm that pof digitally . No allow any agent scam you with fake German pof letter oo

79733139:
I actually mean skills like, bookkeeping (with knowledge of construction accounting), data analytics, business intelligence analytics, web development, quantity surveying/construction estimating etc.

These are also on the UK skills shortage list:
5313 Bricklayers
Bricklayer
Block setter
Chimney builder
Floor stone Layer
Kiln repairer
5316 Carpenters and joiners
Carpenters
Carpenter and joiner
Joiner
Kitchen fitter
Shop fitter
5322 Wall Tilers and Floorers
5422 Printers

fullclub:
The debate around relocating abroad (“Japa”) has intensified after media personality Dele Momodu claimed that anyone who spends ₦30 million to leave Nigeria is a fool. His statement sparked mixed reactions online, with some agreeing while others says that that 30 million is nothing compared to the financial reward that comes with japa

Having lived in the UK for some time now, I’ll share an honest perspective on the financial reality of life here, especially for those considering selling anything just for relocation.

Breaking Down Earnings in the UK

For context, I work an average of 36 hours per week (9 hours daily for 4 days), meaning in a month, I clock 144 hours of work.

Minimum wage in the UK is £11.44 per hour, and most employers are required to pay this, except in cases like apprenticeships.
144 hours × £11.44 = £1,647.36 per month
After tax deductions, which depend on factors like number of jobs and tax codes, my take-home pay is around £1,479.55.


Monthly Expenses in the UK
Here’s a breakdown of my fixed monthly costs:

House rent – £700
Gas & electricity – £120
Council tax – £110
Water bill – £43.46
Food – £200
Transport – £140
Phone bill – £52 (for two people

Total expenses: £1,365.46
Remaining balance: £114.09

Note: food is extremely cheap and affordable unlike in Nigeria. That's why most that relocated after few months they look revived and fresh

Now, factor in additional responsibilities. We send £150 monthly to family back home in Nigeria. My wife, who works part-time (two days per week because of our baby as leaving the children will risk losing them to the governmen), earns about £732 per month, which we try to save, though unforeseen expenses (baby food, transport, etc.) often reduce our savings to around £500 per month.
Aside this we spent over 4000 pounds this year alone for health insurance. Yes its a must you pay it and funny enough i have not visited the hospital once since i arrived.

More worrisome is the endless billing from home , the billing from friends and extended family is out of this world, from your pastor who want tithe in pounds and thinks it's because of his or her prayer u went out, to your siblings, to your inlaws, to secondary schools friends, university's friends to even your street guys to Facebook friends. Those who will quickly open Opay account for their 3 years old child and forward you school fees or birthday bill. What about those who forwarded us their house rent bill to help clear their rent of over 500k abeg na

A lot of Nigeria said if they are offered 50 million and japa, they will prefer japa as they will earn more over when i read this comment on Facebook i just laugh hard as this is not the case as a research said that over 39% of UK residents have a minimum of 1000 pounds as savings this means that Despite earning in pounds, many struggle with high living costs, taxes, and bills but on the other hand In Nigeria, ₦50M can fund investments that generate steady income.
In the UK, unless you’re in a high-paying field, you will mostly live paycheck to paycheck


Comparing Life as a Single vs. Married Individual Abroad


Single individuals have a higher chance of saving since they have fewer responsibilities.

Married couples without kids can maximize their earnings by both working full-time while covering expenses from one salary and saving entirely the other salary.

Families with children face higher expenses, including childcare, health insurance, visa fees.

This is why adequate preparation is crucial before relocating, especially for families


Is Dele Momodu Right? Should You Japa with ₦30M?
We should understand that Dele Momodu is an elder and vastly traveled and he knows what is obtainable in Europe and America.
His point is valid if you look at finances alone because at the ene of the day almost all you make goes back to the system. But If insecurity concerns and food inflation in Nigeria didn’t exist, staying back with ₦30M would be a better financial decision as you could expand your business.

Another thought is the issue of owning a house. An average 3 bedroom house cost over 300k pounds and i have worked with colleagues who are in their late 50s struggling to work and pay off their mortgage so as to be free while me in my 30s own over 3 house back in Nigeria . Some pays mortgage for over 35 to 40 years but shockingly most they end up selling it at old age hand over this money to care homes to take care of them till death. Note children dont have any responsibility of taking care of their age parents they leave their lives while the parents uses proceed from their house to offset this bill

Final Thoughts: Should You Japa?

Japa is not a one-size-fits-all decision. If you have ₦30M and solid income streams in Nigeria, it might be wiser to invest and build wealth at home. But if safety and quality of life matter more, than wealth accumulation then relocating might still be the best option but must be done tactically especially when coming on student visa as one academic error could throw u off.

Bottom line: Japa is not a magic solution—it requires careful planning, a realistic mindset, and financial discipline.

Picture below is my phone bill

There other bills i chose to ignore like the tv bill. I didn't buy tv because i know that one will end in another billing

Good analysis but this is for minimum wage worker and likely you are still a student 🤷. No car expenses?

How about skilled worker?
I want to Japa, am in top gear but am going through PR skilled worker/express entry. What's your take bro?

Honestly, I will still Japa even I have 30M

Makamatic:
You gon learn . UK is actually the easiest and cheapest oo . Germany pof is almost 12k€

The POF you won`t need to touch before you settle in within 4 months with your 8M naira.

id4sho:
Good analysis but this is for minimum wage worker and likely you are still a student 🤷. No car expenses?

How about skilled worker?
I want to Japa, am in top gear but am going through PR skilled worker/express entry. What's your take bro?

Honestly, I will still Japa even I have 30M

No am not a student. Like i mentioned i worked morr than 20hrs per week this showed am not a student. A full time worker.

Secondly how much do you think a full time worker should earn? 20 pounds per hour? Well most job pays you based on several factors but but be you a student or a full tile worker u shouldn't earn less than the minimum wage.

Most qualified nurses earn little above this minimum wage. Those in construction, building plumbing, carpentry, woodwork earn way higher because of their skills. Dentist and doctors will earn higher those are high in demand job.

But we that are in care sector, security, warehouses, kitchen porter even qualified nurse etc earn little above minimum wage and the difference is not that much.

I was once working in a place they paid 14.5 per hour but i can't stand 12hrs straight with 30 minutes break in between that's not the quality of life i came here for. I dont want to age quick
.


The car aspect am yet to pass their taste. You should have a valid licence to drive and passing a taste here is not a joke. U have to wait for 5 months for a practical test which most times have 60% failure rate. And if u faim u wait for another 5 months or so
Which country are u looking to get into.

79733139:
I actually mean skills like, bookkeeping (with knowledge of construction accounting), data analytics, business intelligence analytics, web development, quantity surveying/construction estimating etc.

Those i highlighted i know people with MSC degree still job hunting for two years on that.

OkanlawonB:
Austria and Germany.

Waiting period for Germany is not here unless u going for PhD. And u need POF of 12k euro which is over 20m locked and release to u on monthly basis

Was expecting u to list Portugal, spain and Italy

fullclub:
No am not a student. Like i mentioned i worked morr than 20hrs per week this showed am not a student. A full time worker.

Secondly how much do you think a full time worker should earn? 20 pounds per hour? Well most job pays you based on several factors but but be you a student or a full tile worker u shouldn't earn less than the minimum wage.

Most qualified nurses earn little above this minimum wage. Those in construction, building plumbing, carpentry, woodwork earn way higher because of their skills. Dentist and doctors will earn higher those are high in demand job.

But we that are in care sector, security, warehouses, kitchen porter even qualified nurse etc earn little above minimum wage and the difference is not that much.

I was once working in a place they paid 14.5 per hour but i can't stand 12hrs straight with 30 minutes break in between that's not the quality of life i came here for. I dont want to age quick
.


The car aspect am yet to pass their taste. You should have a valid licence to drive and passing a taste here is not a joke. U have to wait for 5 months for a practical test which most times have 60% failure rate. And if u faim u wait for another 5 months or so
Which country are u looking to get into.

Interesting, I can remember your thread about schooling and finishing 😀.
Am working towards Australia , am a Surveyor.

fullclub:
Those i highlighted i know people with MSC degree still job hunting for two years on that.

Tech jobs are a scam and only those with mafias connections with mediocre skills are getting Tech jobs. That's why hackers are now making a public show of many organisations confidential data online.

79733139:
I actually mean skills like, bookkeeping (with knowledge of construction accounting), data analytics, business intelligence analytics, web development, quantity surveying/construction estimating etc.

MindHacker9009:
These are also on the UK skills shortage list:
5313 Bricklayers
Bricklayer
Block setter
Chimney builder
Floor stone Layer
Kiln repairer
5316 Carpenters and joiners
Carpenters
Carpenter and joiner
Joiner
Kitchen fitter
Shop fitter
5322 Wall Tilers and Floorers
5422 Printers

Yes high in demand with little competition. Just have years of experience in Nigeria

id4sho:
Interesting, I can remember your thread about schooling and finishing 😀.
Am working towards Australia , am a Surveyor.

God will do it for u.

Look also Austria skill visa. Theirs if u can prove industrial experience in Nigeria u are few step away from getting their PR. Research about it

fullclub:
God will do it for u.

Look also Austria skill visa. Theirs if u can prove industrial experience in Nigeria u are few step away from getting their PR. Research about it

Amen , thanks brother.

004gist:
Its well i came across this

Why would a former rector of a polytechnic japa in the first place only to end up in a factory?

Sometimes, I take these posts to be comical.

Those "bankers" were contract staff. Any previous permanent staff who works in a care agency must be very mad!

Gerrard59:
Why would a former rector of a polytechnic japa in the first place only to end up in a factory?

Sometimes, I take these posts to be comical.

Those "bankers" were contract staff. Any previous permanent staff who works in a care agency must be very mad!

When u land with high hopes but after many unfortunate mails and bill knocking u got to look for ways.

A guy in quality control unit only got his dream job after a year n 6 months. So care is the job saving lives since 1930

fullclub:
No am not a student. Like i mentioned i worked morr than 20hrs per week this showed am not a student. A full time worker.

Secondly how much do you think a full time worker should earn? 20 pounds per hour? Well most job pays you based on several factors but but be you a student or a full tile worker u shouldn't earn less than the minimum wage.

Most qualified nurses earn little above this minimum wage. Those in construction, building plumbing, carpentry, woodwork earn way higher because of their skills. Dentist and doctors will earn higher those are high in demand job.

But we that are in care sector, security, warehouses, kitchen porter even qualified nurse etc earn little above minimum wage and the difference is not that much.

I was once working in a place they paid 14.5 per hour but i can't stand 12hrs straight with 30 minutes break in between that's not the quality of life i came here for. I dont want to age quick

into.

I'm genuinely curious, have you thought of applying for jobs in Nigeria? Or what do you think about it?

---

I'm not surprised nursing doesn't pay that much. It's only in the US and maybe Switzerland (not too sure about this) that nursing is lucrative pre and post-COVID. The hype about nursing jobs in the UK is because of the exchange rate not its actual lucrative-ness. Nursing isn't a lucrative career, period.

fullclub:
When u land with high hopes but after many unfortunate mails and bill knocking u got to look for ways.

A guy in quality control unit only got his dream job after a year n 6 months. So care is the job saving lives since 1930

So they rather do care jobs than apply to similar roles in Nigeria they were in before they left?

FBIBOT:
He referenced that as well when he talked about the kind of field you work.... Then sum it up by saying japa isn't one size fit all (not universal solution).. even with that skill you need to be very strategic unless you're sought out for or recommended it's not that easy getting high paying jobs over there

Someone that can not fully comprehend a few lines of clear texts...he is talking about skills for UK

OkanlawonB:
What makes UK japa costly is the exorbitant school fees when going through the school routes.

There are a number of countries on mainland Europe where you spend like 8M naira that will cover all costs including one way flight ticket, accommodation for about 4 months, School Fees ( highly subsidized) and miscellaneous expenses. Within 4 months you will surely have settled in, this still makes economic sense.

The best form of japa is to get a scholarship while in that country and/or get a job directly from an employer in the country. Using school route, especially with the exchange rate and at schools with funny looking names, is a bad gamble.

Those European countries come with language challenges. The average Nigerian cannot speak fluent French even though our neighbours are Françophone. Na Swiss German or Dutch we expect them to grasp?

Gerrard59:
So they rather do care jobs than apply to similar roles in Nigeria they were in before they left?

how na

99% sold off everything and got on that plane, some as students, but all with no intention of returning. If na you sef, after selling everything to relocate and start over in Youkay, shey you go com relocate back to Nigeria to start all over yet again? No way!

Most just defer to 'better quality of life' and 'my children's future are secured' as consolation. Only problem is that is factually nonsense, cos quality of life is subjective and children that will be yamayama from poor upbringing will still be yamayama regardless of location, or worse still, more likely to happen sef due to location, both ways...case in point gangs and knife wielding maniacs in peckham, mostly of African/Nigerian descent or the yahhoboiz/cultists/oloshos in naija

.

Gerrard59:
So they rather do care jobs than apply to similar roles in Nigeria they were in before they left?

You don't understand rent or mortgage and bills in the UK. In Naija a lot of people live in their parent's home and no need to heat the house in Naija but when you get to the UK or other developed countries three is no free accommodation and they have to face reality in developed countries.

MindHacker9009:
You don't understand rent or mortgage and bills in the UK. In Naija a lot of people live in their parent's home and no need to heat the house in Naija but when you get to the UK or other developed countries three is no free accommodation and they have to face reality in a developed countries.

What I mean is: someone did MSc Business Analytics at a university in the UK. Unfortunately, due to visa issues and fierce competition, s/he cannot get a job in the industry or sister-industries or role aligned to Business Analytics. My question is: isn't it better for the person to apply to jobs in Nigeria that require someone with such skills and degree rather than settle for care jobs in the UK?

Treadway:
how na
99% sold off everything and got on that plane, some as students, but all with no intention of returning. If na you sef, after selling everything to relocate and start over in Youkay, shey you go com relocate back to Nigeria to start all over yet again? No way! Most just defer to 'better quality of life' and 'my children's future are secured' as consolation. Only problem is that is factually nonsense, cos quality of life is subjective and children that will be yamayama from poor upbringing will still be yamayama regardless of location, or worse still, more likely to happen sef due to location, both ways...case in point gangs and knife wielding maniacs in peckham, mostly of African/Nigerian descent or the yahhoboiz/cultists/oloshos in naija

Yes, the "doing it for my children" is absolute nonsense unless the person gets a good job in the abroad. The only country I can accept such is the US and maybe Canada due to its proximity. Elsewhere, the chances aren't that good. UK even try sef. Countries like Spain, Northern Europe and elsewhere are dead ends for second-generation black people. Look at France? Apart from Tidjane Thiam, I am to yet to read about any stellar black person who went through the system compared to the US. Another unfortunate one is Belgium!

Anything aside scholarship or getting directly employed or transferred by an organisation in Nigeria to the branch in the abroad is nonsense. Covenant University is there, ditto good universities in South Africa.

With 30m

USA
Portugal
Italy
Brazil
South Africa
Kenya.

Gerrard59:
What I mean is: someone did MSc Business Analytics at a university in the UK. Unfortunately, due to visa issues and fierce competition, s/he cannot get a job in the industry or sister-industries or role aligned to Business Analytics. My question is: isn't it better for the person to apply to jobs in Nigeria that require someone with such skills and degree rather than settle for care jobs in the UK?

Come and meet Tinubu 🤐🤢🤮🤒🤧

id4sho:
Good analysis but this is for minimum wage worker and likely you are still a student 🤷. No car expenses?

How about skilled worker?
I want to Japa, am in top gear but am going through PR skilled worker/express entry. What's your take bro?

Honestly, I will still Japa even I have 30M

You talking about Canada? If Canada, you have no problem. Far easier to live comfortable life and save a lot in Canada than UK.

Why na UK full ur examples

Me wey dey enroute to Colombia.

Gerrard59:
So they rather do care jobs than apply to similar roles in Nigeria they were in before they left?

Similar roles like someon working in a bank then goes over and start working in a bank? It's possible but its with time

How many people traveled with N30 million in cash out of pocket? Many times, they take loans that they end up repaying in a few years, while some sell properties. Take a N30 million loan and start a business in Nigeria or spend it on education, I promise you, you may never be able to repay it even if they give you 20 years. If people could pay off their loans after just a few years in the UK, I guarantee you that it’s still a better deal.

Treadway:
how na

99% sold off everything and got on that plane, some as students, but all with no intention of returning. If na you sef, after selling everything to relocate and start over in Youkay, shey you go com relocate back to Nigeria to start all over yet again? No way!

Most just defer to 'better quality of life' and 'my children's future are secured' as consolation. Only problem is that is factually nonsense, cos quality of life is subjective and children that will be yamayama from poor upbringing will still be yamayama regardless of location, or worse still, more likely to happen sef due to location, both ways...case in point gangs and knife wielding maniacs in peckham, mostly of African/Nigerian descent or the yahhoboiz/cultists/oloshos in naija

.

That better quality of life is lame bro. I had a better quality of life while in Nigeria. Here u have to stress standing long hours working with ur feet wanting to pull off.

No party, its work home sleep work home sleep no outdoor cos of the massive cold we aren't used to

Although the children goes to good schools that's a compensation as they quickly learn their ascent