₦airaland Forum

Basic123:
Was it only Age the factors listed up there.
That is how you people fail exams
Have you checked the annual budget of SouthAfrica and the country population(budget population ratio)? Have you ever in your life compared it that of Nigeria?

No wonder you always get dissapointed whenever politician promise you heaven and heart and they get their only to mess up.

You have a very shallow mindset and sense of reasoning.
Imagine the very unintelligent question about budget and population... How do people even think in this country? So, your logic now is that, if Nigeria's just wake up and write a huge budget, then we can start having a working country... Clap for yourself

Cum4me:
I tire see episode wahala

I weak!

ravensckar:
The extortion at the airport, the lack of social amenities in the country, the absence of emergency services, the epileptic power supply, etc. Should I go on? Are the things not enough to provoke a reaction from the citizens to the government?

Perhaps, we've come to accept suffering as a Nigerian way of life.

O boy! Na every day Nigerians dey shock me o.

#Picks_tooth

Did you read what OP wrote? They are mostly self inflicted.

Greattha:
You sound like one of those benefiting from the insanely corrupt broken and dysfunctional system.
Really The system is working like it was designed to?
Guess it's now a crime to expect the barest minimum from Nigeria and nobody dare complain cos the truth mustn't be let out.

What offence did the OP commit that angers you so much?

But the guy is correct 💯

The hotel part got me ..bro returnee can't you lodge in a better hotel ..hotels plenty in every location in Lagos..good ones ..don't complain about that ....na u loodge for yeye hotel

LabStores:
You have a very shallow mindset and sense of reasoning.
Imagine the very unintelligent question about budget and population... How do people even think in this country? So, your logic now is that, if Nigeria's just wake up and write a huge budget, then we can start having a working country... Clap for yourself

Your main problem is that you dont know that you are very ignorant

Omo, reading through this story is scary.

I was beginning to miss Naija but reading through this story and seeing how young folks embrace suffering, I ain't coming back to Naija anytime soon. I hate heat, I can't stay without electricity, water, fast internet and I certainly can't stand stupid people in extremely large numbers.

I once told my wife that if I was to still be in Nigeria, I will be very depressed and I don't want to be when I come back cos I know things are worse.

Make una enjoy una Tinubu dey go. If una like make una vote am for another 4 years.

Just so you know, more than 60% of the deaths in Nigeria are avoidable if we were to have working emergency services and a good healthcare system.

May God bless the country that open its door and heart to me and God open a way for every sensible Nigerian to leave the country.

I went back to read the comments on my write-up, and honestly I will say, it broke me a little. Not because people disagreed, but because so many have been conditioned deeply, painfully conditioned to believe that this is normal life. When your mind, your expectations, even your sense of dignity have been shaped to accept struggle as standard, you stop questioning what you deserve. And that is the saddest part.

I don’t blame anyone. How can you blame people who have never experienced anything different?

Some people said the hotel I stayed in was “cheap.” That one hurt me, because it wasn’t. A single night there costs more than mimimum salary wages in Nigeria. And yet, despite everything, the staff were incredible, kind, hardworking, respectful. Security was solid. The people are not the problem. They never have been.

My purpose for writing is simple, even if only one person reads this and makes a better decision for themselves or their family, then it is worth it. I am not here to be liked. I am speaking from what I have seen, what I have lived, and what I know life can be.

People keep saying, “There is money in Nigeria.” But I keep asking myself, is life really just about money? What is the value of money if your daily existence is stress, fear, discomfort, low quality life and uncertainty? What is wealth if your environment drains your spirit?

We decided to take an old bus for the sake of adventure, for my little one. At first, it seemed okay. Then the rain started. And suddenly, it felt like we were sitting outside in the storm. Water poured in from the roof, the sides, everywhere. People just… endured it. As if it was normal. As if this is what transport should be.

Most of the vehicles on the road should not be there. They are accidents waiting to happen. Not “if”—when.

I remembered Tejuosho Market. Not long ago, there was a fire there. And honestly, it didn’t surprise me. That place is a nightmare, no air, overcrowded, no structure, no safety. Yet people work there every day, moving, sweating, surviving. Maybe they are used to it. But that does not make it right. That is not how human beings should live.

Another day, I bought crayfish from a woman in the market. I left peacefully, thinking everything was fine, only for her to come after me later, harassing me, preaching word of God to me like am a sinner, and even complaining about my shorts. I stood there in disbelief… how is that her business? I wasn’t disrespecting anyone, I was simply minding my own life. In that moment, it hit me again how people feel entitled to control or judge things that should be personal. I stood there confused—what just happened?

But what broke me even more was my little one. He kept seeing children on the streets, selling, begging, carrying loads heavier than themselves, walking around late into the night when they should be at home, safe, asleep. And he kept asking me, over and over again, “Why? Why are they there? Why are they not in school? Why are they working?”

And this time, it wasn’t just a question—it felt like an accusation. Not from him, but from innocence itself.

Because there is no good answer. How do you explain to a child that this has become normal? That a government can watch this happen every single day and do nothing meaningful about it? That a country blessed with so much wealth, resources, and potential can still allow its children to grow up like this?

We are not a poor country. That is the truth people don’t want to face. What we are seeing is not lack, it is failure. Failure of leadership. Failure of priorities. Failure of humanity.

I did not see real improvement, at least not in Lagos, where I experienced all of this. And it is painful to say that.

Every single child deserves proper education. Not just access, but quality. Every child deserves a monthly support system, access to free and reliable healthcare, safety, dignity, and a real chance at life. No child should be on the street selling. No child should be begging. And definitely no child should be outside at night trying to survive.

And then I ask myself, what happens to these children when they grow old? Who takes care of them? Who protects them then?

And what about the elderly now? Who is looking after them? Why is dignity in old age treated like a privilege instead of a right?

Care is work. Raising children is work. Surviving without support is work. Whether you work for the government, private sector, or you are self-employed—you deserve security in old age. You deserve pension. You deserve peace after a lifetime of effort.

But instead, people are left to struggle from childhood… all the way to old age.

And what makes it even more painful is seeing people defend this. Normalize it. Justify it. Support leaders while children are on the streets and families are barely surviving. This is not normal. This is not culture. This is not something to accept at all

Greattha:
You sound like one of those benefiting from the insanely corrupt broken and dysfunctional system.
Really The system is working like it was designed to?
Guess it's now a crime to expect the barest minimum from Nigeria and nobody dare complain cos the truth mustn't be let out.

What offence did the OP commit that angers you so much?

You really want to engage a data boy?

They fap to any article that slaps them with undiluted reality.

Lastly the airport departure nightmare.

I weighed my four large bags at home using my own airport approved scale, something I have used many times without issue. Everything was fine. But the moment I arrived at the airport, it began.

They made me open a sealed bag—palm oil, properly packaged. They said I couldn’t take it. I tried to explain, calmly at first, that the airline allows it. They didn’t listen. They took both containers and placed them aside like they belonged to them now.

I got upset. Maybe I shouldn’t have. Later, people told me I should have just “begged” and “settled” them. That word—settle—it says everything. So I begged and begged. I had to and paid them in cash. And suddenly, one was allowed. The other? Promised to be “returned” to my family member outside.

Then they tried to take my child’s noodles, his favorite food. He started crying. That moment broke me. Watching a child cry, not because of hunger or pain, but because someone wants to take away something so small, so innocent.

They gave it back eventually, and they angrily ask us to go. I thought it was over. But it was not.

Another section called me and said I should come this way again. I asked, “For what again?” They had already scanned all my items. The man said this was different and showed me a banner stating that vegetables and similar items were not allowed. He insisted he was sure I had some inside, so I had to pay.

I told him I had no such items or case against me, but he said I should go and withdraw money outside. We went out to withdraw cash, paid them, and they allowed us to leave.

Ana2022:
Now, back to the main reason I am writing all of this.

What I experienced has deeply affected me. To be honest, I feel ashamed to call myself a Nigerian citizen right now. This journey has opened my eyes in a way I cannot ignore. I now truly appreciate the countries abroad that have given me opportunities, stability, and a better quality of life. Things I once complained about, I now see differently. May God continue to bless those nations.

What I saw was in Lagos—I cannot speak for other states—but what I witnessed there was overwhelming.

I visited both wealthy and poorer areas, and I was left speechless. This is 2026, yet there is still no reliable 24-hour electricity. The roads are even worse than how I left them many years ago. Everywhere, I saw young children selling goods on the streets—even inside buses. These are children who should be at home, resting or in school, not out working in unsafe conditions, day and night.

Seeing them broke my heart.

The transportation system was another shock. Many of the buses on the road are in terrible condition and should not even be operating. On one occasion, we entered a bus during the rain, and water was leaking heavily inside onto passengers. It felt unreal—like something out of a nightmare.

The constant noise—especially in the markets—was overwhelming. It was nonstop, from morning until night. At times, it felt like my head couldn’t rest, as if there was continuous drumming around me 24 hours a day.

I also noticed exposed wires along the roads, and it wasn’t even clear whether they were live or not, yet people walked around them as if it was normal.

Crossing the road was another challenge entirely. I stood at pedestrian crossings expecting cars to stop—but they didn’t. Sometimes, we were nearly hit. I even saw a zebra crossing connected to a raised concrete divider so high that it made no sense—how is anyone supposed to cross safely?

I tried using pedestrian bridges instead, but many of them were damaged, poorly maintained, or completely abandoned. It honestly felt unsafe to use them. I just kept hoping no one would fall or get seriously hurt one day.

When it rained, the flooding was everywhere. Roads became almost impassable.

One day, I decided to go alone to Yaba Market. That experience was overwhelming. I could barely breathe. The area around Tejuosho Market felt extremely congested, loud, and chaotic. The noise, the crowd, the heat—it was too much. I honestly don’t know how people cope working in those conditions every single day. No one should have to live or work like that.

I also couldn’t ignore the sheer number of people struggling—working tirelessly, carrying heavy loads under intense heat, just to survive. It made me wonder how much the population has grown, because the pressure on daily life is clearly immense.

And then I thought about the elderly… where do they fit in all of this? What support is there for them? It seems like once you grow old, the system expects your children to take full responsibility. But what happens to those who don’t have that support?

The reality is painful. There is little visible structure to support the most vulnerable—children, the elderly, and those who are sick.

It is deeply concerning.

There is still so much more I want to say… I will continue later.

But one thing is clear: please, do not be misled into thinking everything is working. There are serious challenges that cannot be ignored.

You don't come to Nigeria to experience the same environment as Europe or the US.
It's a different vibe.
It's tropical country and the heat and humidity breeds mosquitoes so. You should come prepared.
Also there are lots of top notch hotels in Lagos that are at par or close to what you expected but they charge top dollar so I think you came on a budget trip.
Maybe you should have planned a backpacking trip and enjoyed the experience.
Lots of foreigners come prepared. They stay in hotels where the environment is regularly fumigated and they buy anti malaria drugs and come with pepto bismol to try the local delicacies.
Nigeria is fun, Lagos is a bustling market just come prepared next time.

I thought it was over. I went to get my boarding pass, and the man asked for my little one’s birth certificate, questioning why he had a different surname from mine. I explained that I am not his father, but he carries his father’s surname. The officer then said, “Wow, so he has three nationalities?”

After that, he asked if I had a yellow card, saying it would be required in the country I was travelling to. I said I didn’t have one. At that point, I was already extremely stressed and I started crying. He told me to calm down and relax, saying his friend could arrange it for me—for a price. I told him I had no cash. He said I should go and withdraw money. My family member had to go out again to withdraw cash.

While that was happening, they said there was another luggage weight check. The same luggage I had already weighed at home was suddenly said to be overweight. I was shocked—how is that possible? I strongly believe the weight was altered, and again I was told I had to pay.

But there was one man who seemed like a supervisor, a God-sent person. He saw how they had been pushing me around and told them to accept my luggage without any charges. A woman there also helped and said I could check in some extra small luggage for free. She initially said I was not allowed to take my backpack on board, even though I had confirmed with the airline that I could. She said, “That is our rule here,” but eventually she allowed me to check in the small luggage for free.

I thought, this is finally the end.

Then another section again, afte some mimute walk

They asked about my backpack, even though it had already been checked multiple times. They said I needed to “give something.” I told them I had no cash. I begged them, and eventually they let me go.

At this point, I was already sick—possibly from mosquito bites, street food, or even the water I drank. I was weak, stressed, and exhausted while all of this was still happening.

We were then taken to another section again. A man pointed and said, “This man.” I asked why I was being called again. He told me not to worry. The officer checking my passport was clearly frustrated and attending to us angrily, probably because he realized I had no money to give. After wasting more of our time, he eventually released our passports.

I thought, God, this is finally the end.

But when I got to the waiting area, I was shocked to see three more groups still waiting. I just stood there in disbelief. My little one suddenly started laughing so hard that he fell beside the trolley.

Out of pity after seeing him fall, when they asked me to open my bag and if I had money, I simply removed the last 300 naira note I had and showed them. I told them that was all I had left. Of course, I still had foreign currency, but I kept it hidden.

Out of pity, especially because of my child’s fall, they eventually told us to go and wished us well.

Finally, we got to the last boarding point. I was just praying there would be no more issues. Luckily, there were no more complaints.

When I finally entered the plane, I said to myself, finally, it is over.

My little one then said, “This is a stone-age, poor country, and I will never come back again.”

And honestly, I had no words left.

I love Nigeria, but I feel ashamed to call myself a Nigerian citizen sometimes—not because of the people, but because of what the system has become.

When I arrived back home, there was no stress at all. No stops, no checks. I took a trolley for free, walked straight to my car, and everything was easy and calm. I arrived home in peace—no noise, no stress, no pressure anymore.

I arrived back the next day and met an older Nigerian man staying at my apartment, as I run a hostel and several short-term rental apartments for tourists.

He came abroad in 1991, like many people who believed in investing back home. He bought land in Abuja, properties in his state, and even built a fish farm that was once well known.

Today, almost everything is gone. He told me he regrets it deeply. If he had known things would become this difficult, he said he would have stayed abroad and invested there instead. Now, he only has a small flat left to survive with his family in Nigeria.
He told me something I will never forget: back then, 80,000 naira could feed a family of six for a month. Today, 120,000 naira a week is still not enough for basic living.

He looked broken—not physically, but inside.

I am not forcing anyone to leave Nigeria. That is not my message.

But if you ever have the opportunity to experience a better system—a place where life is not constant survival—please think deeply about it. Think about your old age, your children’s future, and the future of your generation.

Don’t let anyone deceive you that abroad is boring. Peace is not boring. Stability is not boring. Dignity is not boring.

Life is not just about money.

For the love of God, leave Nigeria to the evil people and the leaders who do not wish the country well.

If you have any opportunity, do not let anyone deceive you that things will magically get better overnight. At the same time, if you choose to stay, then stay and contribute to making it better in whatever way you can. But if you have the chance to secure a better life elsewhere—for your old age and for your generation—please do not ignore it. Do it before it is too late.

Goodbye everyone, and thank you to everyone who took the time to read my ordeal, including those who disagreed with me and those who hated my write-up. I appreciate you all.

All the best.

Did you see how many people came for Detty December and Nigeria is terrible? Sometimes when we are inside, we cannot understand what others see from outside. You can get solar if you cannot afford diesel. People get electricity shut off here for non payment and yes it is expensive..2 months ago, my bill was over $400 which is over N500k per month...yes electricity is expensive

nedekid:
Are you saying Nigeria is not terrible?
Yes it is good to be patriotic but the fact remains that the country is terrible for the average person, but ofcourse if you are rich you can use money to blind out some of the frustrations. Eg you can pay alot for a top tier hotel, you can run generators at 2k per liter of diesel, you can get an armored car with armed security to guarantee your freedom of movement. But for the average Nigerian it is a shit hole never to be compared with most basic countries, go look at videos of Iran, despite all the sanctions the bombing etc they still have steady electricity. Oga in my premises today alone I have blown 200k on diesel and counting, by tomorrow morning if they do not bring electricity consider it another 200k, that is our reality on ground.
I agree with you that 40k is nothing for a 30min ride, especially for someone comming from abroad, it is a little over £20, if I remember right gatwick to east London cost me £70 by Uber, so 40k naira should be nothing.
Also the op must have stayed in cheap run downed hotel probably due to finances. If as a Nigerian based abroad you are visiting naija the least you should budget for hotel stay per night is 80k and above, you do not go come and want to stay in a 10, 20k run downed hotel then expect to get service from Marriott. Even basic budget hotels like Holliday iin express, premier inn, travel lodge etc go for minimum £50 daily and since it is not to my taste I look elseware. I think op visited naija on a very lean budget.

franchasng:
Madam, you are right Nigeria is not where we all wished it to be, all thanks to Bola Tinubu and his evil, criminal APC gang.

But then, the way you described some things shows that you really stayed a long time before visiting Nigeria, and your shock is typical of the Nigerian women, reason once they leave Nigeria, they hardly go back, unlike the men, we love our Nigeria die. I cannot imagine myself spending my retirement abroad, Mba, not for me, I will spend my old age in Nigeria living like a community king. I can only visit and leave, Nigeria is fun and unique, some of the things you complained about are what most Nigerian men love about Nigeria and reason we always run back home.

Our men love Nigeria because it is their dominant land. Men love where they exude dominance. Abroad is not our dominant land, and because of that love for dominance, most men prefer where the majority looks like them. Which brings me to point number two. They have higher and better chances with women in their dominant lands compared to the abroad, especially if they were not born and bred there.

Na mostly women (of all racial groups) fit stay abroad for a long time. Most men prefer to stay where their power holds sway.

p.s. the exception are White men. They are loved/adored/admired/respected anywhere they find themselves. Unfortunately, not so much for Black people.

I can't imagine you came back after several years of being outside Nigeria and you didn't visit your hometown, your home state, you stayed put in Lagos and didn't even see friends or spend time with Naija friends, what a boring, stingy life, typical of Nigerian women once they leave Nigeria. I see no reason for your coming back honestly because you only came to get upset and leave, I didn't hear you trying to make impact and change some things you didn't like starting from your community or hometown.

I think OP left Nigeria a long time ago. Maybe during Jonathan or Buhari's first tenure. Also, OP has not been following Nigerian news for years. But if so, why patronise a hotel wey mosquitoes plenty?

p.s. I think it is dependent on the Nigerian woman. Some women love their people, and go back to their respective states. Meanwhile, there are many ignorant Nigerians who believe the country begins in Lagos and ends at Abuja, then lament how Nigeria is this and that.

When I left Naija first time and came back, I flexed with friends, impacted lives, did a lot of CDS projects in my hometown and encouraged my kinsmen and friends to find way to relocate for a better life, gave some links and tips they tried too. That is how to change situations you dont like my sister. I keep repeating it that Nigerian women, most of you are so stingy and selfish, your blessings dont circulate, you ladies dont make impact, you only keep whatever God and nature blessed you ladies with for yourselves and immediate family, that is not how life should be, you ladies should learn from the white ladies where you live and improve, start making impact and not seeing faults alone.

The bold applies to me as well. I will always encourage and push young, ambitious Nigerians to travel to study, work, and live in a developed country for at least two years. You can always return, but try to go through the system and allow the system to go through you. Don't be like our politicians. Ask the citizens questions of this was done and the process.

In my capacity, I have paid for my friends' WES evaluation and written endless Letters of Recommendations. There was even a time I even offered to pay for friends' IELTS sef.

What we want is a working Nigeria that provides basic amenities and equal opportunities for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or social status but some of the things you see as bad are what make Nigeria unique for us that have lived outside Nigeria and still find Nigeria the most amazing place to live and retire

Mine is the public transport system: it should be made clean, affordable, efficient, punctual and safe.

Berankis:
This is one of the people aiding the destruction of this country. They are the people supporting and defending the Political Embezzlers, encouraging extortions all over the place. These are the people who find it difficult to respect others or respect the rule of law. You start hearing statements like "you loose-guard" and all those nonsense. They have grown to embrace slavery, suffering, poverty, dysfunctional society and a highly corrupt system as a norm and would want to force others to accept same.
A Nigerian living abroad came back after several years being away and was metted with disappointments (which we have been forced accept as the standard) and yet, you don't want him to express his displeasure.
These are the kinds of people that arrest others and imprison them just for expressing their opinions.

Are you saying others cannot counter some of the narratives there? Most were overblown or outright lies. She mentioned being forced to use airport taxis rather than ride hailing services. Ride hailing services exist, just as private visitors waiting to pick their loved ones. The hotel aspect is entirely OP's fault. No questions about that. Others have remarked how trolleys are paid for elsewhere. That is not a Nigerian thing. The airport looked better than when I left. They did not ask me for money.

Just because you like OP's narratives does not mean everything is accurate.

QuinQQ:
It is a totally AI story. Notice how he/she hasn't responded to anyone.

Seun hire people who can weed out AI stories!

Strong point there. Seun does more harm to this site than expected.

Too bad.

Ana2022:
For the love of God, leave Nigeria to the evil people and the leaders who do not wish the country well.

If you have any opportunity, do not let anyone deceive you that things will magically get better overnight. At the same time, if you choose to stay, then stay and contribute to making it better in whatever way you can. But if you have the chance to secure a better life elsewhere—for your old age and for your generation—please do not ignore it. Do it before it is too late.

Goodbye everyone, and thank you to everyone who took the time to read my ordeal, including those who disagreed with me and those who hated my write-up. I appreciate you all.

All the best.

for a so called “abroad based” you really need to learn to write better , you couldn’t even be bothered to edit your AI slop. You are right though, Nigeria is practically still living in 1901, every Nigerian deserves atleast a taste of a sane “normal” society to really understand how bad things are.Dogs and cats live better

Kaczynski:
airports everywhere outside of east asia and nordic countries are turd holes, lagos is just more honest about it. the system isn't broken, it's working exactly as designed. you brought your kid into nigeria expecting some fairy tale instead got slapped with reality and now you writing a manifesto. congrats you discovered that nigeria isn't switzerland. did you think the airport staff were going to sing kumbaya and hand out free viagra samples? the trolley guys are hustling because that's the economy. you want change? go be a political leader instead of crying on a forum. and that guy extorting you? classic nigerian entrepreneur, persistence is a feature not a bug. if you can't handle 40 minutes of mild harassment, you are not cut out for the motherland. you stay abroad and spare us this novel.

Her experience will open the minds of some folks.

Just like happiness, its not everybody

kingthreat:
Is it not the same Nigeria that thousands of people troop into weekly?
The only thing here which I feel is wrong is being forced to use an airport taxi at an exorbitant amount.
I have been to bad hotels abroad where the sheets are smelly and conddoms are under the bed. The way hotels work is this, if the one you're in is not good enough, check for another. You cannot expect a hotel of 25k a night to give you a regularly clean swimming pool.

One night, I had a truly frightening experience. My child woke up crying in pain, holding his head. I was terrified—I had never seen him like that before. I immediately called the hotel reception to ask for the nearest hospital or an emergency number, but I was told there was none nearby.

On the above, please why didn't you use a Google Maps to find a hospital nearby?
I know the country is not the best but there are over 200 million people living here and many are more happier, healthier and fulfilled than those living outside. Life is what you make of it, not just about where you are.

Good response.

SamuraiXXX:
If all of us run out of Nigeria there will be nothing for you abroadians to return to

"Abroadians"........I wasn't in skool when this was taught.....sai baba

MartinCorridon:
That's what annoys me the most. The reason Blacks are ALWAYS at the bottom.

German and Japan were crushed during the World War 2.

They rose to the very top again. Because the people didn't run.

ONLY Blacks feel Japa is a solution.

Few have brains like that Yoruba Dr from Johns Hopkins who chose to come back and do things.

They usually just come and complain.

I am currently in Europe and all I can think of is how to return and implement what I learnt there.

When I stayed here for more than a month, I understood the perspective of racists. How can you respect Blacks who hardly contribute anything to humanity ? And it's not a Nigerian problem... Many Africans are like this. We are just unique because we abuse our country the most.

Well Germany and Japan rose back to the top because the government decided to rise again and carried the people along. You cannot have intellectualy bereft people lead you anywhere.

Singapore did the same thing. Government policy and economic planning within a time frame can change this country faster than you'll believe.

About complaints here's the fact what else can they do. In the country you're in when you complain people listen, here you're opposition or an enemy and if you aren't careful security agents will vanish you.

Implementing your plans is a great idea but remember you're in a country that someone can wake up and destroy your entire networth just because he wants it for himself. They revoke your land or pass a new law that ruins your business and no court will hear your case for the next 5 years.


See brother I feel your insight but as long the government doesn't answer to you, nothing you can do but rant and rave. After all they'll just bring rice to your polling unit and collect all the votes ( that's if they'll even bother). They can as well just print result and say it is so.

Maybe you've been gone long but nigeria is a long way from wherever you think it is.

MasterTeeUSA:
Did you see how many people came for Detty December and Nigeria is terrible? Sometimes when we are inside, we cannot understand what others see from outside. You can get solar if you cannot afford diesel. People get electricity shut off here for non payment and yes it is expensive..2 months ago, my bill was over $400 which is over N500k per month...yes electricity is expensive

Oga, let me burst your bubble, my electricity bill here in naija averages 1m + monthly which is well over $700, how much is minimum wage in Nigeria compared to the US? And yes your electricity will automatically shut off if it is not paid for. Solar is not cheap, in the US you can get financing for solar, here you buy it. Solar above a certain capacity is outrageously expensive, how much will solar cost to cover the capacity of Eg a 80kva generator, you probably will spend at least 80m.
Fuel is 1350 per liter and higher in other states which is $1 per liter, how much is fuel in the US per liter, just a little higher, look at the attached to see the comparison.
Yes people come for dirty December, come into the country for a week, do good time and leave, that is how holiday all over the world is, does it expose you to the reality on ground, no. Same way we will save here in naija, fly abroad for 2 weeks vacation, stay in the high end hotels apartments, live a fairytale life for the few days, infact you friends there will say chai, naija must be good for you to come and chop life in this kind of place they have not entered in all the donkey years spent abroad, but only us know say na wash. When we return back to naija we the face the consequence by "soaking garri" for a while.
Yes it is good to be patriotic and always talk good of the country because we are all yes men, it is good to be suffering and smiling. I was at the gas station yesterday, walai you cannot believe how fast the line was moving, people were buying 5, 10k worth, infact one fellow bought 2k petrol, me the 40k I bought was just 30liters! Go around Ikeja along and see people trekking home instead of entering bus.