₦airaland Forum

OBIDIENTNAIJA:
Omo this is making me emotional. You know why. I am facing the same thing too.
My salary today has gone up from 2019 to 2026 but feeding takes a large chunk of it. I was having multiple savings back then, but now I struggle to save. This is not fair. What have we done to APC to plague us with this evil 🥹🥹
A kg of gas is now 1560 I filled 3 days ago. PH.
This is not fair. Those supporting this evil APC, no matter how you pray, God will never answer your prayers because you all are worst than the devil

Ha, 1 kg of cooking gas @ #1,560 is cheaper in your place.
In my place it is #2,000 per kg
This government will not kiil us with those prices.

RONRIS:
Ha, 1 kg of cooking gas @ #1,560 is cheaper in your place.
In my place it is #2,000 per kg
This government will not kiil us with those prices.

My location is Port Harcourt. Omon is very expensive in you area oo. Chai. God abeg save us.

IsraeliAIRFORCE:
What if it is a prayer for repentance and asking for forgiveness?

Except that. But if they continue to support this evil, karma is around the corner

Hhh4444:
gas still cheap for your side. Now na 2k for some places.

This is very dangerous Io. How are we going to cope with this nah. Chai!!

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.

20% of your income on rent and u dey complain
ideally person suppose not spend more than 30% on rent
10 to 15% on all car related expenses
stop wailing

wfjimmytobby:
You lucky to have a job of 500k

Thanks for the good response

The same man has 1 wife with less than 4 children and still complaining about 500k

I am disappointed because less than 1 million Nigerians out of over 250 million people sees 400k monthly

Pls rest

Very soon under this current government, we will soon start carrying cash on wheelbarrow just to buy bread

Isobug:
So true, I had once used one business i do to evaluate this before.
My palm oil business was bringing in 250k or a bit more after each turn which takes about three weeks or less and we lived comfortably with it but now we're getting over 400k after that same turn but after all domestic expenses just as before, we now find it very difficult to even deal with all the domestic expenses.
I told people there's nothing good about all the report of future advantages of the reforms of Tinubu government, nothing will change rather things will keep getting worse. The right precautionary measures were not taken at all.
In November 2021, I bought lexus ES 330 at 3.3M naira, when my brother wanted to travel I sold it and help him, last year I wanted to go purchase that same car. I was told the last price was 9.2M, what type of reform will shoot price up like that without a commensurate shoot up of the citizens income?

Bad reform that is yielding hardship

We are in material world hence good money is quite important









But then.. you can only survive the heat with contentment

Story of my life

In 2021 I was making 50k weekly and was very comfortable. My rent was just 200k a year and transportation to work was max 600 (300 going , 300 coming)

But fast forward today I get roughly between 350k to 500k weekly yet I struggle with everything.

Rent has spiraled to 2.5m per annum (same house ooo) transport has shot up to 2,500 (1,000 going, 1,500 coming)

Bills and other things followed too

mascot87:
The summary is that you were living a fake life back then when government is borrowing money to subsidise the dollar and fuel for you. But this time, that fake life is no longer realistic. Welcome to the new reality and adjust instead of lamenting

This is 2026. Quit that your bulshit talk of living a fake life.

Nigeria is never in supply of fools, that’s why you keep spewing this garage, thinking everyone is like you.

The useless APC terrorist government you support has destroyed the country.

lamentor78:
You are not a serious human being, how many people earns 500k monthly, go to school teachers in public schools and see their earnings

I know of a friend that receives 15k monthly as sales girl

cucumbar:
This is 2026. Quit that your bulshit talk of living a fake life.

Nigeria is never in supply of fools, that’s why you keep spewing this garage, thinking everyone is like you.

The useless APC terrorist government you support has destroyed the country.

I don't have time reading your trash. The first line I read shows you wrote nonsense. Can you summarise?

Sultannayef:
Don’t listen to this person; you will lose your money. What s/he is doing is pure gambling!

Not binnary

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.

My salary in 2008 was $1200 paid by a foreign film that hired me almost straight from college.
In 2024, before I left the country, my salary was N830K.

It's really something I couldn't reconcile.

I

Isobug:
So true, I had once used one business i do to evaluate this before.
My palm oil business was bringing in 250k or a bit more after each turn which takes about three weeks or less and we lived comfortably with it but now we're getting over 400k after that same turn but after all domestic expenses just as before, we now find it very difficult to even deal with all the domestic expenses.
I told people there's nothing good about all the report of future advantages of the reforms of Tinubu government, nothing will change rather things will keep getting worse. The right precautionary measures were not taken at all.
In November 2021, I bought lexus ES 330 at 3.3M naira, when my brother wanted to travel I sold it and help him, last year I wanted to go purchase that same car. I was told the last price was 9.2M, what type of reform will shoot price up like that without a commensurate shoot up of the citizens income?

Sometimes i wonder why people like you complain....i earn less than that and i live comfortably here ikorodu lagos.

I stuck my house every month with 150k and 50k for unforseen expenses.

100k for transportation etc......A family of 4.

Muyiwaipere:
See ungrateful people o.

You better thank God and manage your expenses....I see married men collect #120k as salary

Miserable thinking , that’s why you can’t progress with this kind of mentality.

Very true

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.

The major mistake you made in this analysis is the constant comparison of Naira to Dollar.
If I may ask, do people in America (dollar users) compare their currency to Naira in respect to expenses over there, or you and some others are the one who keep living in their shadows?
If you want to talk about inflation in the country fine. Stop unnecessary comparisons.
Do you buy goods in dollars over here?
See, no vex me this morning o

Lithiumite:
Yeah things are far more expensive than they used to be and the major reason is the economic restructure of this govt,you dont need to pull out every hair in your head thinking what the problem is.... its was certain things would be tough with subsidy removal

who are they deceiving ?? No subsidy was removed

Lummid:
This mindset is exactly why Nigerian politicians don't care. So as long as people are worse off than him the inflation doesn't matter and he's unserious?

It's like politicians saying other countries are worse than Nigeria so we should be grateful even if they embezzle money and undermine the democratic process.

We need to stop glorifying suffering like it's a certificate of honour. Modern society and technology was envisioned by humans who wanted a better and easier way of life.

It’s such a shame how some Nigerians now glorify suffering. Stockholm syndrome has finished them. This is why our politicians keep doing worse cos most of the people don’t know what they deserve. If the people don’t reorient their minds and demand better from their leaders, Nigeria can only get worse. After tinubu,the next leader will be more brutal.

Fantazy:
The major mistake you made in this analysis is the constant comparison of Naira to Dollar.
If I may ask, do people in America (dollar users) compare their currency to Naira in respect to expenses over there, or you and some others are the one who keep living in their shadows?
If you want to talk about inflation in the country fine. Stop unnecessary comparisons.
Do you buy goods in dollars over here?
See, no vex me this morning o

so you do not know that Nigeria is heavily import dependent and dollar exchange rate affects the price of almost everything you buy. things like electronics, cars, bike, keke, spare parts, e.t.c. Even price of petrol refined in Nigeria is influenced by dollar to naira rate. Just dey play

Fantazy:
The major mistake you made in this analysis is the constant comparison of Naira to Dollar.
If I may ask, do people in America (dollar users) compare their currency to Naira in respect to expenses over there, or you and some others are the one who keep living in their shadows?
If you want to talk about inflation in the country fine. Stop unnecessary comparisons.
Do you buy goods in dollars over here?
See, no vex me this morning o

Dollar is the universal exchange currency. There is no flaw in his use of the currency.

There are multiple visitors from other countries on nairaland, using dollar makes it easier for them to understand the OP

royalfly:
V


How do you explain to people like this, even with numbers, you are still finding it difficult to comprehend the explanation.. well na so sha.

Many people have difficulty in comprehension.

You won't blame him, the standard of education in the country in very very low.

Nigerians now have a mental condition due to years of systemic suffering. They would prefer a destabilised Nigeria to a working one, thats Stockholm syndrome right there.

chasteman:
The price of a bag of rice 🍚 🌾 is what I was earning in 2019 and still manage with kids.
In your write ups, I can see you're still single
Appreciate what you have

I'm grateful to God for your life and mine.

No be lie. I are right sir. I'm currently earning 160k monthly. But my transportation fare from my home to Ikeja to and fro has skyrocketed. How do we get here as Nigerians.

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.

Answer to your question - Vote out Tinubu and vote in Peter Obi. Trust me, you will thank me for that.

yomi007k:
Good analysis but you are asking the wrong question.

The right question is what can one do about it?

Because inflation appears to be continuing. In 2031 now it might be worse than this. So what can be done?