₦airaland Forum

Most Nigerians do not realize how poor minimum wage is in Nigeria. Many Nigerians call countries like Albania, Armenia, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc poor countries, but let us be sincere for once. Are citizens of those countries not possessing more purchasing power than Nigerians? It is just like a wretched man calling a man who is not that buoyant 'broke'. Now let us look at this.

1. Minimum wage in Albania (517 USD) - that's about N710, 854 per month

2. Minimum wage in Afghanistan (80 USD) - that's about N109, 996 per month. Imagine Afghanistan!

I do not even want to go further. The truth is that most of the countries Nigerians call 'poor' are doing better than Nigeria. Gospel truth! No sentiment or emotion!

Even with the poor renumeration that people experience in Nigeria, millions of young people are jobless.

1. As a jobless folk in Nigeria, the authority gives you absolutely nothing to alleviate your condition.

2. As a jobless folk, you still have to pay bills and purchase everything you need down to spoons and plates.

3. As a jobless folk, people mock you for being jobless and see you as an NFA (No Future Ambition), as if you are comfortable being jobless. They do not see the internal struggles, depression, and pains.

The same government that subjects citizens to such undesirable type of life spends heavily on sponsoring religious people to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. The same government spends huge amounts of funds rehabilitating 'repentant terrorists' that have caused destruction of lives and properties. The same government spends billions of Naira to renovate 'ghost structures'. The same government has failed to invest in education, science and technology.

If Nigeria was a working country, so-called social media influencers like VeryDarkMan, Harrison Gwamnishu (the so-called ransom facilitator) and Ghe Ghe (or whatever he calls himself) would not be in existence.

We always tend to be politically right all the time. It is a huge problem.

Nigerian workers are among the poorest in the world. You can take it to the bank!

:::


You think the economics of it all is about converting the currency to naira from the stated country and if the amount appears much in naira then the money makes sense in that country?


The real question is what the purchasing power parity is between both countries. Therein lies the real comparison and not just a simple conversion of the currencies.


Secondly, I think you are confusing and mixing up poorly remunerated jobs/low minimum wages with, a poor country and a mismanaged country.


These are 3 different issues you muddled all up in what you wrote!

people mock you for being jobless and see you as an NFA (No Future Ambition)
People still use this insult??
NFA is now NFF na

The frustration in this post is understandable, but several of its claims need more context.

First, comparing minimum wages by simply converting them to naira or U.S. dollars is misleading. Purchasing power depends on the cost of living, taxes, housing, utilities, transportation, and what the average worker can actually buy in each country. A worker earning $500 in one country does not automatically live better than someone earning less elsewhere if living costs are substantially different.

Second, not every country listed has a meaningful or universally enforced national minimum wage. Afghanistan, for example, has an economy that has been devastated by decades of conflict, widespread unemployment, humanitarian crises, and extremely low living standards. Using its nominal minimum wage as proof that it is doing better than Nigeria is not supported by broader economic indicators.

Third, Nigeria does face serious economic challenges. High inflation has significantly eroded the value of wages, unemployment and underemployment remain major concerns, and many households struggle to afford basic necessities. These are legitimate issues that deserve attention. However, saying "most countries Nigerians call poor are doing better than Nigeria" is too broad a statement. Countries differ across income levels, healthcare, infrastructure, security, governance, education, and economic opportunities. Some perform better than Nigeria on certain measures, while Nigeria performs better than others on different measures.

Regarding government spending, citizens are entitled to question public priorities and demand transparency. Debates about expenditures on pilgrimages, security programs, infrastructure projects, or social welfare are valid in a democracy. At the same time, policy discussions are stronger when backed by audited figures and official budget data rather than generalizations.

Finally, blaming individual social media personalities for Nigeria's problems oversimplifies the issue. Their popularity reflects public demand for the kind of content they produce. If institutions were stronger and citizens had greater trust in public systems, different types of public figures might indeed be more influential, but they are not the cause of the country's economic difficulties.

The strongest argument is not that Nigeria is "the poorest" or that every other developing country is doing better. The stronger, evidence-based argument is that Nigeria's wage growth has failed to keep pace with inflation and productivity needs, leaving many workers with declining real purchasing power despite being employed. That is a serious concern on its own and does not require exaggeration to make the point.

Rapmoney:
Most Nigerians do not realize how poor minimum wage is in Nigeria. Many Nigerians call countries like Albania, Armenia, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc poor countries, but let us be sincere for once. Are citizens of those countries not possessing more purchasing power than Nigerians? It is just like a wretched man calling a man who is not that buoyant 'broke'. Now let us look at this.

1. Minimum wage in Albania (517 USD) - that's about N710, 854 per month

2. Minimum wage in Afghanistan (80 USD) - that's about N109, 996 per month. Imagine Afghanistan!

I do not even want to go further. The truth is that most of the countries Nigerians call 'poor' are doing better than Nigeria. Gospel truth! No sentiment or emotion!

Even with the poor renumeration that people experience in Nigeria, millions of young people are jobless.

1. As a jobless folk in Nigeria, the authority gives you absolutely nothing to alleviate your condition.

2. As a jobless folk, you still have to pay bills and purchase everything you need down to spoons and plates.

3. As a jobless folk, people mock you for being jobless and see you as an NFA (No Future Ambition), as if you are comfortable being jobless. They do not see the internal struggles, depression, and pains.

The same government that subjects citizens to such undesirable type of life spends heavily on sponsoring religious people to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. The same government spends huge amounts of funds rehabilitating 'repentant terrorists' that have caused destruction of lives and properties. The same government spends billions of Naira to renovate 'ghost structures'. The same government has failed to invest in education, science and technology.

If Nigeria was a working country, so-called social media influencers like VeryDarkMan, Harrison Gwamnishu (the so-called ransom facilitator) and Ghe Ghe (or whatever he calls himself) would not be in existence.

We always tend to be politically right all the time. It is a huge problem.

Nigerian workers are among the poorest in the world. You can take it to the bank!

Cc: Seun Mynd44 Lalasticlala Nlfpmod OAM4J Dominique Fergie001

Being jobless in Nigeria are the trails and tribulations of brother jeroboam

Funny part is nobody send you, no one cares they don’t even pretend to care

Nigerians especially those online love to act as if there are no jobless Nigerians whenever they make comparisons or analysis they use Davido, Wizkid, Burna boy, Dangote, they use Lagos and Abuja they imagine normal rich celebs in all their analysis and arguments even tho these people constitute only 0.1% of the population and Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria making up only 0.4% of Nigerias land mass they never talk about the other 99.6% of Nigerias landmass and the 99.9% of Nigerias population

What a pity

You cannot solve a problem you pretend does not exist.
You cannot solve problems you lie to yourself about.

I gave up on Nigeria when I examined my fellow Nigerians. Many of them do not think that constant power outage is a problem, many of them think everyone under 30 should be poor and dependent on their elders, many of them think pollution is normal, poverty, suffering, insecurity, many of them think looking good is a bad thing, they rather put all their attention towards cutting your hair and policing your short skirt than freeing kidnapped victims.
They think activists too Dey do, when you speak up against issues they say “you Dey claim say you too sabi” they say “if you get to that office you sef go thieve you no go do anything, me too if I go there na my turn to thieve”

With this kind of mind you can never grow substantially, you cannot create jobs and free people out of the shackles of poverty.

The govt is trying to hide the unemplyment rate in Nigeria, they are not saying the real figure

if you go to some states, most people are unemployed, they rely on rent, betting and gambling

even companies there can not pay minimun wage because they dont make enough

You must be from the east or obi supporter for you to tell them the truth.

But guess what, they know the truth already but the kind of poverty mentality and tribalism their government have bestowed upon them is too great for their eyes to be open.

Only on Nigeria will a citizen give you reasons and defend the reasons why their government subjects them to hardship, and still vote the same government in another election.

Data boys 30k, I no call names

Chai. This is very eye_opening

This Rapmoney be making sense back to back. Truly, education is never a scam. We're only praying for the right leader to take over the mantle of leadership...

The kind wickedness in the heart of some Nigerian politicians ehn even satan dey shock. We need leaders with good conscience abeg.

Rapmoney:
The same government that subjects citizens to such undesirable type of life spends heavily on sponsoring religious people to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. The same government spends huge amounts of funds rehabilitating 'repentant terrorists' that have caused destruction of lives and properties. The same government spends billions of Naira to renovate 'ghost structures'. The same government has failed to invest in education, science and technology.

If Nigeria was a working country, so-called social media influencers like VeryDarkMan, Harrison Gwamnishu (the so-called ransom facilitator) and Ghe Ghe (or whatever he calls himself) would not be in existence.

We always tend to be politically right all the time. It is a huge problem.

Nigerian workers are among the poorest in the world. You can take it to the bank!

Nigeria government is not responsible for poor people having 10 children.

They've given them chatGPT go subscriptions. But the mindless parroting is still obvious.

Gotocourt:
Data boys 30k, I no call names

marlow1962:
You must be from the east or obi supporter for you to tell them the truth.

But guess what, they know the truth already but the kind of poverty mentality and tribalism their government have bestowed upon them is too great for their eyes to be open.

Only on Nigeria will a citizen give you reasons and defend the reasons why their government subjects them to hardship, and still vote the same government in another election.

Bro you said it all.
See naija is the only country in the world that policies of government, the corruption and greed of their leaders will immerse them in so much poverty yet they will see reasons to agree with those leaders while they live under poor standards while the politicians live in luxury.

Education trains you to see opportunities that remain invisible to the untrained eye.

Quietly say to yourself: "From this moment onward, I take full responsibility for my own education."

Within you is an inner faculty of learning. It costs nothing, never stops listening, and comes alive the moment you make a clear, unwavering decision to learn.

Rapmoney:
Most Nigerians do not realize how poor minimum wage is in Nigeria. Many Nigerians call countries like Albania, Armenia, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc poor countries, but let us be sincere for once. Are citizens of those countries not possessing more purchasing power than Nigerians? It is just like a wretched man calling a man who is not that buoyant 'broke'. Now let us look at this.

1. Minimum wage in Albania (517 USD) - that's about N710, 854 per month

2. Minimum wage in Afghanistan (80 USD) - that's about N109, 996 per month. Imagine Afghanistan!

I do not even want to go further. The truth is that most of the countries Nigerians call 'poor' are doing better than Nigeria. Gospel truth! No sentiment or emotion!

Even with the poor renumeration that people experience in Nigeria, millions of young people are jobless.

1. As a jobless folk in Nigeria, the authority gives you absolutely nothing to alleviate your condition.

2. As a jobless folk, you still have to pay bills and purchase everything you need down to spoons and plates.

3. As a jobless folk, people mock you for being jobless and see you as an NFA (No Future Ambition), as if you are comfortable being jobless. They do not see the internal struggles, depression, and pains.

The same government that subjects citizens to such undesirable type of life spends heavily on sponsoring religious people to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem. The same government spends huge amounts of funds rehabilitating 'repentant terrorists' that have caused destruction of lives and properties. The same government spends billions of Naira to renovate 'ghost structures'. The same government has failed to invest in education, science and technology.

If Nigeria was a working country, so-called social media influencers like VeryDarkMan, Harrison Gwamnishu (the so-called ransom facilitator) and Ghe Ghe (or whatever he calls himself) would not be in existence.

We always tend to be politically right all the time. It is a huge problem.

Nigerian workers are among the poorest in the world. You can take it to the bank!

Minimum wage is useless in Nigeria until they strictly enforced it in private sectors too. Only few Federal and state workers benefit from it. Alot of people are still receiving 50k or less as salary, we keep arguing each time that government should increase salaries. What about millions of youths who works in private sector or those who are into small and medium scale businesses with no single grant and assistant from the government.

If you are the ones who believes in nonsense from government workers that if minimum wage is increase, it will pass down to small businesses in terms of purchasing power bla BLA BLA. You are only being ignorant. Once Nigerians has good pays, they will rather visit big stores and fast food instead of patronizing small businesses.

I prefer government subsidy things than increasing salary of few out of millions Nigerians.

In 2018, 100,000 naira gave you 300,000 cfa.

Now you need 720,000 to get the same 300,000 cfa.

Let that sink in.

Yet many Nigerians too are making money and excelling in same economy many are complaining abt

yemmit90:
Minimum wage is useless in Nigeria until they strictly enforced it in private sectors too. Only few Federal and state workers benefit from it. Alot of people are still receiving 50k or less as salary, we keep arguing each time that government should increase salaries. What about millions of youths who works in private sector or those who are into small and medium scale businesses with no single grant and assistant from the government.

If you are the ones who believes in nonsense from government workers that if minimum wage is increase, it will pass down to small businesses in terms of purchasing power bla BLA BLA. You are only being ignorant. Once Nigerians has good pays, they will rather visit big stores and fast food instead of patronizing small businesses.

I prefer government subsidy things than increasing salary of few out of millions Nigerians.

You are very very correct 💯

GodHimself:
Education trains you to see opportunities that remain invisible to the untrained eye.

Quietly say to yourself: "From this moment onward, I take full responsibility for my own education."

Within you is an inner faculty of learning. It costs nothing, never stops listening, and comes alive the moment you make a clear, unwavering decision to learn.

Thank you for your comment, but take note that I am not jobless. I am a project manager with years of experience. I only wrote this piece for millions of young people in Nigeria who are unemployed.

Kingrshd3:
Yet many Nigerians too are making money and excelling in same economy many are complaining abt

Some of you need to separate sentiments and emotions when you analyse issues. What do you mean by 'many'? Why are the young people in your country running to Europe and America? Why is there a brain drain in Nigeria? If the so-called 'many' people are making money as you and your likes with warped mentality think, why is Nigeria experiencing brain drain? You must not try to be politically correct while calling a spade a spoon.

If you're sincere to yourself, what else do you want the government to do for you. They have just empowered you recently and given you business ideas on roasted maize and banana. Tell me how many government does that , to even think for you. Don't be a lazy youth. Go and fry Akara, I will empower you with akamu that will make you matured financially so that you will not be doing iranu up and down. 🤣🤣🤣

Kingrshd3:
Yet many Nigerians too are making money and excelling in same economy many are complaining abt

I can clearly see why you think the way you think. I am not surprised. People who support incompetent government always find a way of supporting incompetence.

I have attached a screenshot of the certificate of your promotion of incompetence.

So Nigeria has people seeking jobs? I thought everyone was a businessman and employer over there considering you ridicule South Africans for seeking employment.

TemplarLandry:
Nigeria is a land of opportunities.

How exactly do you mean.

Opportunity for the average nigerian citizen

OR

Opportunity for exploitative capitalism by the rich few and foreigners?

Tell us.

What exactly is the purpose of the writeup?

brain54:
:::


You think the economics of it all is about converting the currency to naira from the stated country and if the amount appears much in naira then the money makes sense in that country?


The real question is what the purchasing power parity is between both countries. Therein lies the real comparison and not just a simple conversion of the currencies.


Secondly, I think you are confusing and mixing up poorly remunerated jobs/low minimum wages with, a poor country and a mismanaged country.


These are 3 different issues you muddled all up in what you wrote!

I see what you're saying.

I think op needs to know something.

To determine the purchasing power of a minimum wage earner in any given country, you have to compare the minimum wage of that country to the cost of living of than same country (not convert it to another country's currency)

And I have said this to people on the forum countless times.

I've not done any research to verify what op is trying to say though, but my guess is that he may be correct.

In those listed countries, their minimum wage is likely to earn them a better living condition than what we have going on in nigerian.

Nigerian workers are severely poorly paid and I don't know how they let the govt get away with it.

And that is the reason virtually everyone is is a thief in their place of work.

From civil servants to bankers, to petty traders down to a sales boy or girl.

You cannot trust any nigerian with money because there wages are never enough for even a modest but decent living.

So they have to augment by stealing.

This is why the mind of 80% of Nigerians is to cheat you.

YoungBlackRico:
What exactly is the purpose of the writeup?

What exactly is your purpose on this thread?

They asked us to embrace Akara frying.

They asked us to embrace Akara frying. What happened to industries? SMEs?