Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa
Fanny* (31) packed her bags, left the UK, and moved to Nigeria to fight for change. But after facing sexual harassment one too many times, she gave up on the dream and relocated to Canada as a permanent resident.
Where do you currently live, and when did you leave Nigeria?
I left Nigeria in 2019. Now, I’m in Canada.
How did that happen?
My family initially wanted me to move to Canada for my master’s in 2014. But I didn’t want to do a two-year postgraduate course because I was tired of school, so I chose to do my masters in the UK instead.
I already had family in Canada. Two of my brothers were here, and at that point, all my siblings were already living in different countries. It was just me who stayed back. I was the freedom fighter who wanted to return to Nigeria and “make Nigeria great again.”
My patriotism didn’t turn out well for me, so I eventually decided to move. I tried to start the process in 2018; I took the IELTS exam two or three times in Nigeria. My scores were excellent across the board, but I wasn’t passionate about the writing section, and that always pulled down my overall band score.
Later that year, in October 2018, I visited Canada to see my brother and my ex. That visit inspired me to give IELTS another shot, so I did it right there in Canada, and I scored 7.5 in writing and got the highest band in all the other modules. I went back to Nigeria, got into the immigration pool, and by some miracle, they did a draw the very next week, and I got picked.
From there, everything moved fast. From entering the pool to getting my visa took just five months. It happened so quickly; by August 2019, I officially moved to Canada.
What was the required score for the IELTS?
The higher your band scores across all four modules — listening, reading, writing, speaking — the more points you get in the immigration system. So, the goal is to get the highest band in each module because that gives you the full points for immigration under the Test of English category.
Why did you think your application was approved so quickly?
My age was one of the few factors that played a role in my success. I was below 30 at the time, so I got the highest score that you could get for the age requirement.
I also had a master’s degree, so I got the highest score for the education criteria. At the time, I had only worked for two years, so I didn’t get the highest score in that area because the highest score for work experience was from three years and above. When you add those points to my English score, it makes sense why my application was successful.
Can you do a breakdown of the entire process and what it cost you at the time?
So, the system I went through was called the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It’s a point-based system, and they grade you on things like your age, academics, work experience, and English proficiency. Those are the major ones. There are extras, like provincial nominations, which add more points, or if you get a job offer, that gives you 600 points.
By the time I met all the criteria, my score was 472, which was considered very high then. These days, if I had 472, I wouldn’t even qualify because the cut-off is now above 500, which is crazy.
Then there’s proof of funds. I don’t want to misquote, but I remember showing ₦4 million, which was way above what was required for one person. I think the requirement was ₦2.5 million or around 16,000 CAD at the time. But I over-prepared just to be safe.
Everything anyone would need is on the Canadian immigration website. Even though the Federal Skilled Worker program still exists, getting in the way I did is way harder now.
What’s your advice for people who still want to come to Canada?
So, my advice is to have a plan. Canada still needs immigrants. We’re just 42 million people, and it’s the second-largest country in the world. But if you’re coming now, come prepared. The cost of living has gone up. Housing is more expensive. If I needed ₦3 million then, I’d probably plan for double or triple that now. Also, don’t fixate on Ontario or Toronto. Yes, it’s where the most opportunities are, but it’s also where the competition and cost of living are highest. I know people who moved to places like Saskatchewan or Calgary, and they’ve built great lives. Even if you land in Ontario, there are smaller cities that are more affordable and easier to settle into.
Earlier, you said you moved to Nigeria because you thought you could change things. So what went wrong?
Nigeria happened. I studied management for a Master’s and had the idea to build an African version of The Amazing Race. I created a detailed business plan, pitched it to people, and even connected with a director in South Africa. Everyone said, “Are you ready to put out?” I didn’t realise it at first, but they all wanted to have sex with me before they could support me. Nobody looked at my portfolio; they just wanted sex. That crushed me.
Even in the corporate world, it was the same. You couldn’t move forward without giving something. One man even said, “You’re a woman in Africa. You can’t go far unless you give something in return.” That was when I knew this country wasn’t for me.
Oh, I’m so sorry
I always say, if I die and anybody carries my body back to Nigeria, I will haunt them and their children. I’ve lived in four countries since I was 17. I like moving around. I’m even planning to move to Singapore soon. But I can’t return to Nigeria. Honestly, I don’t feel tied to Nigeria anymore. It’s sad because I really used to ride for that country. I was one of those “Let’s change Nigeria” people. But now I’m done.
Now that you are in Canada, what are some of the perks you enjoy?
Canada gave me peace of mind. That’s number one. To be clear, I was doing well in Nigeria. I worked for a multinational tech company. But there were horrible days that made me reconsider my choices. I will never forget the day I broke down. It was raining, and I was stuck in traffic on a bus for four hours. A woman beside me had her baby, and the baby needed to pee. She brought out a bottle and asked him to pee in it. It splashed on me, the bus broke down, and it started raining. I had to get down and walk in the pee and rain, and I just started crying. That was the moment that broke me.
It wasn’t just that incident. It was everything: safety, job security, and the lack of basic dignity. Nigeria just wasn’t working for me.
In Canada, things just work. I once lost my job and was on employment insurance for nine months. The government paid my bills. That’s how it should be. I know where my taxes go. I know what to expect from my pension. There’s transparency, structure, and sanity. Because of that functional systems, I have bought a house just four years after landing, as a single woman. I’m also a citizen already.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in Canada?
That’s a hard question. But I’d say eight.
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