For most Nigerians, $500 is more than just “side money” — it’s rent, food, or even school fees. For 27-year-old Linda Ikechukwu, it’s the monthly return from her real estate investment plan she’s built quietly over two years. Here’s how she did it.
On September 10, 2025, Linda Ikechukwu tweeted a financial update that quickly caught attention:
At 27, the software engineer and developer educator now receives a steady dollar income from a tokenised real estate plan. The exact capital behind the returns is confidential, but the consistency of her $500 monthly payout has made people curious and sparked conversation about how much it really takes.
“Investing is not a get-rich-quick scheme”
Linda, who is currently pursuing her MBA at Esade, views investing as a disciplined, non-negotiable part of life.
“I grew up a bit poor, so I know what lack feels like,” she says. “My dogmatic approach to investing is simply that I never want to know lack again.”
But she quickly clarifies that her $500 return didn’t materialise overnight, and that even so-called “passive income” takes work.
“People think passive income means you don’t do anything, but that’s false. It still requires active regulation, efforts and patience. And investing is not a way out of poverty. Your base is your income. You need to improve that first before investing can multiply anything.”
How the Risevest plan works
Linda’s $500 monthly return comes from a Risevest Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) plan. Here’s how it works: The company pools investor funds to buy US properties — condos, flats, and rentals, then distributes returns from rental income and appreciation.
Before committing to this plan, Linda checked licenses, registration, and realistic profit margins.
“I get wary when percentages are too high,” she explains. “Risevest publishes 13–15% annual returns, which made sense.”
She started cautiously in 2023, putting in “tiny amounts,” then scaled as returns proved consistent. “At the end of each year, instead of withdrawing, I reinvest both the capital and the gains. Compounding is how the portfolio grows.”
Risevest’s real estate portfolio returned 13.19% in 2023 and 13.14% in 2024.
Automation, compounding, and patience
Linda keeps the process simple. Every month, a fixed amount is auto-debited from her salary into Risevest.
The automation helps her stay consistent.
She also leverages the principle of dollar-cost averaging and compounding. “If I invest smaller amounts every month, I’ll gain more than if I invest a lump sum at once at the end of the year,” she explained.
Still, she emphasises that her results only came after two years of consistent reinvestment. “Most people expect results in the second month. You need to give your investments time to mature.”
How much capital does a $500 return require?
When asked directly, Linda declines to share how much she puts in her portfolio monthly. “That’s confidential information,” she says.
But audience speculation after her tweet suggested that her portfolio must be worth at least $60,000, based on Risevest’s published interest rates and her current returns.
She stresses it wasn’t a lump sum; she built her portfolio through steady monthly contributions, reinvestments, and a few windfalls she chose to save rather than spend.
Linda started small, then raised her contributions as her income grew. Sometimes, she accelerates with lump sums. “I once got a $10,000 contract payment I didn’t need. I put it all into my Risevest plan — that’s probably my biggest one-off investment.”
This, plus her consistent monthly contribution, fuels rapid growth. Her rule? Always reinvest.
“At the end of the year, instead of withdrawing, I roll over both the capital and the gains. That way, each cycle starts with a bigger base.”
She’s clear that returns depend on capacity.
Returns are directly proportional to what you invest. If I’m investing $1,000 monthly, someone putting in $100 shouldn’t expect the same results. ”
The bigger goal
The $500 monthly income from her real estate investment plan covers her basic expenses: food, internet, transportation and service charges, without touching her salary. But she believes this is just the start.
Her goal is early retirement. Her number is 35 or 40.
“Even though my income has tripled in three years, my expenses are still at 2023 levels,” she says. “No car, no ridiculous Lekki rent. I funnel everything else into investments.”
Her wider portfolio also includes stocks, crypto, and physical property. But the principle remains the same: inflows only while she’s earning. Withdrawals, she says, will only happen for life milestones like buying a house or if she stops working.
Creative Applications
Linda has found innovative ways to use the real estate investment trust beyond pure investing. She uses it as a savings vehicle for planned expenses.
“If I want to take a trip with a $3,000 budget six months away, I can create a real estate plan for six months and start saving with it,” she explains. “At the end, the returns I get are much more significant than just saving in a regular account. I get top-up money to spoil myself outside my budget.”
Her advice?
Her advice to aspiring investors is simple:
“Tell yourself every month this is what I’m going to put in, and look away no matter what happens in the market. Leave it for at least a year before making a judgment on whether it’s a good call or a bad call.”
The key isn’t finding the perfect investment or timing the market. It’s developing sustainable habits, living below your means, and letting compound growth work its magic over time.
“Do what’s comfortable for you, but play the long game. Automate, reinvest, and don’t expect quick results. That works for me,” She says.
