The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
It has been another long year of bringing you interesting stories from Nigerians living abroad.
Throughout 2025, we have seen it all: the “grass-to-grace” happy endings, the “frying pan to fire” nightmares, and everything in between. We have shared chaotic Japa chronicles and globetrotting adventures across six continents, proving that the only certain thing about the Abroad Life experience is that it is never straightforward.
To wrap up the year, we have picked ten amazing Abroad Life stories that perfectly capture the energy and spirit of 2025.
Before you dive in: Hi, I am Franklyn. Margaret and I have been the ones bringing you these stories all year. We hope you have had as much fun reading them as we did putting them together. Some of these stories go quite deep, and the interviews get really emotional. It has been quite a journey—sometimes difficult, but always worth it. Enjoy.
1. “I Went from Having My Own Apartment In Nigeria To Sleeping on Benches in the UK”
Nneoma had it all: a steady job, a car, and her own two-bedroom apartment in Enugu. She was even saving up to open her own school, but she decided to pivot and use that money for a Master’s degree in the UK instead. However, the move turned into a nightmare after a friend’s betrayal led her to heartbreak, and literally sleeping on bus station benches in the cold.
In the second part of this wild story, we saw how a chance encounter with Michael changed everything for the better. He helped her get back on her feet and even secured her a new apartment. But there is a new twist—her father’s disapproval of Michael now stands in the way of her happy ending.
Read Nneoma’s here.
2. “I Left My Wife and Kids Behind to Hustle in Canada. Now, I’m Stuck With Loans and Bills”
Bolu would do anything for his wife and kids, even if it meant leaving his thriving career in Nigeria to seek a better life for them in Canada. Just before he left, a big promotion had bumped his salary to ₦800,000 a month, but he still felt his family deserved the kind of stability and opportunities only a life abroad could provide.
The reality in Canada, however, has been a heavy financial wake-up call. Instead of the “soft landing” he imagined, Bolu is now navigating a mountain of student loans and the high cost of living.
To make matters worse, friends and family back home have ramped up their financial demands, assuming he is rolling in cash simply because he lives abroad. In this emotional story, Bolu shared the lonely, stressful reality of being the family’s breadwinner from thousands of miles away while drowning in debt.
Read Bolu’s story here.
3. “I escaped Nigeria after EndSARS, but the country still stresses me”
Ben was right in the middle of everything—from the EndSARS protests to the 2023 elections—doing his absolute best to push for a better Nigeria. But after the 2023 election results came in, he completely lost faith that things would ever change, so he packed his bags and moved to the UK for good.
Moving was a massive shift, especially since he migrated only two months after getting married. Ben talked to us about the reality of navigating a new marriage while adjusting to a different country and how, despite being thousands of miles away, he still cannot stop checking Nigerian news. Even from the UK, the craziness happening back home still finds a way to stress him out.
Read Ben’s story here.
4. “I Moved to the U.S as an Ivy League Student, But I Ended Up Becoming an Abused Househelp”
Uyai was ready for a fresh start. She made the bold move of selling her properties in Nigeria to fund her dream of studying at a prestigious Ivy League university in the United States. But what should have been a story of academic success quickly turned into a horror story.
Uyai ended up as a domestic worker for another Nigerian family, where she was subjected to constant physical and emotional abuse. Her harrowing story showed us how a dream of a better life can be manipulated into a modern-day slavery situation and the incredible strength it took for her to finally break free.
Read Uyai’s story here.
5. “I Helped My Boyfriend Move to the UK, But He Ruined My Reputation and Left Me With a Huge Debt”
Ugo was the kind of person who would move mountains for the people she loved, but meeting her ex-boyfriend, Tobi, changed her in the worst way possible. She poured all her resources into helping him relocate to the UK—including giving him a £10,000 loan for his tuition—only for the move to turn into the most toxic mistake of her life.
When the relationship soured, he did not just walk away. He systematically ruined her reputation with her friends and even her own sister, all while still owing her that massive debt. Ugo’s story is a sobering reminder that sometimes, the person you are trying to lift up is the very one who will pull you down.
Read Ugo’s story here.
6. “I Helped a Nigerian Friend Get a Loan in Canada, But He Ghosted Me Without Paying”
Cynthia tried to be a “brother’s keeper” by co-signing a car loan for a fellow Nigerian in Canada four years ago. That one decision has caused her nothing but regret, pain, and serious financial loss ever since.
She shared the unbelievable story of how the debtor managed to evade arrest in Canada and even travelled back to Nigeria to get married, all while her credit score continues to take a hit. Sometimes, “helping your own” can backfire in the most expensive way possible.
Read Cynthia’s story here.
7. “After Years In Canada, I feel Like A Stranger To My Family”
Lola’s parents always planned for her to leave Nigeria. In 2016, right after secondary school, she moved to Canada to study. But over the years, the distance has made it harder to stay connected to her roots.
She told us about the emotional toll of missing major family milestones like weddings and funerals, and how those absences have made her feel like a stranger whenever she visits Nigeria. It is a raw look at an aspect of the Japa reality we rarely speak about: how it can slowly detach you from the people you love most.
Read Lola’s story here.
8. “I Did Something I Never Thought I Would Do To Become a U.S Citizen”
Busayo was one of the many Nigerians caught in the crossfire of tough immigration policies during Donald Trump’s first term. After five long years of waiting in Nigeria, she finally managed to move to the US.
She shared the extreme lengths she went to just to secure her US citizenship in only two years. From struggling as a teacher because of her accent to eventually joining the US military, Busayo went through a lot to get what she wanted. Now that the hustle is over, she is finally settled and fully enjoying the benefits of her new life.
Read Busayo’s story here.
9. “I Left a ₦50M Job in Nigeria. Now I’m Paying Student Loans in the US”
Dayo was bored with his high-flying job in oil and gas, so he walked away from a ₦50 million salary to pursue a master’s degree in the US. But the harsh realities of settling in eventually drove him to therapy.
From navigating subtle racism to dealing with the ways the “Japa” lifestyle has messed with his love life, Dayo gave us an honest look at what can happen when you trade financial security for a fresh start abroad. It turns out the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Read Dayo’s story here.
10. “I Wasn’t Achieving My Potential in Nigeria, Now I’m Happy in the UK”
Collins always believed in his own potential. After walking away from an “Igba Boy” apprenticeship and putting himself through university, he realised that Nigeria was only stifling his growth, so he made the move to the UK.
He shared the stark differences between life in Nigeria and the UK, the culture shocks he encountered, and why the experience of childbirth and parenthood feels vastly different abroad. For Collins, the move wasn’t just about money; it was about finally finding the space to breathe and thrive.
Read Collins’ story here.
Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT).
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