*Tadafe, 27, is a Nigerian freelancer working at the intersection of media post-production, brand design, and crypto. After leaving a 9-5 job in 2021, he’s built a financially stable life through global freelance work and is saving aggressively for a master’s degree abroad.
This is Tadafe’s story, As Told To Aisha Bello.
Income: How I Make My Money
I make over ₦2 million monthly as a freelance post-production video editor and brand designer.
My freelance journey started in 2018, and I built my early client base on Upwork. Over time, I moved my highest-paying clients off the platform to retainer deals, which gave me more freedom and financial consistency.
One of my clients is a Nigerian influencer living in Brazil. I handle his complete post-production: weekly long-form videos at ₦150,000 each, plus two short-form clips at ₦50,000 each. That totals around ₦400,000 a week or ₦1.6 million monthly.
The second is a US-based YouTuber. Our base contract is $400/month for weekly video post-production, but he regularly sends extra work that bumps it up to about $600/month.
I’ve worked consistently with both clients for over two years, and their income stream has remained remarkably stable.
Outside of that, I started working in crypto last December, mostly branding and graphic design for Web3 startups. I’ve earned about $7,000 in the space through paid collaborations and design bounties.
Even though I’ve stopped using Upwork full-time, I still get occasional gigs through the platform, which brings in about $300/month.
So, between my naira and dollar clients, crypto gigs, and occasional Upwork work, I make a little over ₦2 million monthly, and I’m actively working on increasing that.
Spending: What My Money Goes Into Monthly
I only spend my naira income and try to live well within my means. On average, I spend about 72% of my monthly naira earnings, with the rest either saved or set aside in my naira account.
I prioritise my health and wellness the most. I pay ₦30,000 monthly for my gym membership. After every workout, I treat myself to a healthy breakfast, usually chicken salad, protein-heavy meals, and smoothies from a restaurant near the gym. This adds up to about ₦200,000 a month.
A typical work day in my life starts like this:
I wake up at 5 a.m. for daily devotion, then go back to sleep before I properly start my day at 8 a.m. Then I head to the gym, spend a few hours there, have breakfast, and return home by 11 a.m. to freshen up.
From 12 p.m. to 1 a.m., I’m at my desk editing, designing, or handling strategy. I take breaks only for lunch and dinner, which my mum graciously prepares.
I still live with my parents, so I don’t pay rent, but I contribute to household bills. Earlier this year, I spent ₦1.6 million installing a solar panel, so I rarely worry about electricity or fuel anymore.
Every month, I chip in:
- ₦20,000 weekly for soup ingredients
- ₦50,000 for general foodstuff
- ₦50,000 as a monthly allowance for each of my retired parents
That’s ₦170,000 monthly toward the home.
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My Lifestyle & Social Life
I believe in enjoying life and staying social, so I spend:
- ₦60,000/month hanging out with my guys (we split bills, so it’s around ₦15,000 per hangout)
- ₦160,000/month on dates (I went on four dates this month at ₦40,000 each. I like to cover everything)
- ₦100,000/month for personal gifts (this month, I bought an Arabian perfume for ₦40k, rings and bracelets for ₦25k, and two watches for ₦40k)
- ₦200,000/month on gifts for friends (birthdays and random surprise food deliveries)
- ₦100,000/month on transport (mainly to the gym, meetups, and dates)
- ₦50,000/month tithe or donations to the church charity
- ₦80,000 quarterly on skincare
My dollar income from Upwork goes into subscriptions and professional tools:
- ₦35,000/month for unlimited data on my Airtel router
- $20/month for ChatGPT
- $150/month for all my video editing software
- ₦8,500/month for Netflix
- $100/month for digital assets like LUTs for colour grading, editing presets, and resources that level up my craft, and keep my creative process running smoothly.
Savings: “How I Handle What’s Left”
I save more than I spend.
I intentionally save ₦300,000 each month, but I have an extra ₦500,000 left over in my account before the next payment cycle starts. I like knowing there’s money sitting in my account; it gives me a sense of calm.
I began saving with PiggyVest in January 2024, and while most of my naira income goes into daily living, I’ve still managed to grow my balance to ₦4.8 million.
I haven’t touched my dollar income since early last year. It all goes into my Geegpay dollar account, where my US client pays me. Currently, I have $6,400 saved, untouched and growing monthly.
My crypto earnings are split into two parts:
- $2,000 in USDC, a stablecoin I keep for security and easy liquidity
- 5,000 units of a native token from a crypto ecosystem I worked with
The native token was worth $5,000 at its peak this January, but with the crypto market downturn, it’s now valued at around $2,700. I keep it staked to earn passive income and use some to trade crypto futures. It’s more of an experiment and long-term play for me.
Investments & Future Plans: What I’m Working Toward
I’m strongly considering buying land and exploring real estate before the year ends. But my biggest priority right now is saving enough to relocate and pursue my master’s degree.
I’ve thought about buying a car, but I’m holding back. I don’t want to make a big-ticket purchase that’ll wipe out my savings and set me back to square one. I’ve seen friends move out, buy cars, and end up broke. And honestly, that’s my biggest fear: going broke.
Realistically, I want to ramp up my workload, upskill, and secure more high-paying clients. My goal is to save at least $100,000 within the next year.
I want enough financial stability to study abroad without worrying about working while studying.
For the rest of the year, my focus is simple: spend less, earn more, save aggressively and live well, while at it.
What Freelancing Has Taught Me
I genuinely enjoy what I do. It’s fun, creative, flexible, and fulfilling. But let’s be real: the best part is making good money.
More than anything, freelancing has taught me how to survive and thrive on my own terms.
After a 9–5 brand design job straight out of university that paid ₦150k a month, I knew I wanted more. The job left little room for growth or freelancing on the side, so I couldn’t build the life I envisioned.
Six years later, freelancing has taught me how to negotiate and set my rates, build lasting client relationships, pitch myself confidently, deliver consistently and exceed expectations.
I’m comfortable as an independent freelancer. When the time comes to scale, I’ll branch out and run my own business. For now, I’m growing my income, saving intentionally, and enjoying the life I’m building.
Editor’s note: Names have been changed for anonymity. If you’d like to share your money story, send an email to aisha@bigcabal.com.
