Japa | Page 3 of 12

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.

Shalom (23) is not a stranger to chasing big dreams. At 19, she said goodbye to her parents and moved to Lagos alone. At 23, she’s getting paid to study for free in a prestigious London school. She talks about how other Nigerian students can land the same scholarship in this week’s episode of 1,000 Ways to Japa.

When did you leave Nigeria, and where did you move to?

I’m currently schooling in London. I left Nigeria about three months ago.

How did you end up in London?

I applied for the Chevening scholarship last year and got in. It still surprises me because I could not have imagined that I would get a fully funded scholarship with the potential to change my life in every way.

Why was it such a surprise?

First of all, it’s important to know that Chevening is very competitive. Like a 0.3% chance of landing the scholarship competitive. I couldn’t believe that I’d be among that 0.3%; When you’re young, there’s a chance that you’d want to underestimate yourself— I felt like I hadn’t done enough in the advocacy space, but I applied anyway, and here we are today.

0.3% is crazy! Tell me a bit about life in London

Funny how I made a tweet one time that since I had experienced what it felt like to live in Lagos, I’d love to experience living alone in London next, and that’s what has happened, so this is literally a dream come true for me.

London and Lagos have the same energy, though London can be a bit more fast-paced than Lagos in a way. It shares a lot of similarities with Lagos, actually; both cities are where dreams come true, and they are both super expensive. But Chevening gives me an extra allowance for staying in London.

I moved from Abeokuta to Lagos to chase big dreams, and I’m here in London doing the same thing. Since I moved, I’ve made some African and British friends, and my Nigerian church has a beautiful branch in London. It feels like Lagos, but the Lagos that works.

You mentioned moving from Abeokuta to Lagos to chase big dreams. Tell me more.

Respectfully, I’ve always felt like Abeokuta was too small for my dreams. There are so many old people there, and the young ones look satisfied with life’s basics. You see superstars like Kizz Daniel and Fireboy? They looked too hungry for Abeokuta, so they had to move to Lagos—I was 19 when I moved, I just knew the world was waiting for me.

The only friend I had in Lagos lived in Iyana Ipaja, and the job I got was in Victoria Island. I was spending at least 6 hours in traffic daily, but I was happy. My mom begged me to come back home, but I told her that I wouldn’t leave Lagos until it gave me what I wanted. Now, I can say Lagos owes me nothing—It gave me quality friends, life-changing experiences and a very overpriced apartment that felt like home.

So you manifested the life of your dream?

I’m a Christian, I pray my dreams into existence. Plus, these are not my dreams; This is God’s way of preparing me for what He wants to do in my life. I’ve seen visions of all these things; they only catch me by surprise when I lose my faith.

Love that. So back to the Chevening scholarship from before. What is it, and who is it for?

The Chevening scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship offered by the UK Government. Every year, young people from over 160 countries are selected by Chevening to come and study any course, in any UK university of their choice. When you’re done studying, you have to go back to your country and apply what you have learned there for at least two years before you can return to the UK.

You’re not restricted from travelling down to the UK when you have events, engagements, workshops or anything else; they just don’t expect you not to go back to help your country after getting access to world-class education from the UK government.

That’s crazy. What makes someone a potential Chevening scholar?

The whole point of the Chevening scholarship is that the UK government is trying to bring together young leaders and potential leaders who are trying to drive change in their countries. So, a perfect candidate for Chevening is someone who’s trying to drive change, has leadership skills and is working on innovative ideas, either in the non-profit or corporate sector. The scholarship gives you access to a large alumni network and an opportunity to study in the UK without worrying about money.

Because your tuition is covered, right?

Oh, it’s not just your tuition. I don’t think I fully appreciated Chevening until I moved here and met many international students who are funding their studies themselves. I would not even advise anyone to go through that stress. If your family is not very wealthy, please don’t leave your life in Nigeria to come down here. Try to get a fully-funded scholarship like Chevening. It makes your life easy.

When you get the Chevening scholarship, your visa is taken care of and they pay for everything—think health charges and even flights. If you want your flight booked down to the city you’re going to, you just have to tell them what city it is, and they’ll book it. Everything is taken care of. Your own is just to board the plane and start your new life.

They cover your tuition and also give you a stipend for your accommodation and your living expenses. Even after you’ve paid for these things, you’ll still have about £500 left. Your visa also allows you to work 20 hours if you plan to work and study simultaneously.

The benefits sound dreamy. What?

And there’s more. Because the Chevening scholarship is well recognised, it’s easier to get internship placements and jobs wherever you go as a Chevening scholar. It just opens many doors that ordinarily will be difficult to assess as an international student. Also, if you’re the kind of person who likes to explore, travel for conferences or experience different cultures, you can travel with the money you manage to save from your Chevening allowance. But you only get the grace to be away for 30 days during your study in the UK experience.

What kind of job are you allowed to do?

As a Chevening scholar, you can work in any industry, but scholars should be strategic with their work choices. You’re already getting a world-class education that is completely funded. You don’t want to spend your time trying to work for just money; you want to work for experience, and you want to work with brands that can add value to your portfolio.

How would you advise Nigerians who are interested in the Chevening scholarship to start their application?

Applications for the 2025/2026 session have closed, The next thing is to note that you don’t apply for Chevening because you want to leave Nigeria. If you are desperate to relocate, it will show in your essay.

Chevening is about giving back to your community, so figure out what problem pisses you off and why you want to solve it badly. Once you figure out what you’re passionate about, the next thing is to tell your story.

You can do your research in one day by reading more and watching many videos about Chevening on YouTube. Then tell Chevening what they need to know about the work you’re doing in Nigeria. Write like you want the person reading your essay to remember your story.

LOL. I’m stealing that line.

Please, feel free to. The next thing applicants should do is go to YouTube. There are several videos by past scholars explaining what the Chevening scholarship is about. Those videos can help you save time. They also have a breakdown of how to write the essays on the Chevening website. Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) on the website too. Once you’ve done all of that, pick your course.

Any personal advice on how to pick the perfect course?

Now, if you are like me and your undergraduate degree is different from what you want to study, narrow it down to one field that has the biggest impact on your work. You don’t want to come off as someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. You get to select three courses, but it helps ensure they are related. Don’t say you want to study public policy in school one and economics in school two. So when you have picked the course, look for schools that offer that course and are eligible to be funded by Chevening. You’ll see a course finder on the Chevening website.

Ah ahn, fancy!

Yeah, they make the application easier. The essays are the most important parts of your application, so you want to ensure they flow. When writing your leadership essay, pick at least three strong leadership experiences that display who you are. I always tell people I work with to start with the problem statement; Do some research in your field, figure out the problem you’re trying to solve and back it up with data to show how much of a serious problem it is. Pick the best examples of how you’ve tried to solve this problem and show the impact. Please, brag. Your Chevening application isn’t where you should try to be humble. Talk about numbers and your impact. Talk about the projects you’ve worked on or opportunities you’ve been selected for.

So basically, blow your own trumpet?

Exactly. For your networking essay, Chevening wants to know that you’re friendly and can leverage unprofessional relationships to create meaningful impact. It’s wiser to pick those three examples of how you created impact in your leadership essay and show how relationship helps you do those things. Remember that the flow of your story is important. You also want to show how you’ll network with members of the Chevening network and use that access to create a bigger impact.

That makes a lot of sense.

Yeah. Then you can move on to your study plan, where you demonstrate why you want to get your master’s education in the UK. Chevening wants to know why the UK is the country you’re interested in, that’s why your research should be really heavy. Go down to the website of your three preferred schools. You don’t need to research the entire school; just focus on your course, faculty, and lecturers, what they are doing and how it aligns with your interest. Look at the course modules in depth and pick one or two courses in the module that are directly related to what you are currently doing and how what you’ll learn will help you do better. Also, feel free to talk about the city your school is in and what you’re looking forward to experiencing there.

What about the fourth essay?

The fourth and last essay is your career plan essay. Here, you want to show them that you have a strong sense of why you’re getting this degree and what the future of your work looks like. Show your big picture— how your life after Chevening will impact generations, but keep it realistic and well thought out.

To keep things as realistic as possible, you need to show them what you plan to do when you return to Nigeria. you also need to demonstrate mid-term goals and long-term goals. You can also find out what the UK government is doing in your country related to your field. The UK government has projects they do in Nigeria every year; Build that connection between what they are doing in your field, find an opportunity for collaboration and link it. Also, if your career plan is not related to your study plan, that’s a problem because you’re insinuating that the degree won’t impact your career in any way.

You also need academic and professional reference letters. You can apply without the letter, but you must find two people who can vouch for you and submit their details.

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you, you know, with your life right now?

I’d say 9.5. I’m happy. I’m getting a master’s degree I could never have afforded on my own and worshipping at my local church.

Want to to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here.
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.

Israel (26), the subject of this week’s 1000 Ways to Japa, knew he would leave Nigeria since junior secondary school. When he finally had the chance to move in 2021, Nigeria happened. He shares how he got multiple offers from foreign companies like Amazon and Yelp, and how he declined those offers to relocate to Canada.

Where do you live now and when did you leave Nigeria?

So I currently live in Vancouver, Canada. I left Nigeria in June 2023.

Why did you decide to japa?

Two reasons– I wanted to live a better life, and as a software engineer, I wanted to go where all the major tech actions were happening. Also, I’ve always known that I’d leave the country since junior secondary school because I I wanted to work at Microsoft and they didn’t have an office in Nigeria at the time so that’s where the relocation dream came from.

So did you get the job at Microsoft?

So that didn’t really happen. In my third year of university, I was determined to leave Nigeria, so I came up with multiple plans. The first one was to get a job at a foreign tech company (not only Microsoft) that could sponsor my relocation. My backup plan was to leave through the study route, while my third plan was to continue doing great work in Nigeria and apply for a skilled worker visa. Thankfully, my first plan worked, and I got a job with a tech company here in Vancouver. That’s how I ended up in Canada.

Congratulations. How did that happen?

I actually got three job offers from three tech companies. I got one offer from Yelp in the UK. I got another offer from Amazon, also in the UK, and then, got one with Asana in Canada, which is currently where I am now.

You ditched Amazon for Asana? No shade but why?

It was mostly because I preferred Canada to the UK and both jobs were offering similar pay. Although Yelp was for a more senior level

Fairs. You seem to know a lot about getting a foreign job. How would you advise other Nigerians to get started?

The first thing I’d say is that the process takes a lot of intentionality. Since I decided to work in big tech, I’ve been working towards that goal–I joined international communities with the intention of connecting with people outside the country. I started doing that in secondary school, and I continued until I got into uni. By the time I got to my second year of university, I was already applying for international roles with tech companies which is funny because I was still building my tech skills. But I knew the worst that would happen was that I’d get rejected and move on.

So I’d say my first advice is to start applying for international roles as soon as you can. Don’t wait to become the best version of yourself. Start building a track record online so that your work can be traced back to you.

You should also prepare to get some rejections before your big break. I got rejected everywhere I applied to that year, but in my 300 level, I got an internship interview with Google. When I tell you that was the highlight of my life, I’m not even joking. I was like “Who am I?” They served me a rejection when I got to the final round of the interview though but even getting rejected by Google as a student gave me hope that I could actually make it in life. It’s been a few years now, and I’ve recently gone back to check out the resume I used to get to the final stage of the interview. I wouldn’t have given myself the internship if I was Google.

LMAO. Love the self-awareness

It’s good to tell yourself the truth. So I had been applying for jobs forever, but things changed in 2021 because the job market just seemed to be at its peak– I had recruiters reaching out to me almost every day. The Amazon job I mentioned earlier was one of the jobs I got through a recruiter who reached out to me.

I ended up interviewing for so many roles. I interviewed at Google again and at other tech companies. I was doing all these while doing my final-year projects, and I luckily got a job with those companies.

Asana was the first company to offer me a job, sometime around December 2021. I was so excited because I thought my big break had finally come, and I was going to move out of the country.

Asana has companies that help employees process their relocation so everything was going well until ASUU went on another strike. I was already done with my final exams, but my results were not out yet. At this point, I had signed the offer letter, and they would start my immigration process, but they needed my certificate to give me a work permit. Because my final results were not out, I couldn’t submit that, So it felt like my job offer was in jeopardy, which was a very terrible thing.

The strike lasted for almost a whole year so I couldn’t send my documents. But they kept waiting for me and sending messages to tell me that my job offer was still available. I was practically begging them not to take my job offer at some point because the strike was lasting longer than it should. It felt like I had gotten my big break but Nigeria was still happening to me. They waited for a whole year before they told me that they would have to take back the offer if I didn’t send a transcript or certificate.

I returned to my backup plan and started interviewing for foreign jobs again. That was actually when the Amazon offer came through, but luckily, the strike was called off, and I got my transcript just before the deadline that Asana gave me. The relocation process started again, and I moved in 2023. Even though I didn’t lose the offer, I lost a lot of money– they took back my sign-on bonus of about 34,000 Canadian dollars because I waited too long.

Sorry about that. How did you hear about these job openings from Nigeria?

I mostly just searched, but I was also part of communities like the Microsoft student community where people sometimes send job openings to each other.

Another way I advise people to try is to keep up with some products they use. For example, I’m a software engineer, so I’m familiar with the Asana software. I found out about them from an agency I used to work with. I liked the product, so I went to Google and searched for the company’s career site, checked to see if they had any job that I was qualified for, and applied from there.

You can also subscribe to job alerts on LinkedIn. I was getting job alerts almost every day, and they opened my eyes to new opportunities.

Thank you. Is the timeline for landing a foreign job usually long like yours, or is it something that someone can manage to process within a shorter period of time?

To be honest, you can get a job in less than a year. Most interview rounds take one month. Once you make it past that stage, you immediately get an offer. I had some obstacles like ASUU in the way, but it’s not going to be like that for everybody.

The length of the entire process also depends on the country you’re moving to because you still have to process your relocation papers and permits after getting the job offer, and the processes differ for different countries.

That’s good to know. What would you say you like the most about living in Canada?

I think it’s the fact that their systems work, compared to Nigeria, where everybody just does their thing and doesn’t follow laws. Plus, Canada just offers you a better life–things work the way they are supposed to, and it’s a healthy place to live.

On a scale of one to 10, how happy are you in Canada?

I’m grateful for moving to Canada, and for the kind of job that I have and how much I make.

I’ll say my happiness is about 10 out of 10. I’m living my dream life, but I’ll also say maybe 9.5 because things can still get much better.

Would you like to share your japa story? Please reach out to me here.

[ad]
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.

Akin (29), the subject of this week’s Abroad Life, earns in Naira and lives in Germany. This was a good idea until the naira lost most of its value. He talks about relocating to Germany with his partner after the #EndSARS protest and how he can no longer afford to spoil her like he used to.

When exactly did you leave Nigeria and where do you currently live?

My partner’s angel number is 1111, so we left the country together on November 11th and entered Germany on November 12th, 2021.

Interesting. How did you end up moving with your partner?

The Lekki tollgate massacre was a life-changing moment for us. We were big supporters of the #EndSARS cause, but after we saw what our peers went through, we both realised we didn’t want to raise kids in Nigeria. After the massacre, my partner started applying for jobs abroad. She first started with school applications and was able to get a master’s admission in Texas, but there was a limitation because I couldn’t work for a particular period of time–I would have only been allowed to work for 10 hours weekly. How was that going to help anybody? We didn’t take that opportunity, so some of our friends advised us to try out other routes. We took the advice, and she started applying for international roles. Thankfully, she got one in Germany.

Are you married?

Not yet. In most countries, you must be married to relocate together, but in Germany, you have to share proof that you are in a committed relationship with the government. We had to compile our pictures and put them into a slide to show that we’ve been together for a long time and will still be together when we move. We also had to get a document that proved that we were both single but dating. It was strange that we had to prove our relationship status, but they needed to know we were serious. They call it a registered partnership.

Would it have made any difference if you guys were married?

No, it wouldn’t have, but we would have needed to provide supporting documents like a marriage certificate. They are not against marriage; they just want to make sure that you are truly single if you claim to be.

How has life been since you relocated with your partner?

It’s been different. We were comfortable in Nigeria until #EndSARS happened. At that point, we had been dating for two years, but we’re four years old now. I had a good job, and I was climbing up the corporate ladder. My partner is the smartest girl I know, so she was also excelling in her career– we were both balling.

In Nigeria, we were between being extroverted and introverted, so you’d mostly find us indoors, working remotely for our companies, seeing movies together, or eating out in nice places. But since we got here, things have changed a bit– we’re either indoors for weeks or travelling around Europe. Now, the difference is that she transitioned into an international role when we moved, but I kept my job in Nigeria.

Oh, why?

I was earning close to ₦1 million before I left Nigeria in 2021 and the exchange rate was not that bad. When we moved newly to Germany, I could easily convert my Naira to euros and still be able to take my partner on trips to Paris, but the more T-Pain did his thing, the harder things got.

The company we work for is fully remote, so employees are in different parts of the world. We tried to convince the company to pay employees in USD or euros, but they didn’t give in.

Now, when she travels down to Nigeria, I can afford to spoil her, but I cannot do much when we’re here.

Thankfully, we have a relationship built on trust. We have an arrangement that works for us— I handle the bills, and she handles bigger payments. Even though things have gotten tougher, there’s never been a time when she travelled to Nigeria, and I couldn’t spoil her. It’s why I tell my friends that I’m poor in Germany but rich in Nigeria.

What decision could help you live a better life in Germany?

That would be letting go of my job in Nigeria. I recently realised that there’s a big gap between what my Nigerian job pays and what I should be earning in Germany. Let’s assume that my annual salary in Nigeria is €7k. What I should earn in Germany doing the same job should be about €70k yearly. My partner currently earns about €5k monthly, and that’s close to what I could earn, too.

Can I ask why you’ve kept your Nigerian job for that long?

I’ve been asking myself the same question to be honest. When I joined the company. I was transitioning from marketing to a more technical role, and this company I currently work for was the first place I gained employment after my transition–the money was good, and I could still gain advanced technical experience so it made sense to keep the job. When we left, the plan was to get a supporting role but moving from Nigeria and getting a job in Germany can be very hard, so I kept the job to gain more years of experience in the new field I transitioned to. It didn’t feel like a bad decision because I also enjoy working at the company.

That makes sense. When you first moved, you mentioned you could still take your partner on trips. What changed?

The exchange rate, my sister. When my friends complain about things being hard in Nigeria, I always tell them it’s hitting me the hardest because I have to convert my wages from a weak currency to a stronger one.

When I see freelancers earning in euros and converting to naira, I’m always happy for them. There was a time when I could convert ₦600,000 to €1000 but suddenly, that ₦600k could no longer be converted to €400. It made no sense. So I’ve gone from being able to take my partner on trips to only being able to pay bills.

How has she been able to adjust to the change?

She’s been very supportive and has encouraged me to get a job here. She reminds me that things will improve when I get the job and she’s right because at the moment, it feels like I’ve been holding on to Nigeria for too long, and I haven’t been able to settle into our new life.

If I get a job here, I can have a network of friends and even build professional relationships. More than ever, I’m focusing on getting a role that will make life easier for both of us, even if it’s not as fancy as my job title in Nigeria.

I hope that works out soon. How do you balance the time difference between Nigeria and Germany?

I get very confused sometimes. It’s easier for those who have consistent time differences because they know how to fix their schedule; for me, it’s just very confusing. Sometimes, it’s a two-hour difference. Sometimes, it’s the same time. So I get confused when I need to set up meetings sometimes. But I’m lucky that I now understand Google Calendar a lot, I have all time zones there. Whenever I’m setting a meeting, it shows me what time the invited guests are available. I also have this thing on my mobile phone where both time zones are displayed. It helps me keep up with family and friends in Nigeria.

Let’s talk more about life in Germany. What’s the best part about living there?

Things work here. For example, it’s easy for you to rent because there’s a website with all the housing options. You scroll through the website, settle for where you want and virtually view the apartment. You send an email of interest and get a response within a reasonable timeframe. If you want, you can visit the apartment physically to review it; If you like what you see and you come to a price agreement that works, you should get a congratulatory email and be able to move in as soon as possible. There’s just a functional order that things follow here.

Thank you so much. Finally, on a scale of one to 10, how happy are you living abroad?

When I moved out, I would have said eight because things were easier then, but since T-pain got in, it’s been hard. I would be happier if I found a new role. So right now, it’s like a six or seven, because things are not going so well at the moment. But it takes just one yes for that number to change to nine.

[ad]

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).
Life is hard, but life in Nigeria is even harder for young people under Emilokan’s government. If you’ve managed to secure a sugar mummy who hasn’t yet taken the hint to make your life easier by shipping you off to the UK or US, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Here’s a no-fail guide on how to make your glucose mummy sponsor your relocation from Nigeria.

Dump your Nigerian name

If you’re a Mukaila Alao or Adeniji Ifasowapo, it’s time for you to abandon those names and insist on your sucre mamito calling you a Jack Ferguson or Brandon Hammerman. It’ll make it easier for her to start seeing you as a foreign somebody.

Organise a “send forth” party for yourself

Throw an elaborate party where you invite her entire clique, and call it “Baby Brandon takes Europe.” Complete with a cake that says, “To Europe, With Love from Mama Sugar.” Guilt trip her into making the relocation dream come true.

Become her travel content creator in training

Convince her that sponsoring your relocation is in her best interest because you’ll start a social media series documenting “The Adventures of Lady Suzzy and Boy Brandon.” Promise her she’ll be famous worldwide.

Introduce her to International Sugar Mummy Societies

Tell her she needs to network with sugar mummies in London or Dubai for “business connections.” Obviously, you must go ahead first to prepare the way for her royal arrival.

Start speaking only in foreign currency

Refuse to acknowledge Naira anymore. Every time she asks you how much something costs, respond in dollars or euros, and explain that you’re just preparing for your new life abroad. She’ll get with the programme.

Fake an international sponsorship deal

Tell her an “abroad-based” Nigerian sugar mummy has offered to sponsor you, but you turned her down out of loyalty. Remind her that “opportunities like this don’t wait forever,” so she needs to act fast.

[ad]

Start a countdown clock

Set up a giant clock that counts down the days until you “have to leave for abroad” and put it in her living room. Tell her it’s a motivational reminder that life is short, and the time for action is now!

Master the art of emotional blackmail

If everything else fails, you’ll most likely secure that abroad sponsorship with the emotional blackmail card. Tearfully tell her that whenever you dream about your future together, it’s in an exotic location, like Santorini or Paris. Hold her hand and whisper, “Mama, do you really want us to die in Mowe Ibafo?”

Read this next: How to Get Your Sugar Mummy to Pay for Your Wedding
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.

Since secondary school, this 25-year-old marketing bro has wondered what life in a functional country feels like. Now, he’s living his dreams through the UK Global Talent visa and thinks other Nigerians should jump on the opportunity too.

Where do you live, and when did you move out of Nigeria?

I live in Kent, UK, and I moved here in August 2024 through a global talent visa.

Sounds fancy. What’s a global talent visa?

The global talent visa is for people with at least two years of experience in their field, particularly tech, arts, or academia. I work as a marketing professional in the digital technology sector, so I applied for the visa through Tech Nation.

We’ll come back to that. When did you decide to leave Nigeria, and why?

I don’t know if there’s a specific date for that. The reality that comes with being a Nigerian is that you always want to leave. It’s always been on my mind, but it became a conscious decision when I finished secondary school. I don’t know if it’s still functional now, but a couple of my seniors in secondary school then had travelled to Russia through the Federal Government Scholarship Board. They painted a picture of a different life for me, so I decided that it would be nice to relate.

Do you feel like you can relate now?

I didn’t hold the UK to any unrealistic standard before I moved, and that’s because when you’re coming from a very difficult place, your expectation is, “I just hope this other country is better.” Thankfully, there’s more peace and stability here.

Is there anything about the UK that caught you off-guard?

I think the first thing would be the value of money, the fact that money actually has value in the UK. It’s surprising that you can buy something for like £9 or £5 here when you can’t even find ₦5 in Nigeria anymore. The fact that transportation is also affordable is shocking – I hear it’s cheaper in other parts of Europe anyway. When I was about to move to the UK, I remember complaining to a friend about how I would deal with transportation costs in my first few days– I was travelling from London to Oxford for a job interview and then to Kent, so I assumed I would spend a lot. She told me not to worry because I would not need up to £100 to cover all the train and bus rides. The value of the currency itself gives you peace of mind. You’re not consciously looking for some dollar-to-naira conversion app to fix non-existent problems.

This is also my first time experiencing what a functioning government looks like. The fact that you send an email to your council – like local government – and they actually get back to you surprises me. Things just function the way they’re supposed to, and even though you’ve not experienced it before, you feel like this is what a proper life should look like.

LMAO. Why are you even sending emails to your Local government?

You won’t see the need because you don’t even think your local government should be emailed in Nigeria. So, there was a day that I went to the library, and it was closed, I saw a sign with a number and email to contact for more information. I sent an email, and I got a response in two hours, explaining why the library was closed and sending me a schedule of their weekly and monthly opening days. These little things don’t usually work in Nigeria;the email would probably sit in a forgotten inbox, or the number would be unreachable. When you’re in a country where things work, trust me, you’ll definitely have things to tell your local government.

Sounds like life in the UK is great. Made new friends yet?

I’m an introvert, but I guess I’m lucky to have friends who relocated to the UK before me, so friendship hasn’t been a problem.

Good for you. Let’s talk more about relocation. How would you advise japa aspirants to prepare for the global talent visa?

There’s a short version and a long version, which one do you want?

Both, but let’s start with the short version.

If you’re interested in the visa, start by putting together documents that show your experience—what you’ve done, the impact of your work, how recognised you are, and how your work stands out in your field. Submit these to Tech Nation; If they endorse you, you can go ahead to apply for the Global Talent visa. After that, you wait for the UK’s decision—usually a “yes” from what I’ve read. Once approved, you’re set to travel.

The Tech Nation website has everything you need to know about the Global Talent Visa, including clear, easy-to-understand guidelines.

So what’s the long version?

First, get at least two years of experience in tech in a product-led company, not an agency. There are two categories for this visa: “Exceptional Promise” and “Exceptional Talent.” Exceptional promise recipients are people who have less than five years of experience, while exceptional talent recipients are those who have five years or more.

If you’re a product designer, for example, focus on building a strong portfolio, staying active in your field, and contributing to tech communities through something like volunteering. This kind of involvement will help prepare you for the visa. You can also check the UK government website to see exactly how they define global talent, but I’d tell you that the summary of what they want is a track record of impressive, verifiable work.

How do you actually apply for this visa?

To apply, put together a solid CV and a Personal Statement that covers who you are, what you do, why you want to move to the UK, and your plans once you’re there. You’ll also need to submit up to 10 documents (pieces of evidence) showing your impact. This means you have to show off any innovative work you’ve done and any leadership roles you’ve held. This could include records of speaking engagements or any other proof of leadership.

Throughout the application process, just work with the consciousness that you’re trying to convince people who don’t know you that you’re a recognised talent in your country with the potential to become even better. Also, show how your skills could benefit the UK because that’s the whole point of getting the visa.

[ad]

How much did you pay for the visa?

The visa is not the first thing anyone who wants to get the Global Talent visa should be worried about. The endorsement comes first, but when you’re in the planning stage, your initial budget should be around £716 (about ₦1.5 million) for both the endorsement and visa.

Here’s how it works: you’ll first pay £524 for the endorsement application. If you’re approved, you can then apply for the visa, which costs £192. That’s where your first £716 budget is going. After you’ve sorted out payments for your endorsement and visa, you’ll have to pay a healthcare surcharge which costs £1,035 per year. So, it starts with the endorsement application and the visa fee, and if successful, the healthcare charge comes in.

What else do people need to know about this visa?

Alright, so here’s how it goes: if you’re classified as an “exceptional talent” (this means you have five or more years of experience), you get a two-year visa in the UK. After those two years, you can apply to remain in the UK for another year, summing it up to three. At the end of those three years, you will be eligible to get your permanent residence.

On the other hand, if you’re an “exceptional promise” (this means you have less than five years in your career), you’ll get a five-year visa. You can move in and out of the UK freely as long as you stay for at least six months each year. At the end of your five years, you’ll apply to remain in the UK for another year, and after spending six years in the UK, you should be ready to apply for your British citizenship. So, the difference between the two categories is really in how quickly you can become a British citizen—exceptional promise candidates have a longer wait time.

Another thing people need to know is that while the endorsement fee and the healthcare surcharge (£1,035) are both part of an initial cost, the healthcare surcharge can be paid upfront or gradually. So, let’s say you qualify for a five-year visa as an exceptional promise; you could choose to pay for only one year upfront, get your visa, and leave Nigeria, then make your payment once every year once you get to the UK and find a good job. If you prefer, you could still clear the payment at once to avoid the stress of renewals.

What happens to your money if you don’t get the endorsement?

Nothing happens. The money goes. You still have to pay if you’re applying again.

Oh wow

Your application for endorsement can be rejected, but if that happens, they will explain why they’ve rejected you. If you think they are wrong, you can appeal that rejection and tell them why you think their decision is wrong. They can revoke the rejection and endorse you if you have solid points or maintain the rejection and give you feedback that can be useful for your next application.

But they won’t return your money?

Nobody is returning your money. It’s just like paying to apply to a school and expecting a refund because they rejected you. That’s why it’s important to make sure you meet the requirements and your application is as solid as possible.

So how long does it typically take to get a global talent visa?

Honestly, if you’re looking to apply for the Global Talent visa, I’d say the whole process—gathering documents and everything—will likely take three to six months.

On a scale of 1-10, how much would you recommend the global talent visa to young professionals?

If you’re a Nigerian working in tech, I would recommend it 100%. The reasons are self-evident, really. The country doesn’t seem to be getting any better, and as a tech professional, being in a stable country where you don’t have to miss out on opportunities because you’re living in Nigeria is definitely something to embrace.

Enjoyed reading this? Click here to be the first to know when a new episode of 1,000 Ways to Japa drops. If you want to share your story, please reach out to me here.
Someone you know has left or is planning to leave Nigeria. 1,000 Ways To Japa will be speaking to real people and exploring the infinite number of reasons and paths they used to japa.

Nobody knows how to japa with a student visa quite like this 31-year-old businessman and the subject of this week’s #1000WaysToJapa. He applied to 11 universities in seven different countries before finally deciding to pursue his master’s degree at a tuition-free university in Switzerland.

This model has no connection with this story.

So when did you move out of Nigeria and where do you currently live?

I live in Switzerland, Geneva where I’m getting a Masters degree in Economics. I moved here in September 2024.

Interesting choice. Why Switzerland?

I wanted to get a good education and Switzerland offered me a chance to get my Masters degree for free.

We’ll come back to the free part. What did your life look like before you left Nigeria?

My life in Nigeria was good- I was running a water production business that made me six figures in profit every month but I wanted more. I wanted to get an international career and position myself for global opportunities.

Sorry, what? Six figures?

In a good month, I would make between ₦5,000,000 to ₦7,000,000 in profit. I was running my business in a student area, so we made lots of sales whenever school was in session. But it wasn’t always great, mostly because water is a seasonal business.

The cost of running a business in Nigeria is high- we had to buy the vehicles for dispatch, fuel them, and spend a lot on maintenance every month. The factory ran on diesel because there was no electricity where it was located; If I calculate how much the factory spent on diesel in one month alone, it was over ₦1,000,000. It looks like I earned well in Nigeria but after taking care of necessary and unforeseen expenses, you’d realise that ₦7,000,000 isn’t a lot of money. That’s just one of the many challenges of doing business in Nigeria.

But you still earned enough money to live fairly well in Nigeria. Why did you leave that life to become a student in Switzerland?

I actually had the opportunity to move there with a work visa but a Masters degree is what I wanted – money isn’t everything. I’m more concerned about the impact this degree will help me make globally.

Fair enough, so when did you know you wanted to leave the country?

I started planning to move in August 2023 but I found out that it was too late to apply for the 2023/2024 session. Instead of wasting time, I started preparing to apply for the 2024/2025 session. At the time, I wanted a scholarship but it didn’t work. In January 2024, most universities in Switzerland started accepting applications so I submitted mine.

What did your application process look like?

I was determined to move out this year so applied to schools in different countries in order not to limit my options. The only downside to that was the application fees I had to pay but it was a necessary damage. I applied to three schools in the US, three in Canada, and one each in Australia, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Ireland.

I was rejected by two of the Canadian universities. I was also rejected by two universities I applied to in the US and was accepted by one. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go because my visa application was denied. I also got an admission in Ireland, applied for the visa and got it on the first trial. My Denmark application wasn’t successful too, so I didn’t move further with the visa. That’s how my options were cut down to Ireland and Switzerland. I chose Switzerland.

You’re a japa expert now. If you knew someone who wanted to japa with a student visa, what would say to them?

First of all, not everybody would have enough money to apply to as many schools as I did. I only considered it a good financial decision because the degree I wanted was competitive everywhere in the world. If you’re looking for programs that will give you a high chance of getting admitted on the first trial, you can apply for diploma programs at any university. Studying any course in expensive schools where tuition is paid installmentally is also another guaranteed option for Nigerian students.

But if you’re interested in schools that offer ridiculously affordable tuition and are still among the top 100 in the world, you need to be ready for a bit of competition. I’d say the best thing you can do for yourself is to apply to as many as possible, because just two or three options may not be good enough to get you out of Nigeria.

Did you apply through an agent?

I don’t think anybody should waste their money employing any agent. If you have basic research skills, there are guidelines on YouTube and Google to help you. Just read a lot of stuff and watch a lot of videos.

You’d even find that you have a better chance of securing admission and getting your visa on the first trial when you do it yourself because that way, your school can easily communicate directly with you and you can also get feedback from the admission committee without much delay. These schools themselves don’t even want the chain of communication to be unnecessarily long. If you’re applying to schools in Australia though, you should get an agent. You have a better shot with an agent. I know this because I tried applying myself and it didn’t go well– I couldn’t communicate directly with the school, and the whole process was frustrating.

LMAO, sorry

Again, necessary damage. But for a typical application process to Switzerland or several other countries, you should try to find out what kind of candidates they are looking for – It’s usually on the school’s website. If you meet their requirements, you’d most likely still need to take the IELTS. Countries like the US and Canada don’t necessarily need IELTS from Nigerians, because they recognize us as English speakers. They don’t even need you to get a document from your school stating that your degree was taught in English, at least for the schools I applied to. Some lenient European schools also let you apply with a statement from your school stating that your degree was taught in English.

Most of these international schools also need academic reference letters so the moment I knew I was travelling, I had some lecturers on stand-by to write references for me. Another thing I was intentional about was my Statement Of Purpose (SOP). ChatGPT is your friend for everything else but not your statement of purpose.

LOL. Why not?

These schools use software to detect AI and that can ruin your admission chances. Even if you’re not using ChatGPT, eliminate any form of vagueness from your SOP because the person reviewing your application wants to get a strong sense of who you are and why they should pick you. For example, I didn’t say I aspired to become an economic relations manager in my SOP, I told the story of why I chose the course instead– the admission committee will see generic stuff in every other application, so you want them to find something different in yours.

You can use AI to get the general format of writing a statement of purpose but anything else is a bad idea.

Thank you. Now, let’s go back to the “free” part. What does that mean?

I’m in an institution where students don’t pay school fees. We only pay a semester contribution of 500 francs which is about ₦950,000. So it’s almost free for everybody. Also, you’re only required to pay it during your first semester. For the second semester, you can write to them and say “Hey, I don’t think I can pay this, the contribution be waived for me?” And they’ll waive it for you.

They have nothing to lose because the school is a public institution, and it’s publicly funded. This is one of the things I was looking out for when I wanted to choose an institution– my school is ranked high in the top 100 universities in the world list, it’s cheap, and it offers quality degrees.

Sounds like a steal

It is, I can’t lie.

Do you mind sharing the name of the university?

University of Geneva. But every other public university in Switzerland offers the same opportunity.

You seem to know quite a lot about admission rejections. Are there things you did to improve your admission chances in Switzerland?

Rejections are normal. You should know that not everybody who meets the cut will be admitted. Now that I’m here though, I’ve noticed that Switzerland universities try to make their institutions as diverse as possible. They want to get representatives from every region. I think everybody who intends to study abroad should make sure their institution is as culturally diverse as possible because it could be an advantage.

In my university, Swiss people have a smaller chance of gaining admission compared to a Nigerian and it’s not because they didn’t meet the criteria, but because these schools have their quota for Swiss students. Let’s say they just want three students from Switzerland and as many as 20 applied, they’ll pick their three and move on even if the remaining 17 did exceptionally well, and had good references. They’d rather pick from Africa or Asia or anywhere else.

Now that you’re in Switzerland, is it everything you expected?

Yes, I watched a lot of videos on YouTube about Switzerland and I followed a lot of Swiss people It’s everything I expected but in Geneva where I stay, you won’t find a lot of Nigerians.

There are more Nigerians in other cities but I love Geneva regardless. The people are friendly and they make you feel important. I’ve never felt so important in my life. They don’t look down on anybody. If you are lost, you can stop anyone and be assured that they will abandon whatever they are doing to help you find your way. That’s something you probably wouldn’t experience in Nigeria. I’ve also never experienced racism here and there are more English speakers here than most people realize.

Sounds like a chill place. Do you ever get lonely without Nigerian friends?

Loneliness was something I was worried about before I left Nigeria. In fact, at some point, I told my friends in Nigeria that they would have to get used to me constantly texting and calling them but since I moved here, it’s been the opposite of what I anticipated. This is mostly because I live in a shared apartment.

Interesting. What’s that like?

I have my bedroom. I have a sink in the room where I can brush my teeth and take water to drink. Yeah, we drink tap water in Switzerland.

We are seven in the house but we share one kitchen and two toilets. Living with seven people is one thing that has helped me because they are all willing to connect- If I go out of my room now and sit in the kitchen, there’s no way I won’t start a conversation with at least one person. It also helps that we are all from diverse backgrounds– We’ve got two Swiss guys, two Chinese, one Canadian, and one French guy.

These days, they are the only ones I talk to because I don’t have time to communicate with people back home. It’s either I’m in class, swamped with assignments, or I’m out socializing. I’m having a wonderful time and I don’t think I’ll be feeling lonely anytime soon.

Are you satisfied with your decision to move away from home?

I have zero regrets. Initially, the US was my top choice. Canada and Australia at some point too but now that I’m in Switzerland, I’m glad I didn’t get the American visa. I feel like I’m in the best place I can be right now- I’ve made a lot of connections since and I’ve attended a lot of conferences that I wouldn’t even be considered for if I were still in Nigeria. I’ve attended United Nations conferences, I’ve shaken hands with delegates from the World Health Organisation. Most of the time when I walk up to world delegates at these conferences, they are willing to connect because they assume you are someone from a very important organisation. This is the kind of life I wanted to live.

Wow, you make Switzerland sound flawless

The only thing I probably don’t like is how cold the weather is. Going outside is always a challenge. People act like they’ve won the lottery when there’s sunshine. A Swiss girl once told me that people take antidepressant pills in Denmark when it’s cold. She said it was only a matter of time before I started feeling depressed too.

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with your life post-japa?

A solid 8, I love my life here.

In next week’s episode, you’ll meet a tech bro who woke up with a sudden urge to live a normal life and decided to move to the UK with a Global Talent Visa. See you by 9 AM (GMT) every Wednesday. Be the first to know when it drops by clicking here. If you want to share your story, please reach out to me here.
Kike* (27) is no stranger to the loan system. She’s been at it since she took her first ₦50k loan in 2019. It’s 2024, and she just unlocked a whole new risk level — taking out almost ₦80m in student loans to pursue an MBA. How’s that going?

As told to Boluwatife

I took my first loan in 2019. I was fresh out of university, earning ₦67k at my graduate trainee job, and shouldn’t have had money problems, especially since I had minimal financial responsibilities. Still, I somehow found myself on the loan path. Loan debt and I have been together ever since.

A little backstory: I didn’t exactly grow up with money. My dad wasn’t in the picture often, and my mum supported the family with her petty trading business. My mum’s a private person. Even though things weren’t great, my mum hardly talked about our financial limitations or sought help from people. She just did what she could, which was mostly enough to get us by.

I got by in university, even though I only received a ₦15k monthly allowance. I also got by during NYSC. In addition to the government’s ₦19,800 stipend, I received an extra ₦20k salary from the school I taught at for my PPA. Things were going pretty well until I landed that graduate trainee job at a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in 2019.

I’m not sure why my employer even tagged it “graduate trainee” because we were more like distributor managers. In addition to selling products to distributors and meeting sales targets, I also had to manage distributors and field executives, coordinate the van drivers, and ensure they had all the tools to work.

Most of the time, I spent out of pocket to repair one van here and one keke napep there. I even sometimes gave these drivers transport money just so there wouldn’t be distribution delays which would affect my targets. My salary wasn’t enough to cover those extra expenses, and that’s when I turned to loans. The first one was a ₦50k loan to float me until my salary came at the end of the month.

Looking back, I could’ve asked my family for help, but I was ashamed. I was a first-class graduate hustling in the market to sell FMCG products, and felt like a let-down. Also, my siblings most likely wouldn’t have given me a loan. My mum taught us not to ask for money and to stay contented with what we had. So, it would’ve been a whole thing trying to explain why I needed money.

The “Don’t ask” mentality extended to my friendships and relationships; I just had to sort out my needs myself, even if it meant taking loans.

In 2020, I left the FMCG for a bank job, and my salary bumped up to ₦75k for the three-month training school period. After training school, my salary increased to ₦300k. It was the first time I ever earned enough to save money.

The pandemic also hit during that period, and I worked from home for a couple of months. Since I didn’t have to spend on transportation, I could afford to keep money aside and even dabbled in stocks here and there.

But then the lockdown lifted, and after navigating Lagos Island traffic for several months, I realised I needed to get an apartment closer to my workplace. So, I took another ₦300k loan to meet the ₦950k rent I needed for a bed space in an apartment in Lekki.

To be honest, I shouldn’t have needed that loan. It’s just that my lifestyle sort of changed with the higher salary. I went from managing to prioritising my comfort, taking cab rides, and just generally having a good time. I still had to spend money on feeding, utility bills, and basic living expenses. So, though I was getting a decent chunk of money, I often returned to broke levels.

In 2021, I decided to learn software development. I thought it would be a good opportunity to earn extra money while working remotely. I needed a laptop for that, so I took another loan and got a Mackbook for ₦730k. I learned HTML and CSS for a bit, but I never got to finish my classes as I was almost always busy with work.

A few months after getting the laptop, I took another loan for eye surgery. That one cost ₦2m. By then, loans had become really accessible to me. I worked in a bank, so it was very easy to get them. I tried to only take loans for major projects, though. It was just a way to get quick financing.

Of course, the downside was that I couldn’t really stop taking the loans. With the monthly repayments and the interest rates, I rarely got my entire salary at the end of the month.

I started dreaming about japa in 2023. Actually, the dream came about a year before that. I wanted to explore my career potential and increase my earning power, so I decided to get an MBA in the UK. I didn’t have the money, but somehow, I knew the money would come. I just needed to get admission, secure a visa and leave Nigeria, and the rest would fall into place.

I got admission in 2023 and needed to pay a £2500 deposit. At the time, a pound was about ₦795, but everyone kept predicting the exchange rate would go down, so I delayed payment by about six months. When I eventually paid, the exchange rate had increased to ₦1k+. I ultimately paid almost ₦3m, which was like the entirety of my savings.

Next were visas and flight fees. I took a ₦2.5m loan from my bank in July and got about ₦2m in financial support from my family and friends — I haven’t repaid the bank loan. In total, I spent almost ₦7m on japa and related expenses and moved to the UK in September 2024.

[ad]

At this point, you’re probably wondering how I’m funding school fees. Well, I took a student loan. I found a private company that offered the loan while watching YouTube videos about japa. This was just around the time I secured admission. I only needed to provide proof of admission, and I got the £36k loan (almost ₦80m).

This is how it works: The company pays the balance of my school fees, which is about £24k+. Then, they’ll give me a £10k living allowance for my one-year study — the company will pay this throughout my study in stipends. They’ll also keep £1,400 for administrative charges.

My MBA program will end in September 2025, and I’m supposed to have gotten a job by January 2026 so I can start repaying at least £400/month. The repayment should span 11 years. I’ll be repaying about £70k (with interest) and should be free by 2037. The amount and repayment time will increase if I miss any payment.

Honestly, I know it’s a big gamble, but I’m willing to bet on myself. I’m not worried about the loan because I’m not in the UK to play. Aside from the stipends from the loan company, I don’t have any income right now, but I intend to find part-time jobs and internships as soon as I can. It would be even better if I could get these opportunities at top companies because they offer students as much as £20k/year.

I’m trying to avoid the temptation to apply for care jobs or other menial jobs here in the UK. They’ll pay well, but I need jobs in my field of study to increase my career prospects after I get my degree or even meet people who could form a vital part of my network.

After all this, the goal is to become a consultant for financial institutions. I hear they earn up to £100k/year. I’m keeping my options open, though. Who knows if I’ll find better career opportunities?

I’m trying to remain as positive as possible, considering the circumstances. I’m neck-deep in debt right now and it’s easy to worry, but I won’t do that. I just need to focus on achieving my goals. Maybe then I’ll finally be comfortable enough not to even think about taking a loan.

*Name has been changed for the sake of anonymity.

NEXT READ: My Family Resents Me for Becoming the Breadwinner After My Parents Retired
How would you feel if your closest friend made a major decision like relocation without informing you?

That’s what happened to Ezra. He talks about being blindsided by his long-term best friend’s relocation, getting angry, and why he’s decided not to let his feelings affect their friendship.

As told to Boluwatife

Image by Canva AI

If you’d asked me a year ago how I’d react to learning my best friend left the country without telling me, I’d have concluded that the friendship was over and cut off all communication. Now that it’s actually happened, I’ve found myself a lot more understanding. But it doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad about it.

Deji* and I have been best friends since 2014. We met when we started sharing a bunk bed in our first year in university, and, as is usually the case with roommates, we automatically became friends.

At first, our friendship was just the standard greeting, sharing food when either of us cooked and gisting about football and girls. Then, we became closer over the years. I still can’t explain how that happened, but we soon began visiting each other’s homes during the holidays and forming relationships with each other’s families.

Deji’s mum had my number on speed dial and would call me if Deji didn’t pick up his phone when she called. Whenever she sent money and food to Deji at school, she’d send mine, too. Our parents also became close friends — the fact that Deji and I happened to come from the same state also helped — and we unofficially went from friends to brothers.

After we graduated from uni in 2021, I decided against returning home so I could plan for NYSC, and I spent the full three months waiting for my call-up letter in Deji’s family house. His family was essentially my second family; there was nothing that happened in Deji’s family that I didn’t know. That’s why, even though I’m surprised Deji would japa without telling me, I’m not holding it against him.

The thing is, Deji comes from a heavily competitive polygamous home. His dad has multiple wives who constantly throw shade at each other, and his mum is constantly praying against enemies and spiritual attacks. I don’t consider myself superstitious, but some things I’ve seen in his family are more than mere coincidences.

For one, Deji and his siblings never hold big parties or celebrations due to his mum’s insistence. She believes that calling attention to themselves can result in spiritual attacks. The two times that Deji’s sister ignored that rule and held birthday parties without their mum’s knowledge, she fell sick and landed in the hospital.

Just before we wrote our final exam paper in uni, Deji posted final year costume day pictures on Facebook and suddenly developed malaria the next day. I had to carry him on my back from the school clinic to the exam hall so he could write that paper and not get an extra year.

So, I understood that Deji had to make most moves in secret. But I didn’t expect that would also extend to me, considering how close we were. In fact, when he landed a tech job a year after graduation, I was the only one he told how much he earned. When he started seriously considering japa in 2023, I was the only person he told apart from his parents and siblings. We even brainstormed routes, and I helped him write some of the applications.

That’s why I felt blindsided when, a few months ago, Deji sent me a WhatsApp message informing me that he’d arrived in Canada two days before and apologised for not telling me earlier. I honestly had no clue. I’d visited his house two weeks before then and asked about the visa status, but he said he was still waiting for feedback.

Honestly, I was angry at first. It felt like he was subconsciously classifying me as one of the “village people” who would spoil his plans if he told me about it. If I even wanted to spoil the plan, wouldn’t I have done so when he first mentioned it?

I reduced communication for a bit after that because of my anger, but after some weeks, I realised I needed to get over myself. This is someone I know, and I understand his family circumstances. He’s still my best friend, and I’m sure he meant no harm. Plus, japa is something you can’t really afford to play trial and error with, considering the money involved in the process.

So, regardless of my feelings, I understand why Deji did what he did. If he had to do it again, I’d have no choice but to understand. The fact that I don’t believe telling me would’ve affected his plan in any way doesn’t mean I should ignore his fears. Whatever he chooses to do, he’s still my best friend, and I don’t want anger or a slight misunderstanding to change that.

Right now, I’m helping him sell off the properties he left behind. He didn’t sell anything while still here to avoid arousing suspicion. Once that’s done, I’ll send him the money and look forward to when he can afford to visit Nigeria. Or maybe I’ll be the next to japa. Who knows?

*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

NEXT READ: At 62, I Returned to Nigeria to Retire. Things Took an Unexpected Turn

[ad]
The topic of how young Nigerians navigate romantic relationships with their earnings is a minefield of hot takes. In Love Currency, we get into what relationships across income brackets look like in different cities.

How long have you been with your partner?

We got married in 2020, so it’s been four years. But we started dating in 2017.

Tell me more about how you met

We both lived in Nigeria, and he and my cousin were old school friends. He got my number after my cousin posted one of my pictures on WhatsApp. We got talking, and then we planned to meet up at a mall. We were still just friends then, though. We officially started dating a few months after that meet-up.

My new relationship also coincided with my entry into the job market. I finished serving in 2017, just after we started dating and landed my first job in a client communications role at an asset management company.

How much were you earning then?

My salary was ₦110k/month, which was fair, but I didn’t love the role. I wanted to work in an auditing firm, but I was stuck in a job that was essentially customer service. I also worked weekends and public holidays, leaving no time to do anything else. That almost affected my relationship, but I made it work.

How did you do that?

A lot of planning and small trickery. My parents aren’t the type to let their children go out anyhow, so I had to be at home or work. My job sometimes lodged us in hotels for work, and that became my excuse. Even when work didn’t take me out of the house, I’d tell my mum we had to lodge overnight so I could see my partner.

My partner was also really intentional. He often picked me up in the evenings after work so we could spend time together. We were both intentional about going on dates and getting to know each other.

What was dating like in the early days… in terms of what it cost financially?

My partner and I were generous to each other. While he sometimes got extra income from his brand consultancy side gig, his salary from his 9-5 was in the same range as mine. Still, he often gave me gifts and paid for dates. I also got him gifts, but he sacrificed more.

In 2018, I took a salary cut to ₦70k to participate in a bank training school, and I lost my phone while struggling to catch a bus to work one day. My partner bought me a Samsung phone and a smartwatch to replace it.

His sacrifices taught me to be generous. I’d been burned before in a previous relationship at university and had vowed never to spend money on another guy. I was really gullible in that relationship o. I gave my ex half of my monthly allowances and even my salaries from undergraduate internships. Last last, he still broke my heart.

But when I saw my partner’s generosity, I had to step up. I think the first gift I got him was a ₦120k gold chain. Also, I occasionally paid when we went on dates. I honestly can’t keep track of all we have given each other from when we were dating to even now that we’re married.

Tell me about the wedding

We got married in the middle of 2020. It was a small sitting-room affair due to the lockdown. But that wasn’t the plan. We budgeted ₦6m to hold the ceremony a bit earlier in March, but COVID happened. By then, we’d already paid some vendors and secured a hall.

We couldn’t get most of the deposits back and had to repurpose some vendors for our slightly bigger traditional wedding in December. We lost a little above ₦1m altogether, which we’d committed to the hall and decoration. My husband handled most of the bills, though. I only paid for my outfits and makeup.

Did japa happen immediately?

No. We stayed in Nigeria for one more year. Before the wedding, I’d already gotten my dream job at one of the big four auditing firms and earned ₦550k/month, but Nigeria began to get boring. All my siblings had relocated, and it looked like I could get better opportunities abroad.

Fortunately, my husband secured a UK Tier 1 visa endorsement in 2021, which provided the perfect relocation opportunity. Japa wasn’t expensive at all. I don’t have actual figures, but we only had to pay visa fees, IHS fees for healthcare and flight tickets.

I already worked in a Big Four firm, so it was easy for me to apply and get a new job in one of the UK offices. I even got the job before I arrived in the UK.

How has relocation affected your relationship dynamic?

There wasn’t much of a change initially. While in Nigeria, my husband financed most things, and I only assisted with food and small bills. We continued like that when we got here.

My husband earns slightly less than me at £60k annually, though he gets at least £15k/year extra from side hustles. At first, he handled our £1600 monthly rent and major bills. I handled food and minor bills, which was about £800 monthly. But we bought our house early this year and are now splitting bills 50/50 because of monthly mortgage payments.

What’s that like?

We paid a £100k upfront deposit and now pay £1800 monthly as mortgage. That should continue for about 30 years — if we continue living in the house that long. So, every month, my husband and I chip in £900 each.

Actually, we share bills by looking at our total expenses for the month, including transportation, council tax, utility bills and feeding, and then bringing our share. In a typical month, that comes to almost £4k, and we contribute £2k each. We even budget down to date nights and self-care.

I’d like to hear more about the date night budget

Date night is every Friday, and we budget £400 monthly for it. However, we only dress up and go out to a nice restaurant only once or twice a month. I prefer staying in and ordering food. We don’t have kids yet, and as a dual-income couple, we can still afford to treat ourselves every week.

Is there any form of gifting that happens outside your monthly budget?

Of course, but it’s not regular. It depends on how we’re both feeling. If I’m shopping and see a nice shirt, I get it for my husband. He does the same as well. However, I prefer him to tell me what he’d like to buy me so I can give suggestions and make sure it’s to my taste. If not, I have to take anything I see like that.

Haha. I’m curious. What’s the most expensive gift you’ve gotten each other?

My husband got me a car while we were in Nigeria. For me, I honestly can’t remember. I hardly keep records of these things. It’ll probably be one of our yearly overseas trips, and I offered to pay. Or maybe I just gave him money.

You mentioned not having kids yet. Was that planned?

For me, it’s planned. However, when we got married, we agreed to wait for at least a year before bringing in children. Then we relocated and suggested waiting another year to settle into the new country. Then, I got promoted to the level just below manager at work, and we decided to wait for me to become a manager. After that happened last year, we decided to start trying.

But I changed careers this year and am on a six-month probation. I’m wary of taking maternity leave—which can last as long as a year in the UK—while I’m still learning the ropes in a new environment. With the pace I’m currently on, I might move to a senior role next year. So, while my husband is at the point where he wants kids now, I’m not eager yet. Let me rise through the ranks first so I can return to a senior role after taking a childcare break.

Asides going 50/50, what kind of money conversations do you have with your husband?

I’m very conscious about having safety nets, but he’s different. For instance, the deposit we paid on the house was from the two years’ worth of savings I didn’t compromise on. Without that safety net, we wouldn’t have a house today.

I’ve built back a safety net by setting aside six months’ worth of my share of the monthly expenses, and I try to convince my husband to do the same, but he’s more of the spending type. After settling his share of the expenses, he likes to spend whatever he has left.

I’d also like us to start investing, but I’m limited in that regard because of my work. I can’t just invest in any kind of stocks or bonds because they could breach my independence and contribute to a conflict of interest —most of these institutions are my employer’s clients. I’ve had to make do with investing in mutual funds in Nigeria — I have about ₦15m there now — but my main investment goal is real estate. Once I’ve gotten my husband to build a safety net, we can look at more real estate investment options.

Have there been any challenges with the 50/50 approach?

I honestly don’t enjoy it. To be fair, I earn a bit more, but I can’t wait for 50/50 to end.

Oh, there’s a timeframe?

Oh yes. We’ll probably stop next year when one of my husband’s side hustles clicks. I can’t wait.

What’s the ideal financial future for you and your partner?

I’d love to return to Nigeria while still earning in a foreign currency, possibly even more than I currently earn. I’d also like us to have real estate investments and have some financial structure for our future children. I really don’t want so much wealth. I just want to live happily and comfortably. And, of course, my husband needs to have a healthy safety net as soon as he learns to stick to not spending so much.

But why the desire to return to Nigeria?

People don’t get it, but trying to understand how people work here is a lot of stress. I have to do so much code-switching. I just want to work with people I easily understand. I just want to be in a country where I’m comfortable and can earn well without needing to run to a foreign country.

Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, click here.

*Name has been changed for the sake of anonymity.

READ THIS NEXT: Dating Life of an MSC Student on a ₦50k Monthly Allowance

[ad]
Christiana* (62) first left Nigeria in 1990 after her marriage broke down, but she always planned to return home. She finally returned in 2022 but left again after eight months. Why?

As told to Boluwatife

Image by Freepik

I left Nigeria at a time when it wasn’t really popular to relocate.

I probably wouldn’t have left if things hadn’t happened the way they did. In 1989, I was married with two children under three years old and had a good job as a clerk in a popular law firm in Nigeria. Everything was great.

Then, my marriage fell apart. If I were completely honest, it had started to fail right from the start.

My ex-husband, Dapo*, was a serial cheat, and his family hated me. They never hid it, and I honestly can’t remember why I still went ahead with the marriage. Maybe I thought our love would conquer all — make him faithful and get his family’s approval.

Well, Dapo cheated again that year, but instead of pleading after I caught him, he beat me up and asked what right I had to question him. When I reported to his mother, she told me to stop broadcasting my marital issues everywhere.

My family came to bundle me away after they learnt of the beating, and Dapo didn’t come to beg or explain. My best friend worked at the British embassy then, and she convinced me to relocate to the UK to start my life afresh. She had an aunty who could help me get back on my feet.

So, in 1990, I arrived in London with two children and no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

London saved my life. The stress and pressure from working two jobs didn’t give me the luxury of time to think about Dapo or cry about the fact that I was only 28 but was already a single mother of two.

I experienced mildly racist remarks a lot in those early days. My accent was still very noticeably Nigerian in those early days, and the shoppers at my department store job often threw weird glances at me when I spoke or asked me to repeat myself with their fake concerned “What did you say, love?” questions. All while going behind to report me to my manager for being difficult to understand.

But I had a focus. I needed to work myself to the bones to forget my loneliness and make enough money to create a good life for my children. A big part of my plan was also to return to Nigeria as a richer, wiser woman and show Dapo and his family exactly what they had lost.

That plan changed over the years. I made reasonable money and was able to provide good lives for my children. I even bought a house outside London in 2005, but Dapo stopped being the reason why I wanted to return to Nigeria. I heard he’d remarried, and I gradually lost interest in “showing him.”

I wanted to return to Nigeria because I missed home. I visited home at least once every two years, and each visit strengthened my resolve to return permanently one day. Even if I couldn’t return immediately because of my children, I knew it was a matter of time before they’d grow up and have their own families. At least then, there wouldn’t be anything holding me back. I could return and retire peacefully in the land of my birth.

It wasn’t that Nigeria was doing extremely well. My children and family members didn’t understand why I wanted to return. The UK was all my children knew; it was home for them. For my family members, they wanted to come to the UK, too, in search of greener pastures. I understand that, but I believe there comes a time in everyone’s life when the hustle no longer matters, and they just want to relax with their loved ones.

I have family in the UK, but there’s no real sense of home here. I missed waking up early to gossip with neighbours, eating roasted corn, and walking to the market to haggle with market women. I just wanted to go home.

That’s why I started planning to return to Nigeria immediately after I clocked 60 in 2022. I sent money home every month to my nephew to build me a house on some land I’d gotten in 2018 when I visited Nigeria.

The house was ready in December, and I moved back with almost all my belongings. I rented out my house in the UK and said goodbye to my children and grandchildren.

I’d saved enough money from working for almost 30 years and had pension payments to ensure I didn’t have to worry about working in Nigeria. My plan was to spend my days visiting family and travelling to different states in Nigeria.

It’s not like I thought everything would go smoothly. I knew Nigeria still had electricity problems and a new battle with insecurity, and I thought I was prepared. But I wasn’t prepared for how terrible the idea of living in Nigeria actually was.

The first thing Nigeria used to welcome me was a robbery. I moved into my new house when I first arrived and even shared gifts with my new neighbours. Everyone was friendly to the smallish old woman with a British accent, and I thought I’d hit the good-neighbour jackpot.

But then, I left for a week to visit other family members in different parts of Lagos and returned home to an empty house. Thieves had entered my house through the ceiling and stolen my valuables: laptops, foreign currency, jewellery, a generator and two TVs. No one in the neighbourhood admitted to knowing when the robbery occurred.

I thought, “Well, there are thieves everywhere,” and insisted on staying back in my house even though my family members begged me to come to stay with them. They were scared I’d get kidnapped, but I didn’t build a home and moved my life back to Nigeria to be afraid. I was ready to tough it out.

Then, the cash scarcity started. I’d never experienced anything like that in my life. I didn’t have a debit card for my Nigerian account, and I couldn’t even enter the bank to request one because of the massive crowd at banks and the fact that I didn’t have a National Identification Number (NIN). There was also no cash to pay cabs to get me to the bank.

[ad]

To make matters worse, I lived some distance away from my other family members, so the only thing they could do was find ways to gather ₦5k to bring to me once a week. I was living from hand to mouth despite having money in my account. I couldn’t sleep most nights because I hadn’t replaced my generator, and there was no light. Of course, my plan to travel around Nigeria had to take a back seat.

Even after the cash situation began to ease up, I was still stuck at home because of the elections. My neighbourhood was a political hotspot, and people always argued about parties. I even locked myself inside on the day of the presidential elections because thugs came and started attacking people.

I thought the worst was over, but the new president also removed fuel subsidy, and it was like the economy crashed. Things got so expensive at the market.

I remember getting angry and feeling like a market woman wanted to scam me when she said a piece of ponmo was ₦1k. I didn’t understand. Ponmo was what we used to buy in my childhood when we were really broke. I still remember when ponmo was ₦20. I even bought it in 2018 for ₦200.

Every day, people complained about the economy around me, and it was really depressing. One of my neighbours was a single mum of five, and I regularly shared my foodstuffs with her because of how difficult things were for them. That woman really used to boil corn to eat for breakfast and dinner with her children. It was so sad.

By July 2023, I was ready to go back to the UK. It’d become clear that the “home” I was looking forward to in Nigeria had changed. It wasn’t 1990 again, and things didn’t look like they’d improve. Even with my pension, I was still struggling, and I just couldn’t ignore the suffering around me.

I eventually returned to the UK in August and moved in with one of my children. I’ll still visit Nigeria, but I can’t retire there anymore. I just can’t cope.

*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

NEXT READ: The Nigerian Dream Is Dead. Why Did I Move Back Here?

When did you leave Nigeria, and where did you move to?

How did you end up in London?

Why was it such a surprise?

0.3% is crazy! Tell me a bit about life in London

You mentioned moving from Abeokuta to Lagos to chase big dreams. Tell me more.

So you manifested the life of your dream?

Love that. So back to the Chevening scholarship from before. What is it, and who is it for?

That’s crazy. What makes someone a potential Chevening scholar?

Because your tuition is covered, right?

The benefits sound dreamy. What?

What kind of job are you allowed to do?

How would you advise Nigerians who are interested in the Chevening scholarship to start their application?

LOL. I’m stealing that line.

Any personal advice on how to pick the perfect course?

Ah ahn, fancy!

So basically, blow your own trumpet?

That makes a lot of sense.

What about the fourth essay?

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you, you know, with your life right now?

Where do you live now and when did you leave Nigeria?

Why did you decide to japa?

So did you get the job at Microsoft?

Congratulations. How did that happen?

You ditched Amazon for Asana? No shade but why?

Fairs. You seem to know a lot about getting a foreign job. How would you advise other Nigerians to get started?

LMAO. Love the self-awareness

Sorry about that. How did you hear about these job openings from Nigeria?

Thank you. Is the timeline for landing a foreign job usually long like yours, or is it something that someone can manage to process within a shorter period of time?

That’s good to know. What would you say you like the most about living in Canada?

On a scale of one to 10, how happy are you in Canada?

When exactly did you leave Nigeria and where do you currently live?

Interesting. How did you end up moving with your partner?

Are you married?

Would it have made any difference if you guys were married?

How has life been since you relocated with your partner?

Oh, why?

What decision could help you live a better life in Germany?

Can I ask why you’ve kept your Nigerian job for that long?

That makes sense. When you first moved, you mentioned you could still take your partner on trips. What changed?

How has she been able to adjust to the change?

I hope that works out soon. How do you balance the time difference between Nigeria and Germany?

Let’s talk more about life in Germany. What’s the best part about living there?

Thank you so much. Finally, on a scale of one to 10, how happy are you living abroad?

Dump your Nigerian name

Organise a “send forth” party for yourself

Become her travel content creator in training

Introduce her to International Sugar Mummy Societies

Start speaking only in foreign currency

Fake an international sponsorship deal

Start a countdown clock

Master the art of emotional blackmail

Where do you live, and when did you move out of Nigeria?

Sounds fancy. What’s a global talent visa?

We’ll come back to that. When did you decide to leave Nigeria, and why?

Do you feel like you can relate now?

Is there anything about the UK that caught you off-guard?

LMAO. Why are you even sending emails to your Local government?

Sounds like life in the UK is great. Made new friends yet?

Good for you. Let’s talk more about relocation. How would you advise japa aspirants to prepare for the global talent visa?

Both, but let’s start with the short version.

So what’s the long version?

How do you actually apply for this visa?

How much did you pay for the visa?

What else do people need to know about this visa?

What happens to your money if you don’t get the endorsement?

Oh wow

But they won’t return your money?

So how long does it typically take to get a global talent visa?

On a scale of 1-10, how much would you recommend the global talent visa to young professionals?

So when did you move out of Nigeria and where do you currently live?

Interesting choice. Why Switzerland?

We’ll come back to the free part. What did your life look like before you left Nigeria?

Sorry, what? Six figures?

But you still earned enough money to live fairly well in Nigeria. Why did you leave that life to become a student in Switzerland?

Fair enough, so when did you know you wanted to leave the country?

What did your application process look like?

You’re a japa expert now. If you knew someone who wanted to japa with a student visa, what would say to them?

Did you apply through an agent?

LMAO, sorry

LOL. Why not?