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?
Mandy and I have been dating for a little over two years. We’ll mark our third anniversary in October.
How did you meet?
We attended the same secondary school but were in different sets, so we didn’t know each other until we met at our school’s alumni reunion in September 2022.
We exchanged numbers and went on a few cinema dates before I asked her to be my girlfriend. I actually asked her twice; she initially said no, but I asked again a few weeks later, and she said yes.
Do you know why she initially said no?
It was my fault. We had gone out to eat at a fast-food place, and the cashier accidentally charged me an extra ₦1k. I say “accidentally”, but I believe it was deliberate. Those guys like to overcharge people, hoping they don’t notice.
I noticed and created a scene because the cashier tried to act unaware. The matter was eventually resolved, but Mandy had found the whole thing embarrassing. I asked her to be my girlfriend later that night, and she said no.
It came out of nowhere. We’d been vibing before that date. I asked to know why, and she said it was because of how I acted. I apologised and things returned to normal. When I asked later, she said yes.
What were your and Mandy’s financial situations like at the time?
I was a freelance writer on Upwork and occasionally worked remotely with an agency in Lagos. My monthly income was usually ₦300k – ₦350k minimum. Things weren’t as bad as they are now, so it was good money. However, you wouldn’t know by looking at me. I was — and still am — very frugal and saved my money.
When we started dating, Mandy didn’t understand my frugal nature. She was a corps member whose only income was what she made from NYSC: ₦33k allawee and ₦15k from her PPA, but she still managed to buy whatever she wanted.
Mandy can use her last ₦2k to satisfy a shawarma craving and damn the consequences. I, on the other hand, can have ₦200k, and rather than satisfy my craving, I’d convince myself I didn’t really want shawarma, so I can save the money. Mandy was confused by this. She’d be like, “Are you allergic to enjoying yourself? What’s the point of making money if you can’t enjoy it once in a while?”
Did you think she might have a point?
I understand where she’s coming from, but the need to save money and spend only on the most important things has become a part of me.
Growing up, my dad was a chronic debtor, and people often chased him down for their money. It was always embarrassing for the family, and I never want to be in that situation. So, I’d rather save too much than spend too much.
Mandy knows this, and she understands me better now. She hardly questions why I don’t like spending money anymore, but we sometimes disagree when she wants us to do things involving money, and I refuse.
Get More Zikoko Goodness in Your Mail
Subscribe to our newsletters and never miss any of the action
Things like what?
Usually dates. Mandy likes going out, and for a while now, she’s been trying to get us to go out. She complains that I was more into dates before we started dating, and now I don’t want to do it anymore.
The truth is, I don’t see the point. Those initial dates were necessary because we were getting to know each other, and I wanted her to be my girlfriend. We’re dating now, and we see each other every day.
She even spends more time in my apartment because she doesn’t have a good relationship with her roommate. So, what is the point of going on dates, then? It feels like a waste of money.
It doesn’t make sense to go under another roof to spend money all in the name of wanting to spend time together on a date.
I guess Mandy disagrees with this thinking
She definitely disagrees, and it often causes friction between us. Whenever she brings up the dates and I refuse, she sulks for a few days and accuses me of taking her for granted. I apologise and make it up to her with food or love notes, and she eventually forgives me.
Interestingly, we hardly quarrel, but when we do, it’s always about money. When she’s not complaining about going on dates, it’s me complaining about her money habits. Mandy has finished NYSC and now earns ₦100k, but she’s always broke by the third week of the month because she believes in enjoying her money.
I’m screaming
My girlfriend can collect her salary today, and suddenly remember she’s craving something or sees something online she thinks would look good on me. I’m always on her neck about saving money, and it sometimes leads to disputes, but she doesn’t listen.
The only time she has listened to my opinion on her finances was when she borrowed money from a loan app last year, and they started disturbing her. I warned her that I’d leave her in an instant if she ever became a regular user of loan apps. She has not borrowed money from them again, to my knowledge.
When she needs extra money, she either turns to her parents or siblings because she knows I’ll give her a lecture on financial discipline if she comes to me. At this point, I’ve just accepted I’m the saver and financial planner in the relationship.
I mean, someone has to be. Does your financial planning include gifts and romance stuff?
Not really. Besides birthday gifts, the most I do is occasionally send her ₦10k, especially when I know she’s really broke. However, I’ve reduced that since 2024 because I no longer earn as much as I used to.
I don’t get as many Upwork gigs as before, so I transitioned from occasional staff to a full-time role at the Lagos agency I mentioned earlier. I still take on freelance gigs if they come, but my only sure income is ₦180k, and that doesn’t leave room to spend anyhow. My safety net won’t build itself.
Speaking of, what does your safety net look like now?
I currently have ₦12m in my savings. It may sound like a lot, but it’s actually not. The goal is to build my own house and still have enough money left over to keep. So, I still have a long way to go.
I’m very sure Mandy doesn’t have a safety net, but she has the liberty to not think too deeply about it. She’s a woman and doesn’t have to worry about having enough money to set up a home. That’s the man’s problem.
What’s your ideal financial future as a couple?
To own as many properties as possible. Mandy and I will probably get married within the next two years, and I often tell her we’ll only do a parlour wedding so we can save money and invest in real estate instead.
I’m sure she thinks I’m joking, but my mind is made up. Real estate is our future; a wedding is just a temporary, unnecessary expense. If she doesn’t eventually agree with that, it’ll be a major deal-breaker for me.
Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, click here.
*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.
There’s nothing funny about being a broke student. The endless “bro, abeg” texts, checking your account balance like money will suddenly appear, and doing mental maths to see if your last ₦5k can cover data, transport, food, and a little flex.
But students across Nigeria have also managed to escape this struggle. From managing social media pages to editing videos and even gaming, students like you have figured out legitimate ways to make money online.
We spoke to some of them, and here’s what you need to know about how to make money online as a student in Nigeria.
7 Real Ways Nigerian Students Are Making Money Online
Good news: you don’t have to be broke when the internet exists. Here are 7 online income streams every student should know:
1. Social Media Management
Remember when your parents said, “You’re always on that phone”? Jokes on them because some students are getting paid to do exactly that. Social media managers handle Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok pages for businesses, keeping them active, engaging, and growing.
This is how Ameen, a 20-year-old third-year engineering student, is making it work:
“I started doing Canva designs as a side hustle for extra cash in April 2024. I set up a Fiverr gig, and one day, a podcast brand in Manhattan reached out. At first, it was just small, one-off projects, but they kept coming back.
After a few months of back-and-forth projects, we took things off Fiverr and started communicating over email. That’s when they put me on a $200/month retainer to handle their Instagram designs and upload content on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. I have Zoom meetings with my client once a week, where we strategise different ways to expand the brand’s visibility and reach.
It’s not been difficult balancing it with my engineering degree. Once I schedule everything, I barely have to think about the workload.”
How to get started:
Build an online presence: Grow your audience and treat your social media account like a portfolio.
Get hands-on experience: Manage a friend’s business page, intern for a brand, or offer free services to a small business to build your portfolio.
Master the Right Tools: Learn Canva (designs), Meta Business Suite (scheduling Instagram and Facebook posts), and Hootsuite or Buffer to manage multiple platforms simultaneously.
Find Clients: Cold pitch your services to small businesses or professionals on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Upwork.
Everyone — from TikTok influencers to YouTubers — needs a good editor. If you can turn raw footage into a crisp, engaging video, you’re sitting on a skill that pays.
This is how Khaerat, a 19-year-old fourth-year law student, is making it work:
“I started creating video content on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok in my second year in uni, just for fun. But I was building a portfolio without realising it, and it landed me paying gigs.
I got my first gig in May 2024, about a year after I started editing videos for social media. I get paid according to my rate card. Right now, I have four video editing gigs: three pay me ₦50K each, and one pays ₦100K. I also juggle an ₦80K social media management job, all alongside my law degree.
Since I work best at night, I batch-edit my videos and designs to stay on top of everything. It’s also my way of unwinding from the demands of studying law.
I’ve landed all my jobs by simply tweeting about my work or commenting under posts to offer my services. It doesn’t feel overwhelming because I enjoy what I do, and with more experience, I’ve gained the confidence to charge higher and ditch toxic clients.
I use CapCut for editing, Canva for designs and Buffer to create and schedule content. After school, I plan to continue doing this alongside my legal career, especially since I’m going into corporate or business law—not litigation. I know my earning potential will grow when I have more time to take on bigger projects.”
How to get started:
Learn the basics: Start with free editing apps like CapCut, InShot or DaVinci Resolve before moving to more advanced software like Adobe Premiere Pro.
Offer free or discounted work: Edit videos for small content creators or friends for proof of work.
Create a portfolio: Showcase your best work on platforms like Google Drive, Behance, or a simple Instagram/Twitter thread.
Engage on social media: Post snippets of your work, engage with content creators and offer your services on these platforms.
Find paid gigs: Start freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork, and use Twitter and LinkedIn to network.
Charge your worth: Set competitive rates based on your skill level, but don’t undersell yourself. Increase your prices as you gain more experience.
Stay updated: Video trends change fast. Keep up with editing styles, effects, and platform-specific content demands.
Build client relationships: Deliver quality work, communicate clearly, and retain long-term clients by being reliable.
3. E-commerce
Some students aren’t waiting for jobs; they’re creating them. From selling thrift clothes to launching skincare brands, e-commerce is thriving.
This is how Hikmat, a 22-year-old final-year Botany student, is making it work:
“I sell skincare products and get customers through WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. My Whatsapp catalogue makes ordering easy, and most of my customers are students in my hostel, department, and across campus.
I stock up on sheet masks, lip and eye masks, pimple patches, and nose pore strips from a Chinese e-commerce website (1688) through an agent.
My first order cost ₦70k and included 160 sheet masks, 100 lip and eye masks plus shipping fee. Since I started in June 2024, I’ve made three times that amount in profit. In my first week alone, I pulled in ₦25k. I’ve restocked at least twice since then. However, I use sea shipping, which takes 2–3 months. I find that it’s best to order in bulk.
On an average month, I make ₦35k to ₦40k; on a bad month, ₦10k. But on a good month, I make ₦50k. Skincare is huge among students right now, so I knew I was tapping into the right market. My earnings fluctuate because I haven’t been consistent.
I started this business because my ₦20k monthly allowance wasn’t cutting it, and I didn’t want to burden my family.
I recommend starting this business if you have enough capital to buy in bulk. The competition is tough, and many sellers drop their prices just to attract customers. It only works if you’re buying at scale.”
How to get started:
Do your market research: Understand what sells and who your target audience is.
Choose a product with demand: Items like thrift clothes, skincare products, accessories, and gadgets are in high demand among students.
Source Smartly: Buy from local markets or platforms like 1688/Alibaba.
Choose the right channels: Sell on the right social media platforms (TikTok, Twitter, Instagram). By creating engaging content, you get free marketing.
Market your business: Build visibility and attract customers.
Manage your finances: Track earnings, reinvest and scale your business.
4. Graphic Design
Logos, flyers, business cards, social media graphics; if you can design them, someone will pay you.
This is how Korede, a 22-year-old final-year Computer Science student, is making it work:
Korede, 22 (400 level, Computer Science)
“I was in 200 level when I realised I could make money from design. We had a class assignment, and my lecturer singled out my work as one of the best. But since what I study is programming-heavy, that one design class wasn’t enough. I wanted more. So, I started practising and sharing my work on WhatsApp, and before I knew it, someone paid me ₦5K for a logo. That was shocking because I survived on a ₦3k weekly allowance at the time.
I grew curious, obsessed and hungry for knowledge, but I didn’t have a laptop. So, I borrowed from friends and installed Corel Draw on a flash drive. A coursemate taught me the basics in a week, and I spent hours sitting behind students who designed after lecture hours, watching them navigate the software. That’s how I found Photoshop. It was tough at first, but I found a mentor on YouTube.
Now, I don’t even have to post my work. Referrals keep me busy, and I make between ₦500k and ₦700k monthly. I design at least 15 graphics daily—party flyers, social media graphics, stickers, logos, banners, etc. I also work a design internship at a Nigerian EdTech company, earning ₦80K/month. On Fiverr, I do photo manipulation gigs and regular designs, making around $250–$300 monthly. Occasionally, I design branding assets for UK wedding and event brands. I won’t lie — I spend a lot of it on food because I never imagined making this much. But the workload is insane. My grades have dropped, and I have no social life. Sometimes, I skip class to meet deadlines. It’s draining, so I plan to cut down on party flyers and new recommendations and focus on my internship and Fiverr. The money is sweet, but I still need to graduate.
How to get started:
Learn a design tool: Start with Photoshop or Illustrator.
Build a portfolio: Offer free designs to small businesses and build a portfolio on Instagram and Behance.
Show your work: Post consistently on social media.
List your services: Sign up on Fiverr and Upwork.
Keep improving: Take online courses and study trends.
5. Ghostwriting
If you have a way with words, ghostwriting can be a lucrative hustle. Clients pay well for high-quality, anonymous content, from fiction to nonfiction and blog posts. You just need to know where to find them.
This is how Catherine, a 21-year-old final-year Human Physiology student, is making it work:
“I ghostwrite fiction for an international web novel company in the U.S., earning $300 per book. If a book performs well on the app, I get a bonus of $50 to $100, which pushes up my monthly earnings. It’s basically a 9-5, except I don’t leave my house.
I also take up side gigs on freelance platforms when I have time.
Before this, I earned ₦60k a month doing outsourced work for Nigerian writers who landed big gigs but paid me peanuts. Over time, I gained confidence and started charging my worth. Now, I source my own international clients on Upwork, Fiverr, and LinkedIn and get paid in dollars directly.
The company I currently write for is similar to Wattpad, and they even have a partner company that adapts books into short telenovela films and repurposes them into bite-sized paid ads for platforms like Snapchat.My Nigerian friend, who currently works as a senior editor at the company, recommended me, and it’s been a great experience since I started working there in July 2023.
I typically write one book a month, but sometimes I push for two. When I write a full-length novel, the word count is 150,000 per book, while novellas are about 100,000 words.
Writing romance may seem easy, but it’s brutal. Some clients make me edit the same document 10 times before they’re satisfied. I put in about 80 hours a week, balancing school and deadlines.
I primarily work between lectures and late at night, but on free days, I wake up, check pending tasks, and grind all day. The workload can be overwhelming — tasks pile up, my head feels full, and sometimes, I just completely shut down. Now that I’m in my final year, juggling my thesis and writing is even harder, so I’m trying to cut back before it burns me out completely.
Will I keep ghostwriting after school? Yes. Will I do it full-time forever? Hell no. If I could start over, I’d charge my worth from day one. I let people underpay and exploit me at first, but never again.”
How to get started:
Pick a niche: Specialise in a specific area to stand out and attract clients.
Create a portfolio: Start small. Write Twitter threads, Medium articles, or LinkedIn posts to showcase your writing style.
Find clients: List your services on Fiverr, Upwork, and LinkedIn platforms.
Set your rates: Research how much ghostwriters in your niche earn and charge accordingly. Don’t undersell your work.
Write your own work: Avoid relying on AI to generate content. Clients pay for originality and creativity. If you must use AI, limit it to best practices: research, brainstorming, or light editing.
Stay consistent: The more you write, the better you get. Deliver high-quality work on time, follow briefs carefully, and build relationships with clients for long-term success.
6. Crypto Jobs
The crypto space is more than buying Bitcoin — it’s a whole economy. Some students trade, some play games to earn, and others take Crypto jobs.
This is how Fehin, a 21-year-old third-year History & International Relations student, is making it work:
“I make between $200 and $500 monthly from crypto jobs, but my highest monthly earnings have been up to $1,000. I got into crypto out of curiosity; I wanted to know how to make money online in Nigeria.
I started by learning the basics, trading, and immersing myself in crypto communities. Now, I manage social media pages, primarily on Twitter and Discord, for big projects and communities and create content to drive engagement. I also take ambassador roles because I’ve grown my crypto Twitter following to 6000 plus.
Most of my gigs come from networking on Twitter. I got my current role because I was active in the community, engaging with projects and applying for ambassador programs. I dedicate 15–20 hours weekly to my crypto jobs, depending on my school workload.
The hardest part is managing time during exams. I schedule tasks in advance and focus on high-priority work. I plan to go into the crypto space full-time after school. If I had to start over, I’d prioritise networking and building a strong personal brand on Crypto Twitter earlier.
My advice? Learn valuable real-life skills: content creation, social media management, research, etc., be active in communities, and don’t be afraid to apply for roles. Networking and consistency are everything.”
How to get started:
Learn the basics: Use YouTube and online resources to understand the fundamentals of crypto.
Establish a social identity: Build your presence on Crypto Twitter and grow your reputation by engaging in discussions and sharing insights.
Penetrate communities: Look for active crypto communities to join on Telegram and Discord.
Look for job opportunities: Explore Telegram, Discord, Twitter and crypto job listing platforms for opportunities. (CryptoJobsList, SuperteamEarn, etc.)
Apply and Network Relentlessly: Engage with community members and build connections.
7. Virtual Assistance
If you’re good at handling tasks, replying to emails, or keeping things organised, you can make money as a Virtual Assistant (VA). Entrepreneurs, influencers, and busy professionals need help managing their workload and are willing to pay for it.
This is how Grace, a 21-year-old third-year Engineering Physics student, is making it work:
“I make an average of ₦120K monthly as a Virtual Assistant (VA).
I recently worked with a medical student, helping her source and compile data into readable files for her research. The contract lasted a month and paid well.
I got the job through a friend after consistently sharing my work and learning journey on social media. Building in public — documenting my training, progress, projects, and wins — helped me get noticed.
I started earning four months after completing my VA training on ALX Africa in 2024. My highest monthly earnings so far is ₦150K. Before this, I got ₦20K monthly from home — barely enough for transport, feeding, and study materials.
The job takes about 30 hours a week, which can be intense, but time management helps me balance it with school. I wake up early to complete tasks before class and structure my work hours around my school timetable. I also avoid taking on new projects during exams.
If you want to become a Virtual Assistant, get proper training, master tools like Trello, Calendly, Google Workspace, Notion, and Canva, and find a mentor. Most importantly, put yourself out there—opportunities come when you stay visible and consistent.”
How to Get Started:
Identify your skills: Stick to what you’re good at, whether it’s email management, data entry, research, customer service, or social media.
Learn the basics: Master tools like Google Workspace, Trello, Asana, and Notion with free courses on Coursera, ALX Africa, or YouTube.
Set your rates: VAs in Nigeria earn ₦80K₦468K/month (Glassdoor). Start low, gain experience, and charge what you’re worth.
Find your first client: If needed, skip Fiverr and Upwork, network on Twitter and LinkedIn, and ask around. Referrals work magic.
Create a simple portfolio: Show what you can do with sample emails, calendar schedules, or task management templates.
Sign a Contract First: Protect yourself with a contract covering payment terms, tasks, availability, and confidentiality. No contract? Big red flag.
Bottom Line
Making money online as a student in Nigeria isn’t rocket science. Pick one skill, start learning today, stay consistent and put yourself out there. Nobody will hand you money for free, but if you put in the work, urgent ₦2k will never be your portion again.
Every week, Zikoko seeks to understand how people move the Naira in and out of their lives. Some stories will be struggle-ish, others will be bougie. All the time, it’ll be revealing.
What’s your earliest memory of money?
I have two, actually.
The first happened when I was 7 or 8. I overheard my aunt telling my mum that she couldn’t leave her abusive boyfriend because she depended on him for money. I remember concluding I didn’t want to be in a situation where I’d endure nonsense because someone was helping me financially.
The other memory is from my first year at university in 2019. My dad lost his job, and he told me I needed to start doing anything legal to make money. It was clear that I was on my own and that I’d need to figure something out.
What was your family’s financial situation before your dad lost his job?
We weren’t rich. My dad could afford the basics, like school fees, on his teaching income. But I have five siblings, so there wasn’t much money to go around. My mum often supported the home with whatever she made as a trader, and we survived.
My dad has lost his job several more times over the last five years, but the 2019 episode changed my attitude to making money. I decided no one would just give me money because I asked, so I became proactive about hustling. My mum still supported me with textbook money from time to time, but school fees and daily expenses were on me.
So, what did you do?
I started selling data through a data re-selling website. But the profit wasn’t great, and I stopped after a few weeks. I made between ₦70 – ₦150 depending on the data volume people bought. I had a considerable Facebook following — I regularly wrote short horror stories — and some of my customers came from the platform. Sometimes, they’d send ₦1k for ₦900 data and ask me to keep the change.
After that, I sold perfume oil. I bought each bottle at ₦200 and sold it for ₦500. The bottles came in a pack of 12, and I usually sold at least two packs in a week by moving from class to class. The business only lasted three months before I had to stop. Someone tried to make me sell edibles and started threatening me when I refused. So, I got scared of moving around school.
Thankfully, some of my Facebook friends who loved my writing began referring me to gigs. That became my next hustle.
What kind of writing gigs?
Mostly article writing for blogs. I didn’t know many professional writers or what to charge for my services, so I just winged it.
The first woman I worked with was supposed to pay me ₦15k/month to produce five weekly articles. Each article was at least 5000 words long, and she also expected me to manage her Facebook page. She paid the first month, then she started owing me. On top of that, she constantly threw abusive words at me. I stopped writing for her in the second month.
Then, I got an SEO writing gig with a guy who owned a travel blog. When he asked me how much I charged, I said I didn’t know. To be fair, I didn’t know anything about SEO writing, and I told him this. He offered to teach me everything I needed to know if I worked the first month for free.
I worked with him for two months, and he always complained about my application of the SEO bit. He still paid me ₦25k for the second month, though.
Working with him opened my eyes to the fact that I had much to learn about writing. So, I posted on Facebook offering to write for blogs for free to gain experience and build my portfolio. Several people reached out, and I wrote for them — mostly SEO articles. They only paid for my data. I also got a few paid ghostwriting gigs occasionally. At this point, I was essentially paying myself through school.
How were you managing writing with schoolwork?
It’s funny you should ask that because I’m running an extra year right now. I was a bright student, but it was tough to actively chase gigs and show up at school. I also had some issues with a lecturer who asked me out. In my third year, I stopped attending lectures altogether.
I went to school from home — I still do — and my dad’s on-again, off-again job situation caused a lot of financial stress. He was without a job for an especially long time in 2021, and my mum expected me to provide feeding money for my siblings. She’d intentionally leave the house for hours, knowing I couldn’t watch my siblings starve. So, I’d have to gather whatever I had to feed them.
Fast forward to 2023, I decided to make conscious efforts toward making good money from writing. I joined a WhatsApp writing community and saw the writers share how they made money from ghostwriting. I remember one said he made ₦75k for every 50k words. That’s at the rate of ₦1.5/word. I didn’t know it was possible to charge that much; the most I imagined I was worth was ₦1/word. I even collected whatever a client offered. But entering that community opened my eyes. I needed to make good money.
How did you go about this?
I decided to take ghostwriting more seriously. I was eager to drop the SEO articles because they were boring. Ghostwriting was mostly fiction, so it felt like a better model. I met people in the writing community who showed me how to find clients who needed ghostwriters.
As a ghostwriter, I mostly worked on billionaire romance books. You know, the stories where the rich protagonist falls for a poor person, or the protagonist has a one-night stand with a billionaire, and they fall in love.
So, like unrealistic Nollywood tropes
Haha. I worked on an average of two or three books in a month. My income varied depending on the word count — usually 30k or 50k words — and the agreed rates. Sometimes, I made ₦60k/book if the rate was ₦1.2/word and an average of ₦200k/month. The money wasn’t bad, but I often felt uncomfortable that my clients were just using me for my work and passing my work off as theirs.
A year later, another friend told me I could make even more money writing for myself. He explained that clients who hired ghostwriters put the books on writing platforms and made money from them. Then my friend showed me his dashboard on one of these platforms, and I saw $1800. He said that was just his income for the month. I was shocked.
Of course, I asked him to put me through. He explained that he’d face rejections eight times before even getting to write on the platform, but I was ready to try. If he could do it, I could do it too.
How does this platform work?
So, there are a lot of them. They allow authors to publish their work and earn money when people pay to read the books online. The three most popular platforms are Stary Writing, Good Novel and LetterLux.
This is how they work: Authors apply for a contract by submitting about 5000 words and an outline of the book they want to publish. If the moderators like the story, they can offer the author one of two contracts: exclusive or non-exclusive. Once the author gets the contract, they can continue writing the book and uploading new chapters every 2-3 days.
An exclusive contract means the author publishes on the platform and nowhere else. The platform also has all rights to the book for some years. This type of contract typically pays more because the platform pays a monthly, sign-on, and completion bonus.
Some platforms require the author to upload at least 50k words monthly and upload chapters every two days to get a monthly bonus of about $150, depending on the platform. The sign-on bonus — usually $100 — is for submitting a specific word count and becoming an author on the platform, and completion is paid when the book is finished.
If it’s a non-exclusive contract, the author is allowed to publish elsewhere but doesn’t get a monthly bonus. For both contracts, authors still make money on the profit the platform realises from the people who pay to continue reading a book after the first few free pages. The platform takes a commission from this profit. Sometimes 50%, sometimes as much as 90%. But whatever percentage that’s left for the author is usually still substantial.
Interesting. When did you start writing on these platforms?
2024, but it wasn’t a straightforward process. I was rejected thrice even though I studied the platform’s best-selling books to improve my writing. Then, a friend advised me to work on erotic stories because they performed better.
I submitted a homoerotic story and got my first contract in July 2024. In the first month, I wrote 30k words and got a $50 sign-on bonus in August. I’ve written several other books across different platforms since, but the first book is still my bestseller. I’m still writing it — some platforms allow authors to take 3-6 months to complete a book — and I’ve made $3k on that one book.
What’s your income across platforms like these days?
At least ₦1m, depending on how much I make from monthly bonuses and profits. I currently have a mix of exclusive and non-exclusive books on seven platforms, but they don’t all make me money simultaneously. A book can do really well this month, and another does really well on another platform. For instance, I made $694 from one book in December, while two others paid $150 and $300, respectively. I didn’t make money from the other books.
Non-exclusive books make me the least money, so I optimise more for exclusive contracts. I don’t even care how long the platform wants to take ownership of the books. I don’t publish with my real name anyway.
Why?
I like to keep that aspect of my life separate from my real life. It’s not that all my books are erotic; I still write some romance. I just want to maintain a separate identity.
Plus, it’s even a way to protect my identity. Several authors use pen names because a lot of them make good money, and there’s a way you can see how much an author makes by looking at the views on their page. No one wants to be a target.
A few months ago, someone on our WhatsApp community shared a screenshot showing that she made $54k from her books that month. People started trying to uncover her identity, which was a bit scary. Imagine how dangerous it is for people to know you have that kind of money in Nigeria.
How has your income growth impacted your lifestyle?
Not much. The most expensive thing I own is my laptop, which I bought for ₦400k. I eat out regularly, but I’m more of a saver because my boyfriend makes sure of it. I earn enough now to reasonably help my family and maintain a decent quality of life. I say “reasonably help” because my mum doesn’t know how much I earn. I only give her money occasionally, so she doesn’t become fully dependent on me.
I’ve seen her do the same thing to my older brother. When he got his first job and told her about his ₦40k salary, she started having one big problem every month. It got to a point where my brother started borrowing his salary in advance to send to her.
In September, I gave my mum ₦200k to rent a shop so she’d stop selling by the roadside. My brother also gave her some money, but she didn’t rent the shop. I feel like she thought I had a lot of money. Now, she’s pestering me to give her more money to start a business, but I tell her I’m broke. Imagine if she knew how much I earned.
I get you
I’m also saving for two major goals: to relocate to another state after school and start a business. Trying to write with my noisy siblings in the same house is a struggle. So, I want to get an apartment to be more productive. Plus, I’ll get to be closer to my boyfriend. I estimate I’ll need about ₦3m to move and rent an apartment.
For the business bit, I once had a stint running something like a tech academy in 2023. I didn’t have the money or a clear idea of how to run it, but I had a vision. I hired people to teach skills like content writing, social media management and web development. Then, I paired them up with students who signed up to learn.
I charged between ₦5k – ₦20k per student depending on what they wanted to learn and gave the tutors 40%. I even ran Facebook ads for publicity. I ran the academy for a few months, but I didn’t know a lot about how to manage something like that, so it fizzled out.
I plan to restart the academy and be more intentional with it. I figure I’ll need about ₦2.5m to start so I can build a website and invest heavily in marketing.
Sounds like a plan. You mentioned helping your family. How does this work?
I’ve begun taking responsibility for my younger siblings and supporting our feeding expenses. For example, I recently paid school fees for two of my sisters. One is in uni, and her tuition is ₦56k. The other is in a public secondary school, and her tuition is ₦15k. I also buy them snacks, textbooks, and most of what they need.
I’m not under pressure to do these things; I just do them. But I make sure to give my mum the impression that I use my last card to help out. Sometimes, I even say I borrowed it just so she doesn’t get ideas. That’s the only way I can protect myself.
What does a typical month in expenses look like?
I made my first million in September and only became intentional about saving in November 2024. I have about ₦1.8m in my savings now, but I intend to save even more aggressively this year so I can consider investment options.
I’ll forward all the money I make from my more-paying books to my savings and survive on the ones that bring me an average of $150/month. That’s over ₦200k, and it should be enough for me.
Is there anything you want right now but can’t afford?
I want to leave Nigeria, but maybe not right now. I’m hoping it happens in the next two years, though. I expect I might need like ₦10m to japa.
How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?
8. Over the last months, I’ve built strong friendships with other writers and realised I’m the lowest earner among them. I’m not jealous; I just see I have the potential to make far more. I’d feel fulfilled making at least $5k/month. I know it’s possible.
If you’re interested in talking about your Naira Life story, this is a good place to start.
You may have heard there’s money in writing, and of course, you want to know if there’s any truth to it. Let me start by saying, yes, it’s true!
So, how do you start? How do you monetise your writing skill? What are the best sites for beginners? These are the question this article will answer.
If you’re a beginner, look online
For someone just starting out as a freelance writer, you may not have a steady network of jobs and opportunities, so your best bet is to take advantage of legitimate sites that allow you to offer your service in exchange for a fee.
Which freelance websites are great for beginners?
1. Writing gig websites
When many people think of freelance writing, they automatically think of short writing gigs in exchange for money. Many sites allow writers to offer this service, and some of them require a paid subscription to access the opportunities.
But what if you’re not ready to drop coins when you’ve not even started earning?
Here are some free sites where you can secure writing gigs:
iWriter
This is a great site for beginners. To start, you’ll have to fill out a form and complete two 250-word writer prompts. Your results will determine your level and the writing jobs you can choose from. The higher you go as a writer, the more money you’ll make.
Upwork
This is arguably the most popular site for freelancers that has an excellent market for writers. It’s set up to allow bids for both short-term and long-term jobs. Another great thing about Upwork is that the site keeps a record of all work done by freelancers, which helps build your reputation.
BloggingPro
This site regularly offers blogging and freelance writing gigs. It’s basically a job board where freelancers can search for gigs. You may need some writing samples to prove you know your onions.
Freelance writers also have the opportunity to submit stories, articles and write-ups to certain websites and get paid. Usually, all the freelancer needs to do is study the submission guidelines carefully, pitch articles, and then, wait for feedback. If the pitch is accepted, they submit their writings and get paid.
Most freelance websites offer varying rates for writing jobs depending on the nature of the article requested, the writer’s skill, negotiation ability and the party seeking the service.
Ultimately, consistency is critical for a beginner hoping to cash out through freelance writing. Not only will it build your reputation, but the more jobs you do, the better you get at it. Of course, the money wouldn’t hurt as well. Cha-ching!
Note: While these are trusted sites for freelance writers, prospective users are advised to do due diligence when interacting with clients and other users on the sites.
A Week In The Life” is a weekly Zikoko series that explores the working-class struggles of Nigerians. It captures the very spirit of what it means to hustle in Nigeria and puts you in the shoes of the subject for a week.
The subject of today’s “A Week In The Life” is an editor at Zikoko. They walk us through the best parts of the job, their least favourite parts and why they don’t announce in public that they write for Zikoko.
MONDAY:
Work starts for me at 9 a.m. every day, but I wake up late today. The first thing on my mind as I roll out of bed at 9:20 a.m. is, “What will I eat this morning?” The next thing is, “I have to type my tasks for the day on the company’s Slack channel.”
Monday mornings can be a lot. I start my day by compiling a report of the articles I wrote the previous week: how many articles I wrote, how they performed and the challenges I faced. By the time I’m done with the report, it’s time for our weekly check-in meetings at noon, which I join virtually. During the meeting, I’m simultaneously microwaving “breakfast” while telling my colleagues about what tasks I did the week before. At some point, I mute my microphone to bless God for how delicious the food I’m eating is. It takes the voice of my managing editor asking me a question to shake me out of my food trance before I’m back to reality.
After the meeting ends at 1:30 p.m., I’m back in control of my day. Now, I have to write a listicle, schedule and write an interview for my mid-week flagship, send it to my editor for corrections, and still think actively about what to eat at night. No big deal — just another Monday morning in the life of an unreluctant adult.
TUESDAY:
I love my job, I really do. I enjoy writing things that make people laugh, pause and think about their lives. Sometimes, I aim to make people shake their heads at the silliness of an article or hiss. Ultimately, I try to at least get some reaction from the readers and also make the reading experience enjoyable for them. But the work also comes with its challenges.
I had to move the interview I scheduled yesterday two times during the day. When we finally had the conversation, I literally had to beg the person to talk freely. I left that interview at midnight, thinking that after all the stress I got nothing tangible.
Other days, I’m so stumped and I can’t be funny or cool or relatable. I can’t write anymore but I encourage myself to show up because it’s work and the show must go on.
Sometimes, a story takes longer than you expect to be ready due to various reasons, and you think it’s going to bang, but it doesn’t and you’re like: “Can you people just give me a chance? It’s funny and if you read it, you’ll like it.” Then there are articles you write that you don’t care about that end up sparking conversations and getting reshares, and you can’t wrap your head around it.
Another painful thing is having a story idea in your head, making calls for people to share their stories and people ignoring you. LMAO.
In the end, I enjoy overcoming these difficulties. I come to each draft completely clueless about what’s going to happen and by the time I’m done writing I’m positively surprised. Half of the job is working to create magic out of nothing. And when people are amazed, I’m also amazed at the output.
Finally, I’ve also learned to develop a thick skin from this job. Like today, a story I wrote did not do as well as I hoped. I just kept reminding myself that I am more than page clicks — if an article does good numbers I’ll be fine. If it doesn’t, I’ll also be fine.
WEDNESDAY:
The first thing I do this morning is to share my flagship draft with my editor, then the wait begins. First drafts are always a humbling experience. I’m usually amazed at how a story transforms from 0 – 100. The initial draft versus the final one never looks the same. While this is not a bad thing, a downside is that people read these stories and sort of place you, the writer, on some pedestal. And this breeds expectation of you by others.
My first instinct when I meet someone new is to not introduce myself as a Zikoko writer — this is not because I don’t love Zikoko or anything but because once people know I work at Zikoko, the way they treat me is different. I am no longer a person; I’m suddenly an ideal to them. This comes with expectations that I have to sound like my articles or be funny on demand.
It’s better when people get to know me first and my work comes in later as an added bonus to why I’m interesting. If work becomes the first point through which people interact with you, the whole interaction is defined by work and you go from being a person to being an ideal or a curiosity to be satisfied.
Another area I struggle with is in the fornication department. Sometimes I want to slide into someone’s DM that let’s be sleeping with each other, but I start to calculate and ask: What if they tweet about it? “A Zikoko writer entered my DM to sleep with me. Is this what Zikoko is breeding?”
Don’t bring my work into the fornication we want to do, please. It’s hilarious how people think that because I’m a writer, I’m bound to write on Zikoko if the sex was trash or not. Ọmọ, me sef I don’t have experience. If the sex was trash, I’d be too ashamed to write about it.
Last week, I told someone I was making plans with that I was a writer and they ghosted me. I wanted to find them and tell them I’m a fucking liar living a fake life, so there was nothing to be afraid of. If the tables turned today and the person came to work at Zikoko, they too would become a writer. Then maybe they would see that I’m a human being just like them.
THURSDAY:
I’m up early today for two reasons: first, to apply the edits to my flagship my editor made. Next, to brainstorm ideas for my daily article. I noticed that since I moved from consuming to creating, stories have lost some of the appeal they used to have for me. Creating takes away some of the magic because of the amount of structure that goes into making things “fun” on the consumer side of things: from ideation to interviewing people to the numerous edits.
Once I’m done applying the edits, my plan for today is simple: rediscover and engage the Zikoko website as a consumer and read as many things as possible. After all, a happy me is a happy Zikoko writer and this, in turn, leads to more fun content for the consumers. To me, this sounds like a win-win.
Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more “A Week In The Life ” goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this form.
If you are part of the ‘’I want what Zikoko writers are on’’ bandwagon, then this article is 100% for you. It’s a short and easy guide to joining us.
1.Tweet your journo request every day.
Yes, this is step one. If you want to talk to people who have turned to yam and are still yam, put out the call on Twitter. You’ll be surprised how many responses you’ll get on Twitter.
2.Be prepared to be dragged.
You will surely be dragged, you can’t please everyone. Read this article and also contact the Twitter user and Zikoko writer Kunle Ologunro. He’s an expert.
3. Stay true to yourself.
Stay true to yourself. If it’s inappropriate thing you like to talk about, talk about them. People can drag you for all you care. But if the dragging gets out of hand, apologize or drag them back (in your mind please)
4.Don’t do drugs.
Don’t do drugs, the job itself would make you high. ‘’Zikoko writers are on drugs’’, no we are not, it’s the job 😭
5.Sleep and wake up on Twitter so you don’t miss trending topics.
You have to always be aware of what’s on the trend table, that’s the only way to keep your work rate impeccable. Why do you think people say ‘’the Devil works hard, but Zikoko works harder’’?
6.Be cool and funny.
Please oh, not Instagram-crossdresser type of funny, because those ones aren’t actually funny. Read our Inside life category to find out what true humour is.
If these tips don’t work for you, then we don’t know for you.
Every week, Zikoko seeks to understand how people move the Naira in and out of their lives. Some stories will be struggle-ish, others will be bougie. All the time, it’ll be revealing.
What’s your oldest memory of money?
I was seven, and there was a housewarming party at my father’s new house. An uncle gave me ₦50 as per for being a good boy. Later that evening, an aunt asked me to lend her the money for her transport home. She’s never returned my money since then, and it still keeps me up at night 20 years later. I don’t even remember which aunt it was.
Haha. What’s the first thing you ever did for money?
I sold rabbits and chicks as a teenager. But I didn’t do much for money because I was a “get inside” child.
Ah, kids who were barely allowed to go out. What did you do after that?
I vaguely remember marking scripts for money at some point between when I was 15 and 16. In university, for a brief period, I helped out my friend with a printing business to type essays or projects. I made ₦4,000 off a particular one which was a pretty sweet deal. I was also getting allowances from my parents. About ₦2,000 per week – ₦1,500 if the economy was particularly hard that week.
My university was in the same town as my family home, so I regularly went and picked up foodstuff all the time, so it didn’t eat into the allowance.
Who was giving you this allowance?
My father, but work always took him out of town, so my mother would do it. He reimbursed her sometimes; most times he did not. — he had eight other children. But he never joked with tuition.
If he had to sell an arm and a leg to make sure his children never defaulted on fees, he would.
Eight other children?
Welp. He married my mother first, but they couldn’t have kids for a number of years. So he got a second wife, who got pregnant almost immediately. Then my mother got pregnant with my elder sister months later. Another five-year lull in child-bearing pushed him to venture out once more to marry a third wife. She got pregnant with his third child just a month before my mother got pregnant with me. Five other kids came from my two stepmothers in the 10 years that followed.
I’m my mother’s second, and my father’s fourth.
Sensational. What did this mean growing up? Financially that is.
For a long time, especially while I was a dependent, the guy was capable money-wise. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but food was on the table, and he was pretty influential in his circle.
Things got down a bit more in his later years. But I no longer depended on him, so I didn’t really suffer. Some of my younger siblings did. The lesson here is, maybe don’t have nine children.
Post-uni. What came next?
I had to wait one year after graduation for NYSC deployment. It was supposed to be a two-month wait, then it was five months, and everything pooled up to a year.
I turned down a ₦28k-a-month offer to teach a secondary school class. This was mostly because I hated teaching and had a big fear of sticking out in front of other people. I basically did nothing to earn in that entire period except for peanuts on some writing and editing gigs.
NYSC came and I quite unsurprisingly got a teaching posting – ₦19,800 as usual – I loved every minute of it.
Inside life.
Apart from the regular NYSC allowance, I was making money on the side doing extra lessons during the holidays. I had a close colleague that was an organiser, and I was the only English teacher he could find. We got paid well, ₦12k each.
NYSC ended and I had no idea what to do with my life. My pocket was empty after a couple of weeks. I sent dozens of email applications, walked to other places to drop CVs. After a couple of months, it became anywhere-bele-face.
It got so frustrating that when I saw a cyber cafe attendant role I jumped at it. ₦15k a month. Then I was ready to jump back out after a couple of weeks. It wasn’t working out great, other than the free internet.
I typed up a resignation letter towards the end of the second month. Without a plan in sight. Days later, I got a ₦40k-per-month internship offer at a media company in Lagos.
I left my small town and moved to Lagos with my one bag two days later. I didn’t really know anyone there and had no clear long-term plan on shelter or anything. What I knew was that I just wanted to start working where the prospects were better.
New city, no friends. How does one even begin to navigate that?
I got the internship through a friend of a friend who didn’t really know me. But he had to do some vouching that I could do the job. Then I moved in with another friend of a friend who was himself trying to find his own feet. He decided one month later that he was moving out of Lagos. So I suddenly had to start looking for a new place, calling up everyone I knew.
I found a new spot after a week of searching. This time, it was a friend of a friend of a friend. Even my friend was someone from Twitter I hadn’t actually met. It was supposed to be a two-month stay while I got my money to get a place. I ended up staying there for 14 months because it turned out money doesn’t just come because you want it. I moved in with another friend I had made in Lagos and stayed with him for about eight months. Then I finally got my own rented apartment.
That’s almost three years.
I should mention that much of the time I stayed with these guys, I wasn’t really sleeping there. Thing is, I didn’t want to feel like a burden around my hosts. I spent a huge chunk of my squatting times sleeping at my office. 6 days a week at some point. The only reason I’d go back to those guys’ places was to do laundry on weekends. Then I’d just pack again for the week. I was trying to not betray their faith in me being of good behaviour. So I’d contribute to apartment expenses as much as I could.
In real terms, took me about two years to get on my own feet. So, shoutout to the kindness of complete strangers.
You slept at the office for six days a week? How did that work?
It starts with packing enough clothes, and the usual necessities, to last the entire week. Most people go home at the close of work, you do whatever you want from then on. There were a few factors that made the process easier at my office. Like an abundance of mattress-like couches to sleep on. Heck, sometimes, you could just sleep on the wooden tables. There were also quite a few bathrooms at the office, You just needed to wake before work started the next day. Have your bath, and continue with the rest of your day. Rinse and repeat.
There were a few other people doing it at the same time as me. Not all of us were homeless, some just hated going up and down with traffic.
How much was your salary at the time?
How did you feel about the margins for these raises?
The first raise felt good because it was obvious progress. The second one came as a complete surprise because I had not asked for a raise. No one told me until it hit my account. I called my boss to say they mistakenly sent me too much and he said it wasn’t a mistake. I felt really great about that one because it was an obvious appreciation of my work. The raise to ₦122k was really annoying because I did ask for a raise at that point. A ₦5k raise wasn’t what I had in mind. I also received it days after my father had died.
Sorry about your loss.
I was about to have more responsibilities on my neck. Then the ₦200k raise came because I received an offer from a different company and used that offer to negotiate.
This is probably the work version of hostage negotiations.
The bizarre thing about that is I actually negotiated myself well below the mark. I didn’t realise it until months later. I clearly suck at that. I’d prefer the next raise just be double, at least, of what my pay currently is.
Tell me about the responsibilities on your neck.
Thanks. It just meant my father’s death shifted primary support of my mother to me. She’s not completely dependent. She has her own petty trade that takes care of her primary needs. But she had a recurring health problem that was becoming a sinkhole for my emergency fund from time to time. She’d try to hide it from me sometimes. She was feeling self-conscious that I was only spending money on her sickness.
Ah, this struggle.
Thankfully, the health issue has drastically reduced over the years.
I was still trying to find my feet at the time too. I also had to support my sister, also still finding her feet. Things would probably be a lot messier for me if I was closer to my half-siblings. They’d bring their own needs to my table too. I mean, they still do, but not with any regularity that would make it a concern.
Back to your income. You want it doubled, how do you imagine that’d happen?
To be honest, I don’t see it happening any time soon, if at all, where I currently work. The fastest way to that kind of raise would be an entirely new job. If I’m seriously working towards that is an entirely different conversation. It’s mostly just vibes and inshallah at this point.
What do you think comes next?
I really have absolutely no idea, and that can be scary sometimes. It’s such an important decision to make, but I have no wherewithal to do it.
What are your real fears regarding this?
Getting stuck, mostly. Doing the same thing for such a long time that it no longer brings you excitement. It becomes harder and harder to get out of it.
How has your experience shaped your perception of money?
I’m not sure how best to answer this, but my spending habit is pretty annoying because it confuses even me. The most basic way to explain it is I’m pretty tight and loose with how I use money. Tight because I can be very meticulous about how I spend on things for my own benefit. Loose because I’m more carefree with it when it’s to fulfil the needs of other people.
It’s hard to turn people down when they ask me for money whether it’s dash or a loan. Some loans, I just end up writing off when I get tired of asking for repayment. The way I do it, you’d think I’m Dangote, but my bank account knows it’s all smoke.
I have no investments. There’s nothing tangible I can say I’ve done with the money I’ve earned over the past few years.
There’s really no financial discipline and it’s another one of those things in my life that runs on vibes.
Money comes. Money goes.
What is making your money go these days?
I spend ₦15k on internet data subscription, sometimes more. ₦50k on savings. A regular ₦20k split between my mother and sister, minus whatever else might come as an emergency down the line. I also have an adopted family of six back where I serve, so I send something back there sometimes. It’s irregular and not a big deal, just mostly for the children. I don’t really do any budgeting on my own expenses, so I really just spend whatever’s left.
Much of my savings just goes into my rent (₦350k), or part of my sister’s rent. I don’t know what I’m saving for. I don’t even think there’s a significant amount to be saved from what I earn. So, I’m careful with money, but I’m also reckless, and that makes no sense.
What does reckless mean to you?
By reckless, I mean there’s no plan for the money other than to just spend it. It’s simply about spending it on basic, non-luxurious shit or giving it out to people. All this, without mapping out a long term plan for how to grow it and keep the tap running.
Losing my job at any moment would be disastrous. I’d hit rock bottom money-wise after a couple of months with no new job or stream of income.
What’s the last thing you paid for that required serious planning?
I recently bought a new phone for ₦270k. The old one had overstayed its welcome and was really frustrating to use. It didn’t require serious planning though, but it’s the most I’ve spent recently on anything that isn’t rent. I just closed my eyes and went for it.
Money well spent too.
How much do you feel like, at this stage, you should be earning?
₦500k would be a great start. It gives me the freedom to do certain things like ask my sister to quit her job. She gets paid peanuts, and it’s too time-consuming for her to look for a better one. On my current income, I can comfortably pay her salary, or even double it (although that becomes a bit inconvenient). On ₦500k, I could just pay her enough to make her comfortable until she gets something better.
That kind of income lets me breathe a little bit better too. Investments can become a bit easier to make without looking too much over my shoulders.
How much does she earn?
₦25k. At least that’s what she tells me. She doesn’t know what I earn too. I won’t be surprised if she’s lying. But it’s still a very low-paying job.
Always guiding.
LMAO. Even though she and my mother (probably) believe I still earn around ₦100k. They expect that I have significant savings and planning for a family. If they know what I actually earn, it’d be a whole different thing. I’d suddenly have two money managers expecting me to build a house as soon as possible.
How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?
A solid 5.5? I’m in a completely different place from where I was three years ago, but I also want more now. You always want more money. More than that, I think it’s also important that, while getting the bag, you find comfort in what you do. You do one thing for too long, and a lull will inevitably set in. So, you always have to evolve or find something new to keep the energy up.
I’m trying to open myself up more. Maybe I’ll put it in my new year’s resolutions list. But for now, vibes.
Why vibes?
Because I am an unserious person. I’ve never really had a phase in my entire life where I just set like a long-term plan. I’ve also never wanted to be anything in particular, and just start working towards it. Most of my life choices have really been about just flowing to where the tide takes me. Also, I also can’t swim, lol. I’m not a lazy person, and there’s been plenty of hard work and grit along the way. But I had to fumble my way into position first.
I realise that run ends at some point, and it looks like it already has; but I haven’t properly dealt with that reality.
“A Week In The Life” is a weekly Zikoko series that explores the working-class struggles of Nigerians. It captures the very spirit of what it means to hustle in Nigeria and puts you in the shoes of the subject for a week.
The subject of today is Femi, a writer at Zikoko. He talks about his experience covering the #Endsars protest in Lagos, how the protest is affecting relationships, and why every Nigerian should support the protest.
FRIDAY:
Today is a big day because I’m covering the #EndSARS protests in Lagos. I’m happy because lowkey, I’ve been annoyed about Nigerians not speaking up for their rights. So, seeing young people come together to stage a peaceful protest makes me proud of them. Of us. And that has gingered me to document the protest. As a journalist, it’s my duty to ensure that society works the way it’s supposed to. That’s why I’m up two hours earlier than I’d normally wake up to complete my tasks for the day.
I left my house by 10 am, but I didn’t get to the protest venue [Alausa] until 11 am. There was a bit of traffic caused by the protesters. It’s easy to get carried away by protest frenzy, so I have to remind myself that I’m here in an official capacity. That means before I react to anything, my camera should be rolling.
12 noon:
A thug tried to snatch my phone while I was recording videos. He was surprised that I didn’t let go of my phone easily. I even got a punch in the mouth for struggling. Thankfully, people surrounded us and pushed him away. It’s funny how he just kept on walking like he didn’t just try to steal from me. I’ve texted my friend safety tips for when he’s coming to join me: “Come along with water, snacks, ID cards, cash, comfortable clothes and no jewellery.”
1 pm:
The protest has been peaceful so far. We have people volunteering to clean up after people littering. I’ve lost count of how many times someone has offered me snacks and water. There are people here distributing facemasks for protesters. Everything is just so orderly. The one time we had an agitated person, we took them aside to ensure that the protest didn’t turn violent. I’m so proud of everyone here who showed up.
1:30 pm:
I’m a bit worried. There are a lot of policemen stationed outside the house of assembly where we’re protesting. Even though it’s a peaceful protest, there’s that underneath fear that anything can happen. The police say they’re here to observe. I’ll soon go on IG live for work. Let me show the people at home how it’s going and that we’re safe.
2:00 pm:
At some point, some agbayas with berets attempted to make themselves the centre of the protest. We promptly shouted them down and didn’t allow them to speak because we don’t want political affiliations with our protest. One of the ways we’re keeping the protest anonymous is to have everyone on equal standing. There’s no one person handling the crowd. There’s no one person talking all the time. The megaphone passes to different people so everyone has a chance to say something at any given time. There’s no central figure, and that’s good because the government can’t pick one person to either harass, bribe or use as a stumbling block to the protests. I think that’s one of the reasons why the protest has gathered momentum.
2:30 pm:
At this protest, there are two types of people. People who urinate in a large drainage near the Lagos state house of assembly, and people who walk the distance to the city mall to use their toilets. Do with this information what you will.
3:00pm:
Some people suggested that we block the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Their reasoning is that we’re not making enough impact at the house of assembly as the traditional media is still ignoring us.
We’ve blocked the traffic lanes on the express, and traffic is stretching as far as the eye can see. There are convoys, bullion vans, army and policemen in the traffic. I’m scared of an altercation, but I also understand the importance of this cause.
Some people came to negotiate, so we left one lane open for traffic on both sides. Instead of a total shut down, it’s now go-slow. I hope the government is paying attention.
4 pm – 6 pm:
I was worried that morale would drop in the evening. Apparently, someone has booked a DJ. Another person rented a generator. Someone else has gotten canopies, so there’s ginger at the protest ground. The first song the DJ plays is Fem by Davido, and the crowd loses it. Why everybody just dey para for us?
10 pm:
Some people are hell-bent on passing the night at Alausa. However, I’m going home to sleep. Seeing all these people coming out to air their grievances gives me an overwhelming sense of pride. For the first time in this generation’s memory, we’ve decided to let our displeasure be known to the government.
I’m proud, tired, and I can’t wait to hit my bed.
SATURDAY:
I’m up early. Again.
Today’s protest starts by 8:00 am, so I have to get there early. I’m thinking about the fact that Nigeria is notorious for human rights abuse, therefore protests require courage. Every time you attend a protest, you don’t know if you’re going to be bundled away. Summoning bravery is the first barrier many Nigerians have to overcome before deciding whether they want to make their voices heard or not.
I think protesters need to know that in addition to wearing correct gear, they shouldn’t incite violence. If any faction is becoming violent and destroying properties, they should immediately leave the area. It’s also crucial to have a protest partner who knows your full name, address and emergency contact. In case anything happens. I recommend as many protest partners as possible because the more the better. The more details people have, the better chance you stand if anything happens.
I’m running late with all this thinking. I need to get up and get going.
They [government] must not take us for idiot.
SUNDAY:
I woke up tired today. Standing and walking around Lagos takes a toll on your body, but my eye is on the prize — our voices must be heard. I know that effort is not wasted, so that’s encouraging. We must keep gathering. We must keep pushing. If we don’t support the protests by our physical presence, we’ll donate. If we don’t have money, we’ll amplify on social media.
It’s been tiring, and I’ve had less sleep in the past few days than I should, but it’s for a worthy cause. We’re all fighting for a Nigeria we can be proud of.
The most surprising thing for me has been seeing the middle class come out to protest. I think that has given a lot of humanity to the protest. You see people who look like you, went to the same school as you. People who talk like you. And they’re putting themselves on the line. I didn’t think I was going to see Nigerians from different backgrounds protest together. At least, not anytime soon.
Another thing from this protest is hearing how it’s affecting relationships. A friend called to tell me that he hasn’t spent as much time with his girlfriend in a while. Another friend had a similar complaint. After reminding ourselves why we’re protesting, we came to a conclusion: na person wey dey alive go fuck.
MONDAY:
My biggest fears are coming to fruition. Two people in Lagos were shot by the police today. I was afraid of people losing their lives during this protest because people lose hope when the shootings start. However, it seems like the more they kill us, the more young people are ready to push for basic human rights. I’m concerned the protests will become a full-scale riot, and I hope that we don’t get there.
For me, this is bigger than a SARS Protest. We are at the point where Nigerians are finally fighting for what they believe in. We finally have a voice and can demand better.
We’ve proven to govt and international bodies that Nigerian people will no longer be pushed around. That’s a major win for me even if the protest doesn’t meet its objective of ending Sars.
I have to work today, so I’ll support the cause on social media. Tomorrow, I go again. I’m pulling up with my guys physically to make sure that our voices are heard. Or I will stay back to document that we spoke, and the government was silent while we died.
Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more “A Week In The Life ” goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this form.
Based on a true life story…
1) You, when you get a Z!koko job and you think your work is play.
Pashun! dream job!
2) When you now realize it’s not beans at all.
Who sent me? Follow your dream, follow your dream, now I don hang.
3) When you write a listicle and it has 50 comments.
Changes bio to content strategist. Digital media strategist. Content god.
4) When you write something you think is really boring and everyone loves it!
I heart you guys.
5) How you think of what to write every morning.
O God of inspiration, direct our noble cause.
6) When you think you’ve written something interesting and it has zero comments.
It do usually pain.
7) When one of the readers now say they don’t understand the rubbish you’ve written.
Pls dear.
8) When you see people cursing Zikoko writers.
“Zikoko, you people are mad.” “Zikoko, it’s you that’ll never find love.”
On top small civil play.
9) When one reader is now trying to do oversabi in comments section and Z!koko readers drag the person for you.
Look at God.
10) You, when you see your friends struggling to their office in suits.
Godspeed guys.
11) Every time you remember you have the best job ever, you’re like:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is many things. Writer, Artiste (ah mean she had that song with Beyonce and everything). Bad belle people will call her a feminist troublemaker, but it’s not her fault that she likes to speak her mind, is it?
One thing that CNA also is a bad ass fashion killer, and here are ten times her outfits nearly killed us dead:
1. That time she was looking like a very fashionable bumblebee:
2. That time she was looking just absolutely flawless:
3. That time she was serving serious black and white inspiration:
4. Who says you cannot cover up and still slay anyhow?
5. The bahdest that ever liveth!
6. That time she brought the runway look to life:
7. Have you ever seen a set of colours go together so well?
8. That time she was busy looking like a peng ting:
