Eni* married Ismah* as a bright-eyed 21-year-old, but it didn’t take long for their financial incompatibility to surface. For #LoveCurrency, she talks about their different approaches to finances, his rigid expectations and why she doesn’t see herself in his financial plans.

It’s exhausting.

I’m starting over now.

This 32-year-old freelance project coordinator is what you might call a late starter. Things haven't always been rosy for her, from waiting five years to enter uni to driving cabs after a job loss. However, she’s now on the road to financial freedom. Well, as soon as she figures out money management.

This 37-year-old thought he’d received a lifeline when he started riding okada for a living in 2023. But one year later, he’s barely surviving on ₦4k daily with his family and a new wife on the way. This is his #NairaLife.

“Find love where there’s money.”

The 20-year-old in this #Nairalife dropped out of university and moved to Egypt to work as a house cleaner due to her family’s financial struggles. She also spent the last two years repaying a significant debt she owed her sponsor. But what’s her life like now?

This 29-year-old baker lost her life savings to a romance scam, dropped out of university and became homeless in one year. Over the years, she’s survived multiple depressive and suicidal episodes. Her friends have consistently picked her up, but she wants a life where she doesn’t need to depend on them. She hopes to get there by achieving her culinary school dreams.

The 32-year-old customer experience researcher in this #NairaLife was forced to start afresh in 2016 due to an unplanned pregnancy that led to her father cutting her off. Eight years later, she’s now a financially stable mother of two — thanks to her ₦1.5m/month salary. How did she get here and what’s next for her?

The 28-year-old mobile engineer in this #NairaLife has come a long way in his relationship with money. He’s gone from careless spending to building an impressive $80k safety net by living below his means. He’s now navigating the insecurity that comes with a tech career, after surviving two layoffs in seven months.