The #NairaLife of a Corps Member Doing Her Best to Survive on ₦43k/Month

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.

When did you first realise the importance of money?

That was around 2013 or 2014. My mum had a lucrative business importing rice and groundnut oil from Cotonou. But that year, customs seized her goods, and her finances never fully recovered. 

Since my mum was the only parent who took on the financial burden at home, the situation affected us children, too. I was in JSS 3 and was sent out of school for the first time ever. We were halfway into the term, and my school fees were still unpaid. My boarding school was in a different state, and my housemaster literally put me on a bus and followed me back to my mum’s shop in Lagos.

This experience was a clear lesson about the importance of money.

Do you know why all the financial burden was on your mum?

My dad wasn’t involved. I don’t even know what he did for money; he just went out and returned home every day. My mum paid for everything, even the school fees of a cousin who stayed with us after losing their father.

But things changed after customs seized my mum’s goods. As a child, I loved corned beef and even took it to school almost daily. That had to stop. 

Our financial situation also affected my mum mentally; she started shouting in her sleep and was constantly thinking about money. It was a tough period that also influenced how I think about money today.

How so?

My mum’s money problems showed me that money really does a lot, but it is also fickle. You can have so much today, and then a random problem comes and takes all the money away. 

Also, it drove me to want to make money, and I took the first opportunity I got when I entered uni. In my first year, I accidentally started a food business with my cousin, who was in 200 level.

How do you accidentally start a food business?

I didn’t know I could cook. But I noticed that people often complimented my meals and wanted me to cook for them. One day, I thought, “I can make money with this thing.” 

I spoke to my cousin, and we started. This was in 2019.

My cousin was more popular in school, so she found customers and took care of deliveries; I just cooked. I mostly made the meals in large bowls. There was no standard price, but ₦3k could cook a bowl of soup with meat and other proteins. My cousin and I shared the money. I can’t remember how much we made weekly, but business was good. 

The income from cooking helped augment the occasional ₦2k my mum sent for my upkeep. One time I even saved some money and sent it to my aunt to waybill thrift clothes to me at school so I could sell them. The thrift business didn’t take off, though. I ended up wearing most of the clothes. 

We ran the cooking business for two semesters and stopped when my cousin transferred to a private university. I tried to keep the business going and started delivering the food. But a customer tried to harass me on a delivery run, so I quit. 

Phew. What did you do next?

In 200 level, I worked with a housing agent in my school. I just had to sit down in their shop and sell the mattresses. The job was shift-based; I could leave when I had lectures because there were other students, and we took turns staying at the shop. My salary was ₦8k/month.

At the same time, I started a cleaning business. The agent also rented houses to people, so it was the perfect way to get clients. When people came to rent, I offered my cleaning services. I mostly made ₦2k – ₦3k cleaning self-contained apartments. The money was small, but I needed all the money I could get. The highest I made was ₦10k for a three-bedroom apartment. 

I did both gigs from 200 level to 400 level. Then, I stopped to focus on my final-year project.

How did you survive without the jobs?

I assisted a friend with their online business. My job was to answer clients’ messages and questions. It didn’t take up much of my time, so it didn’t affect my project. There was no fixed or consistent salary since my friend was essentially helping me out with something to do, occasionally paying me ₦20k while at it.

I graduated in December 2023 but wasn’t called up for NYSC until June 2024 because of clearance delays from my school. NYSC posted me to a private school in a village in Ekiti. I’m still there.

Does the school pay you a salary?

I guess ₦10k qualifies as a salary. NYSC pays a ₦33k monthly stipend, bringing my total monthly income to ₦43k. The money isn’t just small; this place is uncomfortable. 

I cried the first day I came to the town. They haven’t had electricity in years, and I pay ₦700 to charge my phone and power bank every two to three days. It took a lot to get used to the fact that I’d have to live in this place for a year. 

There are mud houses everywhere, and it’s almost like there’s zero development. Thankfully, the school provided a small room in the principal’s family house, which is a two-minute walk from the school. Also, I occasionally get free foodstuffs from the principal, which has helped reduce my feeding expenses. At least that’s one advantage of living in a village. 

Speaking of, what do your typical monthly expenses look like?

Another corps member recently made friends with a neighbour who has solar electricity, so charging expenses have been removed from my monthly budget. 

I manage as much as possible. Since January, I’ve squeezed out ₦5k every month to keep in my savings. I also only buy data a little at a time — usually ₦500 every other day — for the course I’m taking and to keep myself company because there’s nothing else to do here. Still, I’m in debt by the end of the month because what I make is not enough, and I have to borrow from friends. 

What kind of quality of life would you say ₦43k gives you?

I’ll maybe rate it a -10. I’m pushing myself with statements like, “This is just a phase.” 

I honestly didn’t know I could manage this money this way. I may not be doing the best job, but service year has taught me financial management. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t think of savings, yet I’ve built a saving habit by force. I know how close I am to having nothing in my bank account, so I have to be smart about my financial decisions. 

In summary, NYSC has forced me to be prudent. It’s not entirely terrible, though. At least I’m better with money. But you know the funny thing?

What’s that?

The money I make now isn’t much different from what I made in university — maybe I even earned less. But the cost of things has tripled and quadrupled, and everything is so expensive. 

Before, my friend and I would gather ₦5k and use it to eat and buy clothes. I even bought different foodstuffs to experiment with food recipes I found online. I can’t try that now. 

For months, we’ve heard rumours that the government wants to increase our stipend to ₦77k. I knew it was mere propaganda and would not happen anytime soon, so I didn’t even pay attention. But things are so hard. I’ll be done with NYSC in May, and I can focus on improving my finances to increase my savings and care for myself.

Do you have plans for post-NYSC?

I don’t have a clear path right now; I’ve just been applying to as many graduate trainee roles as I can find in any industry. I’ve mostly gotten rejections so far, but I won’t relent. 

I’m taking the project management course to give me an edge in the job market. Money is my greatest motivation right now. I just want anything that will allow me to earn money and improve my financial situation. 

When I get a job and start a career, I can decide which specific path I want to specialise in, but for now, just give me money. Money is my passion.

Is there an ideal amount you’d like to earn?

₦500k/month. But I know I don’t have the qualifications or experience to earn such, so I’d happily take ₦150k. At least, that should make me somewhat comfortable. I’ll still be prudent because I know what it means to lack, and I wouldn’t want to return to the same situation.

Is there anything you want right now but can’t afford?

I try not to allow myself to desire anything because I can’t afford much. But if I had to want something, it’d be a new phone. I don’t even want to check prices because where’s the money?

How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?

2. I have to manage and banish cravings from my mind constantly. It’s a lot. I can’t wait to be in a better place financially.

Find all the past Naira Life stories here.

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