MigrationAnonymous

16 Oct 1 min read

₦450k a Month, and I Still Dread Mondays

I'm 27. A banker. Eighteen months in a commercial bank, and every Sunday night my chest tightens before Monday even arrives. My salary is ₦450,000 a month. People hear "bank job" and say, "Ah, you're okay o." But after rent, transport, fuel, light, data, and the "small money" family members send messages for, I'm broke by the 22nd. And the money comes with a price: daily deposit targets, calls from my manager at 9pm, Saturday "strategy meetings," and "be grateful you have a job" every time I open my mouth. Somehow, I've saved ₦6 million. It took skipped outings, ignored owambe invites, and one too many "I'm managing" to friends. Now the idea keeps knocking: japa. A Master's in Finance in the US. A student loan. A fresh start. But I've seen the stories. The brother who borrowed millions in dollars and now works two jobs to pay it back. The sister whose visa got delayed after she had paid everything. And the Naira doesn't care about my dreams. So I'm stuck between staying in a place that's draining me and leaving on a gamble that could break me. Nigerians, be honest with me: is the loan worth it? Or should I first fight for scholarships, funded programs, or a better job here? I don't want to run from pressure into something heavier. But I also don't want to wake up at 35, still in the same bank, wondering "what if."