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Naira Life Vol 160

Naira Life Vol 160

Also: The #NairaLife of a lab scientist saving for his goals.

Toheeb Lanlehin
November 24, 2025

Volume 160

In partnership with

Good Morning,🌞

This week’s stories circle a core question: What does a “responsible” money decision look like?

First, there’s Deji, who’s stuck between “I meant well” and “You crossed a line”. He dipped into the joint wedding savings to chase an investment without telling his fiancée. In his mind, it was initiative. In hers, it was a breach of trust — the one thing money can’t fix.

Then there’s the husband pushing his wife to quit her job even though their family needs her income. For him, it’s about having control over their time. For her, it’s about optimising independence and security.

And somewhere in the middle of all this is this week’s #NairaLife, a 30-year-old lab scientist building his savings for one goal: the degrees he needs to drive his career. The question is: how far is that discipline taking him? Let's dig in.

In this letter:

#NairaLife: The Laboratory Scientist Who’s Saving to Fund His Professional Dreams

This 30-year-old’s #NairaLife has enjoyed decent income growth and a substantial crypto payout in the past four years. But there’s one place he’s not yet satisfied with: his career progression. To fix that, he’s saving with the singular goal of pursuing academic qualifications.

How’s that going?

Read his #NairaLife

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Love Currency: “My Wife’s Salary Is Important, but I Want Her to Quit”

Emeka* (37) and Uchechi* (31) have been married since 2019. For #LoveCurrency, Emeka discusses their approach to splitting home expenses, the pressure of black tax, and why he wants Uchechi to quit her job.

Read the full story here

Na Me F–Up? I Invested Our Joint Savings Without Telling My Fiancée

Deji* (29) and Teni* (27) have been together for three years and plan to tie the knot next year. In preparation for their wedding, they’ve been jointly saving for about two years. Recently, Deji invested a bulk of their savings into a bad deal without Teni’s knowledge.

While he’s ready to bear the loss, Teni isn’t as forgiving. Now he’s stuck wondering if he has doomed their relationship.

Read here

Ask Aunty M with Reni

I don’t know how to spend money. I have to many excesses, so I’m always broke. I’m always borrowing from loans app and asking for help. I need help to control my spending. Then I want to learn how to save, then have an extra source of income. - Sope, 34

Hi Sope. Thanks for writing in. The first step to controlling your spending is understanding what triggers your spending. Do you spend when you are bored, when you are sad, when you are excited? Often, spending is related to an emotion and if we can pinpoint this, we can take steps to prevent the spending.

Let’s say you spend when you are sad. What your body is actually craving is a dopamine hit — something to spike your emotions and release that good hormone. For you, spending money gives you that dopamine hit, but what if I told you there are other ways to get it? As crazy as it sounds, going for a walk, hanging out with friends, exercising, and many other things will give you the exact same result without the guilt.

Next, it is helpful when you make it harder for yourself to spend even if you want to. Move the money from your current account to a savings account that has a lock feature on it. This way, it is time-delayed and if you want to access the funds, it’ll take time. At the same time, automate your savings so they go from your current account to said savings account automatically once you get paid. This way, you don’t even have a chance tot spend it.

Third, confide in a friend or mentor. Shame allows cycles to continue. When we don’t speak about what we’re going through, it’s easy to continue to go through it. Instead, share with those that love you that can hold you accountable. When you’re struggling to stay away from the loan apps, they will be there to provide the strength you don’t have.

I hope this helps. Truly rooting for you.

Xoxo, Reni

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