Money by Zikoko
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Naira Life Vol 167

Naira Life Vol 167

Also: This 35-year-old has two jobs and two businesses

Toheeb Lanlehin
January 12, 2026

Volume 167

Good Morning, 🌞

The financial cost of caring for a sick loved one is heavy. The emotional cost is heavier. Both are almost impossible to separate.

There’s a quiet understanding that it takes just one chronic illness to erode a person’s financial safety net. Quality healthcare, when it is accessible, is expensive. The systems meant to soften that blow — insurance, employer coverage, public care — aren’t comprehensive or are entirely absent. So most people are forced to pay out of pocket.

This type of event distorts people's perceptions of money altogether. Plans collapse. Progress stalls. Survival takes over.

One of the stories in this dispatch explores that reality. Timothy was forced into it when his father was diagnosed with cancer. He spent everything he had — savings, emergency funds, loans — and still came up short. The treatment bought time, but it came at a cost. Today, he’s living with the aftermath: a life that shifted from relative comfort to the hard work of climbing out of debt.

As he puts it: “Sometimes, when I calculate how long it will take me to recover financially, I feel resentment creeping in. The guilt comes immediately after. Because should I really be thinking about money when I got two extra years with my dad?”

There isn’t a straight answer to that question.

In this letter:

The #NairaLife of an Insurance Marketer Balancing Two Jobs and Two Businesses

From growing up comfortable to watching his family struggle, this 35-year-old’s #NairaLife has been a series of hustle and sheer grit.

Today, he earns up to ₦800k monthly from insurance commissions, a printing press and other side businesses, but he’s still chasing stability and a way out of Nigeria.

Read his #NairaLife here

Moniepoint's 2025 informal economy report contains data from over 5 million businesses. These businesses make up over 90% of MSMEs in Nigeria. Learn more about their profits and relationship with savings, taxation and more.

Click here!

I Used to Just Wear Gold. Now I Use It to Build Wealth

From childhood jewellery to gold bars and coins, Nicole, 30, turned her love of gold into a £50k wealth-building strategy.

Now she uses gold to hedge against cash volatility and build lasting wealth. Here’s how she strategically stacks gold, and why it could matter for your financial future. Get the full story here

We've been telling relatable stories about how Nigerians earn, save and spend their money for years, and now we'll have a dedicated platform for more honest and open conversations about money.

Our promise is simple: No fancy jargon, just the information and clarity you need to make confident financial decisions!

Follow @ZikokoMoney on Instagram

I Spent ₦20m Trying To Save My Dad. He Still Died

For two years, Timothy* (30) poured everything, including savings and loans, into keeping his father alive.

Now that his dad is gone, he’s left with loan dependence, exhaustion and a guilt he can’t shake: wondering if thinking about the money makes him a bad son.

Read the full story here

Where The Money At?!

We can't say we're about the money and not actually help you find the money.

So we've compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.

Again, don't mention. We gatchu.