A US-based Nigerian man has sparked a conversation about workers’ wages in Nigeria after expressing concern over how people earning between ₦50,000 and ₦70,000 survive amid the rising cost of living.
Speaking in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), he questioned how workers earning such amounts manage to cover basic expenses, including food and transportation.
According to him, a plate of food can cost as much as ₦3,500, while daily transportation expenses can further reduce their already limited income.
He also addressed employers who pay their workers less than ₦100,000, arguing that such wages could push employees into financial difficulties and potentially encourage workplace theft.
In his words, he said:
“It’s only in Nigeria you will be paying somebody ₦50,000, ₦70,000, and that person will be surviving, going to work every day. A plate of food, the cheapest you can get is ₦3,500. What about transportation?”
The man further admitted that he had previously paid some workers low wages but said his experience after returning to Nigeria had changed his perspective.
He announced that workers in his employment who currently earn less than ₦100,000 would receive an increase, urging employers to consider the realities their workers face.
“If you are paying your worker anything less than ₦100,000, no matter what that person is doing for you, my dear, and that person is still coming to work every day, then that means you are losing more than that ₦100,000 you are not paying,” he added.
He apologised to anyone he may have previously underpaid and promised to increase his workers’ wages.
His comment has generated reactions online, with many Nigerians agreeing that the rising cost of living makes it difficult for workers to survive on low salaries.
Watch the video below…
“How are Nigerians surviving on salaries of ₦50,000 to ₦70,000? I recently visited Nigeria and saw how things are. Any employer paying workers less than ₦100,000 right now, while they still show up to work every day, should know that they are losing more than that. After my… pic.twitter.com/Y3wrxKpVy5
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) August 27, 2026