Nigeria’s working poor struggle on full-time jobs and part-time survival

    Oluwatobi Ojabello | Insights | Jul 16, 2026    
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For generations, a full-time job was seen as the surest route out of poverty. In Nigeria today, it is increasingly becoming another form of it. The country's cost-of-living crisis has created a new class of workers. They are employed, work long hours and rarely miss a day on the job. Yet many still rely on tips, remittances and the generosity of relatives to survive. The popular advice to "find a side hustle" assumes workers own their time. Many do not.

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