Earning N60,000 in Nigeria better off than those who japa five years ago — Bwala

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, has said a Nigerian earning ₦60,000 a month is better off than many Nigerians who relocated abroad five years ago, arguing that the high cost of living overseas has made life difficult for many of them.

Speaking on The Morayo Show, Bwala said many Nigerians in the United Kingdom who left the country in search of better opportunities are now doing jobs that do not match their qualifications.

“Some of you in Nigeria who think you are suffering, you’re better off than your colleagues that japa five years ago,” Bwala said.

He said many degree holders now work in care homes and warehouses, describing the situation as a form of exploitation.

“As far as I am concerned, it is modern-day slavery,” he stated.

According to him, although many earn between £2,600 and £2,800 monthly, most of the money goes into rent, utilities, internet, transportation and feeding, leaving them with little to save.

“At the end of the day, what you are left with is not much. So you are forced to do two or three jobs,” he said.

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Bwala argued that someone earning ₦60,000 in Nigeria could still rely on support from family and friends, unlike many Nigerians living abroad.

“That ₦60,000 earner can still get support from family and friends, while many abroad have nobody to fall back on,” he added.

Bwala also defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s social intervention programmes, saying the administration had introduced measures to reduce healthcare costs.

“President Bola Tinubu introduced 50 percent subsidy on dialysis in federal hospitals, and cesarean section has been made free in public hospitals,” Bwala said.

He added that the government plans to extend healthcare support to more medical services and prescription drugs as more resources become available.