Usman Isyaku, a PhD graduate, has expressed regret over his decision to return to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, describing his choice as “foolish” in light of his current earnings.
After spending time in the UK, where he received a monthly stipend of £1,550 (approximately N3.4 million) as a PhD student, Isyaku accepted a job in Nigeria that pays only N250,000 a month.
In a reflective post on Facebook, Isyaku noted, “My monthly allowance as a PhD student in the UK was £1,550 (N3,400,000). I returned to a job that now pays the equivalent of N250,000 per month. I thought I was being patriotic until I realized how misguided I was.”
He criticized the working conditions and salary structures for highly educated professionals in Nigeria, emphasizing that the country’s economic challenges make it difficult to meet basic needs. “The foolishness was my assumption that Nigeria needed my expertise and that I could somehow provide for my family with such an unlivable salary,” he stated.
Isyaku further cautioned others contemplating a similar path, saying, “Anyone with a job offer abroad who chooses to stay there is simply responding to the harsh realities of life in Nigeria today.” He concluded with a stark warning: “Nobody cares if you are Albert Einstein. In a place where people struggle to afford three square meals, a PhD graduate would think twice before returning, unless you want to deceive yourself for the sake of political correctness.”
