A Nigerian-American real estate investor, Blessing Nwachukwu, has shared her perspective on why many Nigerians living in the United States and Europe tend to take up caregiving and warehouse jobs.
According to her, this preference is often due to a lack of intellectual curiosity and basic tech skills.
Nwachukwu, who left Nigeria for Russia in 2009 and later relocated to the U.S., made the remarks during an interview with Vanguard.
Now a U.S. citizen, she recounted her experience running a free 18-month tech training program for Nigerians, which began in 2022.
She expressed surprise at how many of the participants struggled with fundamental computer literacy.
“I thought I’d be teaching software skills, but I quickly realised that many didn’t even know how to type or perform basic computer tasks,” she said.
Nwachukwu also criticized what she described as a lack of independent thinking and research habits among Nigerians, noting that many are quick to believe information without verifying it.
“Rather than researching for themselves, most would rather ask numerous questions. Nigerians believe things too easily, and that makes them vulnerable to scams,” she said.
She attributed this tendency to what she called the absence of a reading culture.
“We shy away from intellectually demanding work. That’s why a lot of people prefer physical jobs that don’t require mental effort,” she added.
While acknowledging that caregiving and warehouse jobs are relatively easy to secure — often requiring no experience and offering decent pay — she cautioned that such roles can become a dead end.
“You can earn between $15 and $20 per hour, get overtime, and cover your bills, even send money home. But growth in these jobs is limited. Promotions are rare unless you pursue further certifications,” she explained.
Nwachukwu concluded that the demanding nature of such work often leaves little time or energy for further education or upskilling, making long-term advancement difficult.
