5 Unspoken Rules of Survival Mode in Nigeria at the Moment

Who will prepare you for adulthood in Nigeria? Nobody really does that. You just enter it and start figuring things out as you go. Some day, you're worrying about school. Next thing, transport fare, electricity, food, data… all these things are what you'll be calculating. And your mind will just start wandering about how to make ₦10,000 stretch to ₦20,000 right there in your head. Then you realise, wait… when did life become this serious? And all of a sudden, you start learning the rules nobody ever taught you... 1. Always Have A Plan B There's an adage that says, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Honestly, this adage was made for Nigeria. A job can fall through. Fuel price can disappoint you. A client can disappoint you. Even NEPA can decide to embarrass you exactly when you need electricity the most. So always have a backup plan. If there's another way to do something, know it. Another source of income. Another route. Another option. Another person you can call. You don't have to expect everything to go wrong. Just don't be completely stranded when one thing does. 2. YOUR CONNECTIONS MATTER This is the real one. Let's be honest with ourselves. It's not always about what you know. Sometimes, it's also about who knows you. You can have a good portfolio or CV and still not get the job you applied for. That's Nigeria for you. Meanwhile, someone who didn't even know the vacancy existed suddenly gets a call because: "My guy works there. Let me send your CV to him." And just like that, things start moving. Connections really matter in Nigeria, especially when it comes to getting certain jobs. But that doesn't mean you should go around using people. Build genuine relationships. Stay in touch. Treat people well. Be someone people can trust. You never know whose phone your name might come up on when an opportunity shows up. 3. Learn To Ask Questions This one can save you from plenty unnecessary stress. Sometimes, you already have the question in your head but you're too shy to ask. Ask anyway. "Is there another option?" "Can you reduce the price?" "Why is this taking so long?" "Is there another way to do this?" Sometimes, the answer might still be no. But at least you asked. Don't just agree to everything because you're afraid of looking somehow. 4. FOLLOW UP. THEN FOLLOW UP AGAIN. You submitted an application? Follow up. Someone promised to send you something? Remind them. You paid for a service and they've been telling you, "We'll get back to you"? Call them. Sometimes people aren't deliberately ignoring you. They simply have their own problems and your matter has moved down their list. If you don't remind them, they might forget completely. So follow up. It might feel like you're disturbing them, but sometimes that's the only way your matter will move. 5. DON'T HIDE WHAT YOU CAN DO This one is important. You can actually be very good at something and still struggle because nobody knows you can do it. You write? Let people read your work. You design? Show it. You bake? Post it. You sell something? Tell people. You don't have to turn your whole life into content. But people need to know what you can do before they can recommend you for an opportunity. Sometimes the opportunity you're looking for isn't far away. The person who needs what you do may simply not know that you exist. Let's be honest, Nigeria has probably taught you at least one lesson the hard way. Maybe it was money. Maybe it was work. Maybe it was trusting somebody. Maybe it was that one experience that made you say, "Never again" Drop yours. No long story needed just tell us the lesson. Let's see how many of us learnt the same thing the hard way.