On today's episode, I would like to share with you the story of our Gap Year in Nigeria! I knew that I needed to pack up and go live somewhere else. It was a goal that was always at the back of my mind. So in 2017, a few months after our wedding we packed up, sold everything and moved to Lagos Nigeria. It made more sense to move to Nigeria, Declan was keen, I was getting very home sick but most importantly we wanted to see what opportunities were out there for us. Unfortunately we had no clear plan or goals. If I had my time again I would do things differently. I applied for jobs before we left and we had secured interviews with one of those popular media houses in Lagos so at the time that seemed like a good solid plan. That interview did not amount to much; I am more of a radio journalist than a newspaper journalist. Declan is a newspaper journalist, however, the salary that was offered to him for long hours was not worth his time. So we had to figure out how to make some money.

We rented an apartment, furnished it, met new people, Nigerians, expats and returnees like myself.  We met amazing people who we still talk to till this day. People I consider family. And of course I reconnected with my friends from my childhood.

Declan started freelance writing and wrote so many incredible stories about some of the issues at the time. One of his published stories was about some kids who were arrested by the police in what they alleged to have been a gay hotel. This was at a time when the Nigerian Government passed a law against same sex relationships in Nigeria. If you were caught showing intimacy or in an amorous relationship the jail term was and currently is 14 years. The richer guys at that hotel had paid off the police, the kids who were caught were poor kids who couldn't afford the less than $20 bail they needed to pay. We got involved with the case; we got involved with human rights organisations and attended their court cases which dragged on and on. Some of the boys in the story got some money from an overseas philanthropist. We did what we could. While all of that was going on I started a microfinance business that provided solar panels to very small businesses. They purchased solar panels through me with a small deposit and then I let them pay the rest back  instalmentally over 12 months. It was very risky however our customers were vetted. I had late payments from the only residential customer that I had. My small business customers were very good. We did door to door marketing around Lagos. I had 3 staff members, I trained them and paid them monthly salaries and then commission on sales. They also had paid lunches on the job and lifts sometimes to make it easier for them to travel around the axis. Having a business was pretty challenging, from the process of getting registered to trade and getting your own space. It was a daily fight for recognition. Research suggests that solar panels will help us reduce our carbon foot print globally. 

By next year I'd like to kick off a charity to provide food trucks and grants to Nigerians so get in touch if you'll like to know how you can help.

Keep in touch by following @thenigerianimmigrant on Instagram or thenigerianimmigrant.blogspot

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