10/07/2025
This is why you should learn a skill as a Nigerian student.
Nobody told me that gaining admission wasn’t the real win.
I remember how I danced when I got my admission letter. I thought I had arrived. Finally, I was a "big girl" about to resume university. But three months into 100 level, reality humbled me. My monthly allowance from home was just ₦5,000 and that was on a good month. I had course handouts to buy, data to subscribe, group assignments that demanded printing, and hunger that respected no timetable. It wasn’t long before I started borrowing. Quietly. Silently. I was ashamed, but I was desperate.
That was when I saw a 200-level girl in my hostel who always had money. She braided hair during weekends, sometimes up to four people in a day. She charged ₦1,500 per head, and in one weekend, she could make ₦6,000. While I was waiting for “pocket money” from home, she was already earning and saving. That was the day it clicked.
This is not just a post, it’s a wake-up call.
University life in Nigeria is not the fantasy you see on Instagram. There's no guaranteed light, no stable school calendar, and for most students, no steady financial support. ASUU can strike anytime. Your faculty can suddenly ask for an unplanned excursion fee. Hostel fees can increase without warning. Prices of food? Let’s not even talk.
Many students are suffering in silence, hiding their struggles behind filters and laughter. But here's the truth: if you don’t have a skill in this economy, you are naked in a burning bush.
Having a skill is not a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity. You don’t have to wait till you graduate before you start earning. The earlier you learn, the better.
Here’s what you can do right now:
If you love design, start learning graphic design with your phone. Canva, PixelLab, and Adobe Express are free. You can even explore UI/UX if you love designs.
If you’re good with social media, consider managing pages. Many small businesses are looking for someone to help them post and respond to DMs.
You have a nice voice? Start voiceovers. Record with your phone. Edit with CapCut.
You love teaching? Sell your knowledge. Offer tutorials online or offline.
If you're always editing your friends’ captions or helping them write, maybe you’re a content writer. Start learning and offering your services.
Skills like copywriting, editing, makeup, hair styling, tutoring, coding, photography, even event ushering, they are saving students every day from borrowing and begging.
You don’t have to be perfect. Start learning today. Watch free YouTube videos. Join free Telegram groups. Intern with someone around you. Offer your service for free to build a portfolio. With time, you'll grow.
Don't wait till 400 level when you’re scrambling to do IT or NYSC before you realize you don’t have anything tangible to offer.
Let me tell you one truth nobody talks about: a degree will open the door, but your skill is what will keep you in the room. In a Nigeria where even first-class graduates are jobless, you need more than a certificate.
If you're already in school, it's not too late. If you're still waiting for admission, start now. You’ll thank yourself later.
Share this with a student you care about. Save it if it spoke to you. Because one day, when school is on strike, and you don’t have money for garri, this post will remind you of why you started.
© Exam Scholars
