From Hustle to Heartbreak: Nigerians Share Brutal Family Money Struggles

Every day, thousands of Nigerians juggle side hustles and full-time responsibilities, hoping the money adds up. But behind many successful dreams lies a harsh reality: familial expectations, pressure to support relatives, and unending financial demands. 

A viral conversation on X (formerly Twitter), sparked by finance coach Tosin Olaseinde’s post, pulled back the curtain on the weight Nigerians carry when personal ambition collides with family responsibility.

They shared unfiltered, gut-wrenching stories ranging from missed opportunities to outright betrayal that reveal how deeply money influences family life.

As you read, you’d realise this isn’t just about financial illiteracy or selfish relatives. It’s a mix of cultural practices, governance failures, social pressures, and emotional traps that make financial stability elusive for millions.

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The Weight of Black Tax

All these threads point back to one silent reality: the black tax. It’s the unspoken expectation that your success belongs to everyone around you. Nobody in the conversation was against helping the family. What they resented was the imbalance, the endless cycle where giving is demanded, not appreciated, and where the giver’s own growth is stunted.

It’s a cultural bond, yes. But it can also be a financial shackle. From the moment you start earning, relatives line up with requests. School fees here, rent support there, and a “small contribution” for a cousin’s business idea.

Imagine a civil servant coughing out 100k back in 2005 to support his Brother who had just finished his apprenticeship. It was supposed to be a loan, to be paid back.

Here we are.
Death threats.
Kids out of school.
Hunger.

Thank The Lord We Pulled Through. https://t.co/6PRB4zZl35

— The Ag-Contractor | Farmily Field Farms (@UgoAgro_) September 28, 2025

My dad resigned from his job in 1995 with the hope of setting up a business with his 350k settlement.

The man he was to partner with duped him & ran away with the entire money to Cote D’Ivoire & then we entered into real deep poverty - the kind of poverty that scares the poor.… https://t.co/zvDGTXanIx

— DON “Tobechukwu” Ade

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