N1m Monthly Income Not Enough To Live Comfortably In Lagos, Says Doctor

A medical doctor, simply identified as Jumoke has said earning N1 million monthly is not enough to live comfortably in Lagos, citing rising living costs, rent, transportation and other expenses. The doctor, said she was only surviving despite earning about N1 million monthly from multiple income sources, including two businesses,……

A medical doctor, simply identified as Jumoke has said earning N1 million monthly is not enough to live comfortably in Lagos, citing rising living costs, rent, transportation and other expenses.

The doctor, said she was only surviving despite earning about N1 million monthly from multiple income sources, including two businesses, public speaking engagements and book sales.

She made this known during an interview on ‘Two Sides With Riyah Abdul’, a TVC News programme, where she featured alongside Yewande, a recent graduate earning between N150,000 and N250,000 monthly.

Speaking on the topic, “Is One Million a Month Enough to Live Comfortably in Lagos?”, Jumoke said her earnings from medical practice were below N500,000 monthly, forcing her to depend on other ventures to meet her financial obligations.

She explained that she runs a fashion business and a gifting business, while also earning from speaking engagements and the sale of two books she has authored.

According to her, managing her expenses requires strict budgeting and living below her means.

“I have to live below my expenses and I don’t make 1 million naira from being a doctor. In fact, I make the least amount of money from being a doctor,” she said.

She disclosed that she spends between N250,000 and N300,000 monthly on fuel, about N50,000 on data subscriptions and between N200,000 and N250,000 on family-related financial responsibilities, popularly known as black tax.

The doctor also said she pays N2 million annually for a mini-flat, adding that her landlord increases the rent every year.

Explaining why she chose to live alone despite the financial pressure, she said she needed to become independent and prepare for future responsibilities.

She said: “I have to depend on myself. I need to know how to take care of myself and how to actually face the realities of life.”

Jumoke also raised concerns about the welfare of healthcare workers and the affordability of medical services in Nigeria, saying many patients in government hospitals struggle to pay for medications and medical tests.

She said even subsidised healthcare services remained unaffordable for many patients, particularly those who require urgent treatment.

“Healthcare should be affordable for every Nigerian. Trust me,” she said.

The doctor further called for government intervention to reduce the cost of medications and improve healthcare financing, noting that some drugs had become significantly more expensive following the exit of pharmaceutical companies from Nigeria.

She cited the rising cost of an inhaler she uses, which she said increased from N12,000 to about N52,000 within a month.

On her part, Yewande, who works as an intern and takes up ushering jobs, said her regular monthly income from the internship was N120,000, while her other earnings were not guaranteed.

She said she spends about N200,000 monthly on rent in a shared apartment, N70,000 on transportation and N15,000 on data subscriptions.

Yewande identified transportation as her biggest financial burden, explaining that a significant part of her internship allowance goes into commuting to work.

She called on the government to reduce public transportation costs, particularly fares on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

“I think the government should reduce the transport fee. It’s for Nigerians. It’s supposed to be very low compared to the normal transportation,” she said.

She added that after spending N70,000 on transportation from her N120,000 monthly internship allowance, she was left with only N50,000 to cover other expenses, including feeding and data.

Yewande disclosed that the lunch provided by her organisation was often the only meal she could afford to eat in a day.

Asked about the effect of the rising cost of living on her wellbeing, she described the situation as being at a breaking point.

“It’s at a breaking point honestly because for me to be eating once in a day,” she said.

She also said she had taken up additional skills, including nail-making, makeup and eyelash services, to increase her income and avoid engaging in activities she considered inappropriate.

Both guests highlighted the difficulty of meeting basic needs in Lagos, despite their different income levels, with their experiences pointing to the growing pressure on workers to depend on multiple income streams to cope with the cost of living.

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