What do you do when you lose your job? The bills would not stop coming, your savings begin to decline, and before you know it, you are in the red. You want to work, but every day it is one “unfortunately” email after another, and it seems like getting a new job requires connections.
When Andy found himself in this situation, he started to question himself: “Is this really how my life will be, living from hand to mouth?”
In this conversation with FunTimes, Andy opens up about the realities he faced in Nigeria that pushed him to leave for the UK, and how the journey since then has been built on sweat and sacrifice.
How long have you been away from Nigeria, and where do you live now?
I left Nigeria in 2022 for Bedford. I spent about two years there before moving to Scotland, where I currently live and work.
Before relocating, what was life like for you in Nigeria?
It was a struggle. I lost my job after the COVID lockdown. My search for another job was not yielding any positive results. My wife was footing the bills, but somewhere along the line, her company could no longer afford to pay salaries. Our bills were piling up. I had to find another way to make ends meet, and started using my car for Uber and Taxify. When you have responsibilities, you can’t afford to sit down and wait for the perfect opportunity. That period was not easy at all. Feeding was a challenge, even paying my child’s school fees. I felt like I had failed my family, but thank God that phase is behind us now.
How did the opportunity to move abroad come up?
It came unexpectedly. A friend mentioned he had an opening in the UK, but that I would have to pay for the Certificate of Sponsorship (COS). I did not have the money, but I grabbed the opportunity like my life depended on it. I sold property, borrowed money, scraped together everything I could. I could not afford to go with my family, so I moved abroad alone while my wife and child stayed behind until I could find my feet.
What was it like when you got to England?
I faced a big shock. I got here and realized there was no work waiting for me. You can imagine all the thoughts running through my mind. I have spent money to come and even borrowed, believing I would be able to pay back in no time. It was one of those COS without work, so I had to figure things out fast because I could not go back.
I did whatever work I could find, warehouse work, night shifts, cold mornings, cleaning jobs, security, anything at all. The warehouse work was physically demanding as I did a lot of heavy lifting. At some point, standing straight became genuinely difficult. But I kept pushing, because the whole point of being there alone was to save enough to bring my wife and child over, and I could not afford to stop. I finally got another COS doing domiciliary care. Honestly, I did not like that job. You would leave home early in the morning and not get back until late at night, going from house to house, and the pay wasn’t particularly good for the hours you were putting in. But at that point, I didn’t have many other options, so I took it and did what I had to. Over time, I settled my debts back home and brought my wife and child to the UK.
Two years after arriving in the UK, I got a better opportunity with the NHS in Scotland. I didn’t think twice. I packed my bags and moved again. Scotland felt like a fresh start. I had my family with me, and things were beginning to look up.
How would you compare England and Scotland?
Scottish English will humble you. Sometimes I just smile and nod because I don’t know what they are saying. But the people are friendly, and the environment is calmer. Life in England is fast; everything moves quickly, and everyone is rushing somewhere. Life in Scotland is very, very slow in comparison, in a good way. The cost of living is cheaper here, too. Of course, everyone has their own experience, but that is what I have noticed since moving here. It is colder here, no doubt about that. You just have to prepare yourself for it.
Have you been back to Nigeria since you left?
Yes, I visited in January 2026. It was eye-opening, honestly. Things have gotten a lot more expensive since I left. Everyone was just complaining and lamenting. It made me think about what my life might have looked like if I had stayed. I am grateful that I left when I did because that visit kept me thinking, How would I have coped? Though it is not easy in the UK, my life is better, even though it’s through blood and sweat.
Read also: “If our country becomes better, many Nigerians in diaspora would move back home”
Do you ever regret coming to the UK, considering how difficult the beginning was?
If you only look at how difficult the beginning was, you might say you won’t come. But looking at the journey as a whole, I can see the progress. I came here alone without work and in debt. I eventually brought my family over. Then I got an opportunity with the NHS. I am doing okay. I can afford my needs and even send money back home, unlike when I was the one collecting from friends and family in Nigeria.
People often imagine that once you get abroad, life automatically becomes easier. What would you say to that?
Moving abroad does not mean the struggle disappears. Sometimes the struggle just changes. People see pounds and think everything is automatically better. But they do n ot see what you are paying for. They don’t see rent, monthly bills, and everything else. They do not see the hours you work. The money might look good when you convert it to naira, but you are living in a completely different economy.
If Nigeria became everything you hoped for in the future, would you move back permanently?
Why not? I would like to return someday if the conditions are right. I do not plan to spend my retirement years abroad. My long-term picture has always included going back home eventually. I do not believe that leaving Nigeria means you have to permanently abandon it. I still have a connection to home.
