10 Things Nobody Tells You About Living Alone in Nigeria

Thinking of getting your own apartment? Brace yourself, because living alone is a humbling experience. 

The freedom is attractive: no one is sending you on errands you don't want to go to; you are not bound by rules and curfew; and you can eat more than one meat and even eat directly from the pot. The best part? You can move around the house in your skin, thanks to privacy. 

What you don't know, or what no one told you, is that solo living in Nigeria is a full-time course in adulting. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like, here are 10 things nobody tells you — the good, the bad, and the “NEPA, abeg!” (NEPA, please) moments.

EXPLORE: At What Age Should You Leave Your Parents‘ House?

That first night alone hits different. You’ll hear every sound: the fridge hum, footsteps outside, even the generator two compounds away. It’s peaceful, but also a bit creepy at first. 

With time, though, you’ll start to enjoy it. Silence becomes your new comfort zone, and your home turns into your safe bubble after a long day of Lagos madness.

EXPLORE: Freedom vs loneliness: Is living alone worth it

Rent is just the beginning. If you follow Hauwa, a popular influencer, you understand this better. From furnishing your apartment to paying bills – electricity bill, water bill, waste bill, and fuel money – living alone is a humbling experience. 

These expenses are paid every month. Before you know it, you’re comparing gas refill prices like you’re trading stocks. Budgeting becomes a survival skill, and you start to question whether you really need three square meals. 

The cost of living alone in Nigeria, especially in cosmopolitan cities like Lagos, is worth considering before moving out of your parents’ house.

EXPLORE: Effective budgeting tips that can help you navigate the cost of living in Nigeria. 

And it’s not weird. You’ll start saying, “Ah, where did I drop that thing?” out loud and even reply to yourself.

When you live alone, you become your own roommate, so your conversations, reminders, and pep talks all happen in one brain. And honestly, it’s therapeutic.

If you go to work daily, you may have the opportunity to interact with people. But if you work remotely, you may go a month without speaking to anyone at all. 

EXPLORE: 7 life skills you need to survive living independently 

Cooking for one person sounds easy until you try it. You’ll either waste food or eat the same thing for three days straight.

The hack? Cook in small batches, freeze your meals, and invest in a good non-stick pan. Your stomach (and wallet) will thank you.

When living with family or friends, you can rely on them to take care of you when you fall ill. But living alone means dragging your tired feet and weak body to the nearest pharmacy to get drugs or the hospital to treat yourself. God forbid you fall and sprain your ankle in the bathroom.

EXPLORE: 9 Emergency Hospitals in Lagos You Can Rely On.

Whether it’s a knock on your gate at night or random noises outside, the fear of living alone can be pretty intense, especially if it's your first time.

Always double-check your locks, verify any visitor, and share your location with someone you trust.

EXPLORE: Safety Tips for Women Living Alone in Nigeria.

Homesickness is real. You’ll suddenly miss your mum invading your privacy just to load your ears with gist, your dad’s lectures, and your siblings’ noise.

Solo living teaches you appreciation, but it also helps you build your own rhythm and peace.

The joy of coming home to your own space is unmatched. You find your things exactly how you left them, but it comes with chores. 

You’re the cook, cleaner, laundry person and electrician all in one. No one is coming to wash that plate or take out the trash. It’s you vs your mess, and you’ll quickly realise how much your mum or siblings did for free.

You may find yourself scrambling to load your prepaid meter yourself in the middle of the night after your units are exhausted. 

Then, you will appreciate everything: Stable light, running water, and a working fan. You start noticing details you once ignored and learn to appreciate the basic comforts.

EXPLORE: 7 ways to reduce electricity bills for prepaid meter users.

You can wake up at any time, decorate however you like, and binge-watch movies in peace. But sometimes, the quiet gets heavy.

That’s normal. Resist the urge to isolate yourself. A recent study found that living alone increases the risk of depression. 

Instead, find your balance between solitude and community. Make time for friends, hangouts, and video calls. 

One day, you’ll fix a leaking pipe yourself or haggle prices at the market like a proper Nigerian mother. You’ll realise you’ve grown more confident, more aware, and more independent.

That’s the beauty of living alone: you find out who you really are when no one’s watching.

EXPLORE: How to Recover From Burnout and Get Your Energy Back.

Living alone in Nigeria can be stressful and unpredictable, yet it is somehow rewarding.

You’ll complain, learn, almost run back home and laugh through it all. But once you find your groove, there’s no going back.

So if you’re planning to move out soon, remember: peace, privacy, and growth await — just don’t forget to budget for fuel.