"Nigerian politicians are intellectually poor" — Man reacts to Bwala's £2,600 vs ₦60,000 claim

Precious Omolu 15:36 - 09 July 2026

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Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has sparked widespread outrage on social media after claiming a ₦60,000 monthly income in Nigeria can offer a better quality of life than earning £2,600 in the United Kingdom

Daniel Bwala says a Nigerian earning ₦60,000 at home could be better off than someone making £2,600 in the UK because of the high cost of living abroad. His comments have sparked outrage on X.

Daniel Bwala said a Nigerian earning ₦60,000 may be better off than someone earning £2,600–£2,800 in the UK because of the high cost of living abroad.
He argued that many Nigerians in the UK spend almost all their salaries on rent, bills and food, forcing them to work multiple jobs.
Bwala also described many care home and warehouse jobs taken by Nigerian graduates in the UK as "modern-day slavery."
His comments sparked widespread backlash on X, with many Nigerians saying the comparison ignores the UK's better infrastructure, healthcare, security and overall quality of life.

A fresh comment by Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has set social media on fire after he claimed that, in some ways, a Nigerian earning ₦60,000 monthly is better off than someone earning between £2,600 and £2,800 in the United Kingdom.

Bwala made the statement during an appearance on The Morayo Afolabi Brown Show, where he was asked what the Federal Government is doing to reduce the number of Nigerians leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

According to him, many Nigerians have the impression that life automatically becomes better after relocating to the UK, but the reality is different once bills start coming in.

Responding to questions about the high numbers of citizens leaving Nigeria, Bwala argued that many graduates arrive in the UK only to face unexpected underemployment in care homes and warehouses.

He said: "When they go there and do a job, on average they earn about £2,600 or £2,800 a month.

"2,450 goes off. You pay power, internet, TV, rent. When you put them together, rent alone is about 800.

"Even if you are living in the outskirts of London. You get, you put all of them together, then you talk about feeding and the rest."

Bwala argued that after paying rent, utility bills and other living expenses, many Nigerians abroad are left with very little money. According to him, this is why some people end up juggling multiple jobs just to survive.

"At the end of the day, what you are left with is not much. So you are forced to do two, three jobs. That's why recently you are seeing in London, they say somebody died by the roadside. There are conditions like that."

He then compared that situation to someone earning ₦60,000 in Nigeria, insisting that local support systems make life easier despite the lower income.

"So now, I will compare that person with a Nigerian here that is collecting 60,000.

"I'm just giving an example. That person is farther than you, right? That's why people in U.S. and other places, they send money more than people who are in U.K.

"Now, that 60,000, at least Auntie Abike can loan you money. Uncle Soso and Soso can support you.

"And then what you are paying, what we are paying in power. The things we pay for in terms of social services here are almost zero as compared to that place.

"But your problem now is that you don't have enough to build a house or to buy a car.

"That other person is not even about a car. He may not even get it in the next 20 years. You will get a car, he's still looking for it."

Bwala, who said he lives in the UK, also claimed that many Nigerians with university degrees relocate abroad only to end up doing jobs they never imagined.

He described the situation as "modern-day slavery."

"Let me adjust my seat because I want to tell you today, some of you in Nigeria who think you are suffering, you're better off than your colleagues that japa five years ago.

"I am a resident of the United Kingdom. A Nigerian that finished with first class or second class, now moves to the UK and then adds another degree. You know the majority of them where they are working? Care homes.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's modern-day slavery."

He also shared a story about a friend who took a warehouse job in the UK and met Nigerian PhD and master's degree holders working under a supervisor without a secondary school certificate.

Social media users aggressively countered Bwala's stance, pointing out that ₦60,000 struggles to cover basic feeding or fuel costs, let alone power and transport in the current economy

While defending President Bola Tinubu's administration, Bwala pointed to government healthcare initiatives, including the 50% subsidy on dialysis in federal hospitals and the free Caesarean section programme, saying they are part of efforts to improve life for Nigerians.

However, his comparison between life in Nigeria and the UK did not sit well with many Nigerians on X, where users heavily criticised his remarks.

One user wrote: "This guy is not a normal human being somebody earning 60k in Nija where you hardly see stable power... while in UK citizens enjoy alot from their government."

Another said: "How do you arrived to that? 60,000 Naira monthly salary is just 2hrs pay after tax/NI in UK."

A different user compared fuel costs in both countries:

"Let's just talk about fuel. In Nigeria you need 50k to fill a Toyota Corolla. In UK you need just about £80 out of £2,600 to fill the same car."

Others argued that while living in the UK comes with high expenses, residents also enjoy better infrastructure, healthcare, security, public transport and social services—benefits many believe cannot be compared with the realities facing someone earning ₦60,000 in Nigeria.