By Chiagoziem Abosi
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
Someone tells you to invest ₦20,000 every month.
Meanwhile, your salary entered three days ago and has already disappeared into rent, transport, food, data, bills and that family WhatsApp group that somehow always needs money.
So, you ask yourself: Should I really be investing right now, or am I simply trying to survive?
It is a question more Nigerians should be allowed to ask without being made to feel financially irresponsible.
Because somewhere along the line, “invest your money” became almost as common as “work hard.”
But nobody talks enough about what happens when there isn’t much money left after survival.
Let’s state the obvious: investing is important.
Putting money into investments can help you build wealth, protect your purchasing power and prepare for goals that are years away.
But there is another side to the conversation.
You cannot invest your way out of a cash-flow problem.
If you are struggling to pay rent, buy food, get to work or handle an unexpected emergency, putting your last ₦20,000 into an investment simply because social media told you that “your money should work for you” may not be the smartest financial decision.
Sometimes, your money needs to work for you today before it can work for your future.
What About Emergency Savings?
This is where the conversation gets interesting.
Before thinking about building a serious investment portfolio, many financial experts recommend having money set aside for emergencies.
Why?
Because life does not check your investment calendar before happening.
Your phone can get damaged.
Your landlord can increase your rent.
A family emergency can happen.
You could lose your job.
And if all your available money is tied up in investments, you may end up borrowing at high interest to handle a problem you could have prepared for.
That doesn’t mean you should never invest.
It means your financial priorities should match your reality.
The real conversation shouldn’t be:
“Invest or don’t invest?”
It should be:
“What should I do with the money I can actually afford to put aside?”
For one person, that could mean building an emergency fund first.
For another, it could mean putting a small amount into a suitable investment every month.
For someone else, the best investment right now might actually be a course, professional certification, business equipment or a skill that can increase their income.
There is also a social media problem.
Everywhere you look, someone is talking about stocks, cryptocurrency, real estate, mutual funds, government bonds and “multiple streams of income.”
And yes, financial education is valuable.
But sometimes, the pressure to invest becomes another form of financial pressure.
You don’t need to borrow money to invest just because your friends are doing it.
You don’t need to skip meals to prove that you’re financially disciplined.
And you certainly don’t need to feel ashamed because your biggest financial goal right now is simply getting through the month without borrowing money.
Financial progress doesn’t look the same for everyone.
For some people, it is their first ₦100,000 in savings.
For someone else, it is paying off debt.
For another person, it is finally starting an investment account.
And for someone struggling to make ends meet, it may simply be getting to the point where there is enough breathing room to start saving consistently.
All of these are progress.
So, Should You Invest or Just Survive?
Maybe the answer isn’t one or the other.
Maybe it is about finding the point where survival, savings and investment can coexist.
If you have no emergency cushion and your income barely covers your basic needs, there is nothing shameful about prioritising stability.
But if your basic needs are covered and you have some money left over, even a small, consistent amount directed towards a suitable savings or investment plan can be a step towards your future.
The goal isn’t to become an investor overnight.
The goal is to build a financial life where tomorrow doesn’t constantly have to fight with today.
Because yes, you should think about your future.
But you also have to survive long enough to get there.
So, Ikeja, let’s talk.
Have you started investing, or are you still just trying to survive?
And if you have started investing, what was the first investment you made?
Tell us in the comments.
