Age

25

Location

Lagos, Nigeria

Occupation

Photographer

Rent

Living with family

Monthly Income

800k - 1.2M (season dependent)

Total Savings

3.5M

How did photography start for you?

It started very casually. I was using my phone to take pictures, just trying things out and editing for fun. At that time, I wasn’t thinking about money at all. It was just something I enjoyed doing.

As time went on, people around me started asking me to take pictures for them. It was nothing serious at first, just small shoots for friends, but once money started entering the picture, even if it was small, it changed how I saw it. I realized it could actually become something if I took it seriously.

At what point did you realize you needed to invest in it properly?

It was when I started missing opportunities. I didn’t have a camera, so I was either using my phone or borrowing one. There were jobs I couldn’t take because I didn’t have the right equipment, and it was frustrating.

It got to a point where I knew that if I didn’t get my own camera, I would just remain stuck at that level. Borrowing wasn’t sustainable, and it also affected how people saw me professionally.

How did you end up getting your first camera?

That was where I made a decision that almost backfired. I didn’t have the money, but I didn’t want to keep waiting, so I took a loan from a loan app to buy my first camera.

At the time, I convinced myself it was the right move. I felt like once I had the camera, I would start getting more jobs and I’d be able to pay it back quickly. I wasn’t thinking too deeply about the risk, I was just focused on moving forward.

But it didn’t happen like that. Jobs didn’t come as fast as I expected, and before I knew it, I had missed the repayment timeline. That’s when everything changed.

What was that period like for you?

It was stressful. The calls, the messages, it was constant. It wasn’t even about photography anymore at that point, it became about how to clear the debt.

I started taking any job I could find, even the ones I normally wouldn’t take, just to bring in money. It felt like pressure all the time, and it made me realize that taking that loan without a proper plan was a mistake.

Did that period ever make you question if photography was even worth it?

It did. There were moments I genuinely wondered if I made the wrong decision. You’re dealing with debt, pressure, and at the same time, the thing you thought would help you isn’t bringing in money yet. It messes with your confidence.

But at the same time, I had already invested in it, so stopping didn’t even feel like an option. I just had to keep going and hope something would change.

So how did things turn around for you?

It happened in a way I didn’t expect. A friend of mine told me about a photography opportunity at a governor’s office. I didn’t think it was anything serious, I just went because I needed money.

At that point, my mindset was just, “Let me get something, anything that can help me reduce what I’m owing.” I wasn’t expecting anything big.

But when I got there, it turned out to be something completely different. I ended up working as a personal photographer for two days, and when they paid me ₦750k, I was honestly shocked.

It didn’t feel real because just before that, I was struggling with debt and pressure, and now I was getting paid that amount in such a short time.

What did you do with the money?

The first thing I did was clear my debt. That was very important to me because I didn’t want to be in that situation again.

After that, it gave me a different level of confidence. I started to see photography differently, not just as something small, but something that could actually bring in serious money if I positioned myself well.

After that payment, did your lifestyle change immediately?

Not really. If anything, I became more careful. That money came at a time when I was under pressure, so I didn’t even see it as money to enjoy. I saw it as a solution to a problem.

Clearing my debt gave me peace more than anything. It wasn’t about flexing, it was about breathing again.

Did that experience change how you price your work?

Yes, it did. Before that, I used to undercharge a lot because I just wanted to get jobs and build my portfolio.

But after that experience, I realized that there’s a different level to this thing. It made me start valuing my work more and being more confident in what I charge.

Do you ever still feel tempted to undercharge just to get a job?

Sometimes, yes. Especially when things are slow and you just want money to come in. But I’ve learned that undercharging only creates more problems long-term.

You attract the kind of clients that don’t value your work, and it becomes harder to grow. So even when it’s tempting, I try to remind myself why I stopped doing that.

How has it affected how you handle money now?

I’m more careful now. I don’t rush into decisions, especially anything that involves borrowing money. That experience taught me that things don’t always go the way you expect.

I also try to plan better now. I don’t just rely on hope anymore, I think things through before making financial decisions.

What’s one financial mistake you still think about till now?

Taking that loan without a proper plan. Not because it didn’t work out, but because it easily could have gone the other way.

That experience made me realize that just because something feels urgent doesn’t mean you should rush into it.

Looking back, would you take that loan again?

No, I wouldn’t. It worked out in the end, but it could have gone very differently. I would rather grow at a pace I can control than put myself under that kind of pressure again.

What would you tell someone who is where you were when you took that loan?

I’d tell them to slow down and think properly. I understand the pressure to grow and move fast, but not every fast decision is a good one.

There are smarter ways to grow without putting yourself in a situation where you’re struggling to breathe financially.

How do you handle saving and budgeting now, especially after that experience with debt?

I’m more intentional now. Before, I wasn’t really thinking about budgeting; I was just spending as things came. But after going through that situation, I realized I needed structure.

Now, once money comes in, I already know what it’s for. I separate what I need for my basic expenses, what I can reinvest into my work, and what I can keep aside. I don’t always get it perfectly right, but I make sure I don’t just spend blindly anymore.

Saving is not always easy, especially when income is not completely stable, but I still try to put something aside when I can. Even if it’s small, it helps me feel more in control compared to how things were before.

What’s the biggest lesson money has taught you so far?

That you shouldn’t make decisions under pressure. And that one opportunity can change everything, but you have to be ready for it when it comes.