In Nigeria, and in almost every part of the world where Nigerians live today, they can be found working hard and tirelessly every single day to survive. From Okada (motorcycle) riders weaving through chaotic traffic to point of sale (PoS) operators sitting under umbrellas in the scorching sun, from dispatch riders racing through city streets to market women grinding pepper late into the night, their struggle tells one story – that of a people who refuse to give up. Yet, behind this resilience lies a deeper national crisis: millions are working, but very few are truly earning a living.
These citizens embody the paradox of a hardworking nation trapped in poverty. Their daily struggles reveal a cruel irony: despite relentless effort, millions remain locked in a cycle of hardship. Their jobs may provide a little income, but offer no benefits, no social security, and no path to advancement. They work tirelessly yet cannot afford decent housing, education, or food. This is not mere poverty, it is a trap, a low-level existence that sustains survival but denies progress.
Economists describe this as a low-level equilibrium – a condition where individuals who once had nothing now cling to menial, low-income jobs. Constrained by lack of education and opportunity, they settle for whatever relief such jobs bring. Having known deeper deprivation, they accept the illusion of stability that these roles provide. Yet they are trapped in sustained poverty with little hope of escape.
Many Nigerians are poor not because they are not hardworking, but because the nation seems naturally wired to impoverish them. The structure of the economy rewards labour without dignity and effort without mobility. The harder people work, the more the system exhausts their energy without transforming their conditions.
How then do we make things better? The government must create an environment that supports young entrepreneurs and rewards productivity. Thousands of SMEs close down yearly in Nigeria – over 30% within the first three years, according to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Many collapse due to poor electricity, inflation, theft, insecurity, and lack of access to affordable credit. Beyond creating jobs that pay fair wages, the nation’s economic ecosystem must be made conducive for innovation, enterprise, and sustainable growth.
The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has linked this widespread low-level existence to the failure of the economy to create sufficient formal-sector jobs. In its 2025 report, “From Hustle to Decent Work: Unlocking Jobs and Productivity for Economic Transformation in Nigeria,” the group observed that over 90 percent of employment in Nigeria comes from the informal sector – a reality that undermines job quality and productivity. Many of these “hustlers” engage in subsistence farming, petty trade, or micro-services like POS operations. They work long hours, earn little, and remain perpetually vulnerable. As the report rightly concluded, “The jobs that will lift people out of poverty in Nigeria are inadequate.”
The World Bank’s recent report, “From Policy to People: Bringing the Reform Gains Home,” paints an even grimmer picture. It estimates that the number of poor Nigerians will reach 139 million in 2025, up from 87 million in 2018, despite ongoing economic reforms. While the World Bank acknowledges some macroeconomic stability – such as reduced exchange rate volatility and increased foreign reserves – it warns that inflation and weak growth have eroded purchasing power and deepened social pain.
NESG identifies the roots of this “jobless progress” as macroeconomic instability, poor infrastructure, and limited access to finance, regional inequality, and decades of neglecting industrial policy. The consequence is a private sector too weak to generate formal jobs that can lift citizens from poverty.
To reverse this trend, Nigeria must aggressively create mid-productivity and high-value jobs capable of absorbing the country’s estimated 3.5 million annual market entrants. But job creation alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by a system that empowers workers with relevant skills – both technical and soft – such as communication, problem-solving, and digital literacy. The future economy will be knowledge-driven, and Nigeria must prepare its youth accordingly.
Beyond employment, structural reforms are needed to foster inclusive growth. If the government could introduce affordable housing and vehicle ownership schemes for civil servants, private-sector employees, and verified business owners, it would reduce financial burdens and stimulate economic activity. In addition, strengthening cooperatives and community credit schemes could expand access to finance for micro and small enterprises, especially in rural areas.
Crucially, Nigeria must invest in sectors with high labour-absorption potential such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, renewable energy, construction, creative industries, and healthcare. These are not only economic opportunities but also developmental imperatives. Countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have demonstrated that sustained investment in such sectors can lift millions out of poverty within a generation.
Yet, policies must move beyond paper. The challenge is not the absence of ideas, but the failure of implementation and accountability. Government reforms must be designed to translate macroeconomic stability into tangible welfare for citizens. No reform succeeds until it changes the texture of daily life for the poor.
Nigeria must pull its people out of low-level existence. The poor do not need pity; they need systems that work. The nation’s path to prosperity lies in creating a fair economy where effort leads to reward and where dignity returns to labour.
