Two years ago, the answer was simple: Japa. Any country, any route, just leave. In 2026, I’m not so sure anymore. I have 3 friends abroad right now. Canada guy works 2 jobs, shares a room with 3 people, and sends me voice notes sounding exhausted. UK babe pays £1,200 for a room and says NHS appointment is 3 months away. US guy can’t even save because rent and tax finished everything. Meanwhile, my friend who stayed started a thrift business on Instagram. She just moved into her own 2-bedroom in PH. Another guy learned solar installation and now charges ₦400k per job. They’re not “balling”, but they’re building. The truth is: japa is no longer automatic success, and staying is no longer automatic suffering. Both are hard. The difference is which type of hard you can survive. If you leave, you battle loneliness, bills in dollars, and racism. If you stay, you battle NEPA, fuel price, and government policies. There’s no “easy” option left. So before you sell land to japa or use japa money to start business, ask yourself: what kind of problem do I want? Because you must choose one. For those abroad and those here: Was it worth it? Drop your country or city + one honest pros/cons. Let’s help people decide with real info.
