Financial experts have warned Nigerians against relying solely on monthly wages for survival, urging them to build investments, multiple income streams, and long-term assets as rising inflation continues to weaken purchasing power. The warning was issued at The Game of Money 3.0 conference in Lagos, where speakers noted that many Nigerians remain financially vulnerable despite years of paid employment due to poor knowledge of wealth creation and money management.
Conference Targets Salary Earners
Convener of the conference, Tope Mark-Odigie, said the 2026 edition was tailored towards salary earners to challenge the widespread belief that paid employment cannot lead to financial prosperity. “We want people who earn a salary not to feel like they need to steal for them to be wealthy. You can earn a salary and maximise your salary. You can see business within your business, opportunities within your career and entrepreneurship within your work,” she said.
According to her, the conference was designed to help workers identify financial opportunities around them instead of relying entirely on the government or waiting for economic conditions to improve. “One of the biggest problems Nigeria has is poverty. Every Nigerian is complaining every day about inflation and hardship. But imagine being able to come to a place where you learn what to do with the little you have. That is what we are trying to solve,” she said.
Avoid Dependence on Government
She added that Nigerians should hold the government accountable but avoid depending on public institutions for personal financial growth. “I won’t advise anybody who wants to be successful to depend on the government. The economy may be going down, but individuals are still improving their lives. Focus on what successful people are doing and learn from them,” she said.
Keynote Speech on Wealth Creation
Delivering the keynote speech, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr Victor Gbenga Afolabi, also cautioned workers against abandoning paid employment without proper planning, describing salaried jobs as platforms for learning, discipline and income generation. “I am a strong advocate that people should pass through a 9-to-5, it is an apprenticeship and practical learning. Many wealthy people today started from paid employment,” he said.
Afolabi said wealth creation remains impossible without valuable skills and sustainable income. He urged Nigerians to diversify their earnings and avoid depending on a single source of income, warning that rising living costs now require more deliberate financial planning.
Separate Personal and Business Finances
The business executive also warned entrepreneurs against mixing personal and business finances, describing it as one of the major reasons many businesses collapse. “Don’t mix your money and business money. Don’t put every single thing back into the business without a plan. That mistake has destroyed many entrepreneurs,” he said. He added that the goal of wealth creation should be financial peace and stability rather than social validation. “Wealth gives peace, freedom and internal rest. That is the real value of money,” he said.
