In Nigeria, pursuing higher education is not only a battle of intellect but increasingly a test of economic endurance. While university halls buzz with academic ambition, behind the scenes, many students juggle intense academic loads and multiple jobs just to remain enrolled. With the cost of living skyrocketing, limited financial aid, and systemic barriers, the reality for thousands of Nigerian students is stark: work or drop out. This article explores the socioeconomic forces driving this phenomenon, the consequences for students’ wellbeing, and possible solutions that could lighten their burden.
Economic Challenges Facing Nigerian Students
Soaring Costs of Tuition and Essentials
Public universities, which were once considered relatively affordable, have experienced a consistent rise in tuition and administrative fees. Meanwhile, private universities—though known for maintaining more stable academic calendars—often demand exorbitant fees that place them out of reach for many families. Beyond tuition, students face mounting expenses for accommodation, particularly in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, where housing costs are steep. Daily transport fares, food, and study materials further stretch limited budgets. Even with access to professional instruments like Textero AI Writer to assist in academic work, the overall financial burden on students remains significant.
Inflation and the Devaluation of the Naira
Nigeria’s inflation rate has rendered even basic commodities unaffordable. The devaluation of the naira means that purchasing power has drastically dropped, and even students with moderate financial backing find themselves stretching thin. Items such as internet data, essential for modern learning, and textbooks, many of which are imported, continue to climb in price.
Family Pressures and the Burden of Shared Responsibility
For many families, sending a child to university is a collective effort. Relatives contribute what they can, but in a country with over 40% of the population living below the poverty line, those contributions often fall short. Students are forced to fill in the gaps—financially supporting themselves while sometimes remitting money home.
Inadequate Financial Aid and Government Support
Student Loans That Don’t Reach the Students
Although the Nigerian government has made multiple promises to create a robust student loan system, access remains largely theoretical. Eligibility criteria are rigid, interest rates discouraging, and the bureaucracy involved deters applicants. Many students are unaware of how to apply or never receive disbursements even after being approved.
Scholarships That Barely Scratch the Surface
Scholarships, while available, are limited and often awarded based on political affiliations, connections, or inconsistent merit criteria. Many institutions lack transparent scholarship frameworks, and the few reputable ones are fiercely competitive. As a result, most students cannot rely on these schemes for consistent support.
Irregular Bursaries and Delayed Grants
State governments and local government areas occasionally offer bursaries to indigenes, but these are usually tokenistic, delayed for years, or never paid at all. The unreliability of these bursaries further forces students to seek alternative sources of income.
The Nature of the Jobs Students Take
The Rise of Hustle Culture Among Students
In a country where the hustle is romanticized, students are no strangers to taking on multiple roles. Many engage in part-time tutoring for secondary school students or offer home lessons in urban centers. Others become ride-hailing drivers using platforms like Bolt or Uber, especially male students with access to vehicles.
Freelancing in the Digital Economy
Some students have found solace online—working as freelance graphic designers, social media managers, content writers, and virtual assistants. Websites like Fiverr and Upwork provide a means for earning in foreign currency, which is an advantage in the face of a weak naira. However, freelancing requires internet access, digital skills, and time—luxuries not all students can afford.
Service Jobs and Informal Sector Employment
Many students work in restaurants, bars, supermarkets, or market stalls. These jobs offer flexible hours but low pay and are often physically exhausting. Students in smaller towns or rural areas often engage in manual labor like farming or street hawking.
Micro-Entrepreneurship and Campus Trade
Some students turn to buying and selling—phones, clothes, accessories, cosmetics—often on credit or with borrowed startup capital. These ventures, while profitable for a few, are time-consuming and risky. One business failure can derail a student’s academic semester.
Impact of Working Two Jobs on Academic Performance
Academic Burnout and Poor Grades
Balancing two jobs and full-time academic demands often leads to fatigue, sleep deprivation, and reduced academic performance. Many students miss lectures or fail to meet deadlines. Concentration during lectures suffers when the mind is distracted by job-related stress or physical exhaustion.
Time Management Struggles and Missed Opportunities
Working students have little time for extracurricular activities, research projects, or internships that could boost their resumes. Their priority becomes survival, not career development. Over time, they may feel disconnected from academic life, attending classes merely to pass exams rather than absorb knowledge.
Success Stories and the Exception to the Rule
Despite these challenges, some students defy the odds. They excel academically while holding down two jobs, often through rigid time management, support networks, and personal drive. However, these success stories are not the norm—they often come at great personal cost to health and well-being.
Social and Psychological Effects
Mental Health Strain and Emotional Isolation
The relentless pressure to excel academically while also trying to earn a living often results in chronic stress and anxiety for many Nigerian students. Unfortunately, most tertiary institutions in Nigeria offer limited or no access to mental health support services, leaving students to struggle in silence. This isolation is worsened by the fact that their peers may not share the same financial burdens, making it difficult to find understanding or solidarity. According to a study published in the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, over 60% of university students report experiencing high levels of stress, with many attributing it to academic demands and financial hardship (Olowookere et al., 2020).
There’s often a sense of shame associated with working menial jobs. Some students hide their employment from friends or professors, fearing judgment. In elite institutions, there’s a clear divide between financially comfortable students and those who work, which exacerbates class tensions.
Reduced Social Interaction and Campus Life
Due to work obligations, many students skip student union activities, social events, and group study sessions. This limits their social growth, networking opportunities, and overall campus experience, which are vital parts of university education.
Impact on Graduate Preparedness
When students spend more time working than learning, the quality of their education suffers. This affects their ability to compete in both local and global job markets. Employers often complain about graduates lacking soft skills or deep subject knowledge—issues rooted in this imbalance.
Deepening Inequality in Access to Education
The pressure to work multiple jobs disproportionately affects students from low-income backgrounds. Students from wealthier homes can focus solely on academics, gaining a competitive edge. This widens the social and economic gap over time, perpetuating a cycle of poverty.
Potential Brain Drain and Emigration
Many students begin working while still in school to save for international exams like IELTS or GRE, hoping to study or work abroad. For them, hustling isn’t just about surviving university—it’s a launchpad for escape from a failing system.
Possible Solutions and Recommendations
Revamping the Student Loan System
Nigeria must develop a transparent, accessible, and low-interest student loan program with simple application processes. The repayment structure should consider post-graduation income levels and offer grace periods to allow financial stability.
Establishing Campus Work-Study Programs
Universities can employ students in administrative, technical, and academic support roles within the institution. These jobs can be regulated, flexible, and designed to accommodate study schedules while reducing students’ reliance on outside work.
Private Sector Scholarships and NGO Support
Corporations and non-governmental organizations should increase scholarship schemes and internship opportunities tied to academic performance and financial need. These programs should include mentoring and skill development to support long-term student success.
Encouraging Digital Literacy and Entrepreneurship
Students should be trained in digital skills and given access to affordable internet. Universities can introduce incubator programs for student entrepreneurs, offering mentorship, funding, and workspace to help scale their businesses sustainably.
Strengthening Mental Health Support on Campuses
Accessible counseling centers and peer support groups must be part of the university ecosystem. Mental health literacy should be part of student orientation and curricula to de-stigmatize psychological struggles and promote resilience.
The reality that many Nigerian students work two jobs just to stay in school is both a testament to their resilience and an indictment of a system that fails them. Behind every graduation photo is a story of sleepless nights, long shifts, missed meals, and silent prayers. While these students persevere against the odds, they should not have to. With intentional reform, inclusive policies, and institutional empathy, Nigeria can build a future where higher education is not a privilege or a punishment—but a pathway to collective progress.
