How Nigerians Can Successfully Earn in Foreign Currency Remotely

You can build anything and earn as much as you want. Everyone, every role that makes money,

>> makes money, keeps clients, brings clients for global businesses would always always be in demand. That

question is a whole masterass. I'm trying to see how I can come. >> Please, what do Nigerians get wrong

though? You know, and what what do people get wrong that basically disqualifies them?

If you've ever converted your current salary to dollars just to know how it looks like, raise your hands up because

this episode is for you. If you've ever come across a video on social media or somebody that says, "I just earned

$4,000 working remotely and you're curious as how did that happen?" Raise your hands up because this episode is

for you. If you've ever wondered whether earning in global foreign currency is reserved just for, should I say, some

special few such as the tech bros or those people that have jackba, this episode is for you. On today's

episode of Everyday Money Matters, proudly brought to you by Narometrics, we are talking about how to earn in

foreign currency without having to leave Nigeria. M and today with me I have with me an entrepreneur and HR enthusiast.

This woman is a she's a coach in fin she's a coach a career coach and she's here to take us on the real expectations

and what it takes the career shift it takes to make Nigerians compete on a global scale when it comes to working

remotely. I have with me Dami Fodola the founder of people. Welcome to the show Dami.

>> Thank you. Thank you for having me. >> Yes. So first of just give us in one minute tell us about yourself and

people. >> Okay. I'm Dami. Everyone calls me Dami. I am a global HR professional. I have

worked in HR and remotely for the past 6 years. Okay. >> And I am the founder of people. People

is where employers come to hire you know talent from out of Africa.

>> All right. So that's who I am in summary. >> Okay. So basically we're here today to

talk about remote work. Every year we hear remote work on LinkedIn, remote work on fiber everywhere. So first off,

is it all hype or are companies actually hiring hiring Africans remotely? And I specify on global companies,

international companies, not companies in Africa. How does that even work? by the way.

>> Okay. First, some companies in Africa are international companies. So when people hear international remote, they

all think every all the companies are from out of US or Europe or somewhere else apart from Africa. But yeah, we do

have international companies that have African origin. I'm proudly African. So don't worry when I start to advocate

without without trigger. Okay. >> But yes, yes. The answer to your question is emphatically yes.

>> Okay. >> It's not just IP. is reality.

>> It is what is happening. >> Remote work is real. It is. It's unbelievable that I have to say this in

2026, but yeah, it's real. It's Africans, Nigerians are working remotely for international companies.

>> So, yes, they hiring. >> Now, it goes deeper. >> Yeah,

>> you we can begin to ask questions of okay, in what what's the rate? Who do they really prefer? How do this job, you

know, how do they make their decisions? >> We're even going to get to all of that. We're going to get to all of that. But I

just want you to give some insight as to what changed in the global workforce. I mean, was it as a result of COVID?

Because you mentioned 6 years ago. 6 years ago was during COVID. Likely that was when you got into remote. So

>> from your perspective, what changed in the global workforce? And even give a one minute insight into how you even got

into remote in the first place. >> Okay. So the first question, what changed? Yeah,

>> the obvious remote work had existed before but it became more pronounced and data backed this before u before 2020

just let's use US data because we know we don't have a lot of data around here just below 5% of people professionals

were working remotely in the US >> but as we speak that number that percentage has gone to about between 25

and 30%. M >> so you can see that's actually a significant rise in remote work. So what

pushed it the obvious so people did realize they could do their business, they could work mostly without um being

on site. So a lot of companies were forcefully opened >> to allow their employees to work

remotely. >> It lingered on all right after COVID because it it became the new norm. But

in 2023 a lot of companies were saying oh well it was an event that brought us here now we want to go back to what we

were what we used to do. So the push back started happening in 2023 a lot of companies notable ones Amazon

name them you know um even publicly there's some companies that were are opposed to remote work you know so um

large companies for that matter so yes um that that was what happened the major thing that really pushed it um to become

a norm and a mega trend is co >> and yourself >> for me so yes co play a big part on how

I got into framework work. I was running a business before COVID, an event management business. So, you can already

imagine what happened to my event management business due to COVID. It was one of the industries that were largely

impacted, right? So, it it came to a natural halt just based on COVID and I was like, what am I going to do next?

So, I decided to do an audit of what I could sell. >> Yeah. So, I was like, what do I do? What

can I do? What do I do? Well, project management came. So I actually started out on my career, my corporate career as

a project manager. Um so yeah that was what got how I got into remote work. >> When you say start out don't make it

sound all rosy. You you took a course right because you saying you just started with your career as a project

manager. What were the steps practical steps that you took? >> Yeah. Thank you for calling that out

honestly because people don't tell their full story and that's why you must ask the right questions.

>> Yeah. while I was practicing as a small business owner um working on events I did make sure that I wasn't doing I

wasn't playing a local game so I became satisfied as a as a PMP project management professional even while I

didn't have a boss I didn't have an employer but I wanted to make sure if I was sitting on a global stage with every

event planner in the world I wanted to be belong to that room belong to the table so yes I became certified as a

project management professional and I used that at my work. So my work was very different from a just somebody that

was passionate about planning events. That wasn't just for me. Also, I became a certified meeting professional. I

could I can plan any corporate event of any standard in any part of the world. So all those played a role

>> in me getting my next opportunity when I decided to get a remote job. >> Okay.

>> Yes. >> Okay. Absolutely. Thanks for that insight. And would you say that is

pretty much the biggest opportunity this generation has seen >> working?

It's one of the biggest. >> People see remote work as an isolated event. Even some don't regard it as a

major economic shift. It is beyond you getting a job and earning a naira as an individual.

What happens when um an individual in a community, a family, a nation, a city like Lagos gets a remote job is actually

a ripple effect. It's not just one off and say, "Oh, I'm not earning in dollars." No, you would spend more.

>> The departmental stores will make more because you're earning more. Your families will make more. Your child will

probably go to a better school. So, you are distributing money. You are distributing power. I I equate it with

power. M >> a lot of empowerment. It is empowerment when you are able to earn um in such

good currencies, great currencies without having to leave where you live. Okay. So that that's such a privilege

that's such that's such without having to relocate. So now that remote work has become should I say a pretty much a big

deal, we are hearing some push backs over the past few weeks. I mean these giants have come and they like basically

this firms that oh you know what they don't even want to do hybrid anymore they want to cancel it in its entirety

>> so is that even possible and to what end really could you shed some you know even from your perspective as well so take it

from your perspective first as a recruiter of labor and then you know as equally a remote worker

>> h that's an interesting perspective because those are almost opposing but let me start from the reason why

large companies are pushing back. So they have a couple of reasons and yes while I'm an a strong unrepentant

advocate of remote work I am able to see from other people's perspective. So a company would push back for a couple of

reasons but the top reasons number one they'd say there's a bias from management and executives and owners

generally they would say productivity is better in the office. Now that's arguable because data is opposing.

There's data supporting productivity great at home or remotely. There's data supporting productivity great in the

office. So >> I would say maybe creativity is better in the office but maybe not productivity

again I have collected data. >> Yeah. So yeah but the data is very opposing. So you can't really nobody's

really correct or wrong. >> The second thing is of course there's a strong reason for power reset.

just because >> yeah because um employees are beginning to be the writer of their own stories

and determining how they work and design their professional journey and that is up is upsetting to a lot of executives.

Yes. So they would they would rather want to be in control of what happens in labor rather than an employee

determining what happens. So power reset that is a strong reason. Third reason m I'm also going to come back to that your

second point because a little bird in my ear is telling me that most big corporate employers are just they want

to control your life. That's why they want you to be to work on site. >> Control visibility equals control. Yeah.

>> Okay. >> Yeah, that's a given. It's a given. I mean they wouldn't deny that.

>> Okay. >> Um also a lot of large companies they have a long-term lease

>> on their offices before 2020. Some people have signed 10 years, 20 years, 50 years lease and now the office

buildings are empty. That's a financial waste. You've got to come back and use what we paid for.

>> Well, um, it it it goes both ways because when people work on site, I mean, you have to power the building,

you have to buy water, buy internet. Um, a lot of expenses goes into that. So, I don't understand.

>> They prefer that. And the fact that their lease is wasting outweighs >> running cost of operating the office if

people were in there. >> True. To your point still, there are some jobs that cannot be worked

remotely. Of course. >> Yes. And of course, I'm assuming everybody knows this, but some people

go, "Oh, that mean I hope you realize that not everyone can work remotely." I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I do. Of course I

do. We know that. We know that not every job can be remote. We understand that." In your perspective, is remote work

going do you think this people would, you know, should I say succeed? >> Will remote work go back to the 5% it

was in 2020? Because a lot of there's been this massive, you know, they've been saying it since 2023 that they want

to cancel remote work. >> But this year in particular, it's a global workforce issue.

>> A lot of employers are saying no, you have to come back to work. So, do you think where do you think this is

heading? Is remote work going anywhere anytime soon? >> It depends. and I'll explain what I

mean. So, you know, we have different sectors. They are very varying sectors. Some sectors employers would eventually

get what they want because there's no other way. >> Um, more traditional sectors to be to be

precise. Commercial banks, consulting firms, global services firms, manufacturers, they would get what they

want. They would eventually have their employees working on site most of the time.

>> But there are some sectors where remote work is not going anywhere. So the answer is not um all covering like every

sector remote or could remain it depends on the sector we're talking about. >> So for global startups, remote companies

um those who are growth companies that are cutting cost >> remote work remains.

>> So it depends on the sector you're talking about >> and we're discussing. Yeah. So that's

what I would say. But what I see personally, what I see happening is I braid.

what would stay. So, you know, before we had hard at core remote and that was the trend, the mega trend that was flying

everywhere. I mean, no matter the kind of service you were running, your products you were building, you've got

to just run remotely. But the trend I see happening um over the next couple of years is hybrid. A lot of um companies

and businesses regardless of the sector will be welcoming >> to having um some days on site and some

days off work on remotely. That's what I see. But then again, remote will still be strong in certain sectors like I

mentioned earlier. >> Why do you advocate for hybrid like strongly?

>> I'm not necessarily advocating for it. >> I just see that we would all come to this middle ground at the end of the day

for a couple of reasons. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So I the reason hybrid would

eventually work is because the employee will be happier because they able to work flexibly on some days an employer

is happier that okay you know some days I see you and I'm able to situation. Yeah.

>> Okay. So let's speak from the recruiting perspective. Um because you know you're by the way you're going to shed some

insight into people. Um Nigerians are one of the most resilient and hardworking people but then Nigerians

have to be up against the global market. They were competing against Indians and I'm still going to speak Indians are

honeybees when it comes to working like I'm going to speak a bit to that. So basically um what are global recruiters

looking for? Basically what disqualifies what sets people apart? What gives you the higher chance of getting selected

for remote against people competing globally? >> That question is a whole master class.

I'm trying to see how I can combine. This is the whole essence of my work. Oh, please still

>> as a brand people, >> okay? >> They look for a mirage of things. But

let me prioritize. The first thing is your business impact. So, nobody is hiring potential. Nobody's hiring you

just because you owed a passport or you went to an IV league school or anything. >> Again, that plays to our own advantage

as Africans. out that location, passport, the color of our skin had been a disadvantage. Now everybody is on a

level ground. It doesn't matter the passport you're holding or the color of your skin or what part of the world

where you live. We expect that everyone is judged based on the what they can deliver. So the

first thing recruiters look for is your business impact. What have you done before that you can do for this my

business that I'm hiring for that would help our entire bottom line like scale us, retain our clients, make

us more money, help us save cost, increase our productivity, improve our processes and systems. That's what

they're looking for. >> I sorry to cut you short. You're getting back. I beg to differ because I've seen

this blatant discrimination where you know someone even says when you are signing up for a remote role you know um

rather put when they see you a Nigerian they throw at you the flimsiest tiniest of offers talking about $3 per hour you

know as low as that and if you don't take it you'll see an an Indian that will do it for $1 per hour

>> or 70 >> or 0 per hour so discrimination isn't still a it a thing I mean I don't want

to mention on platforms, but we know them. >> We know them. And you know, I still

believe discrimination is a thing in comparison to an American citizen. Don't you think you'll be getting different

offers? Let's be real. >> We are real. So those are two different questions and two different

conversation. >> Yeah. >> And the word discrimination is often

misinterpret interpreted. So I hardly use it. So I'm going to say what I see. If we are

talking what recruiters are checking to make a decision of an hire, that was what I first raised about your business

impact. Now, if we're talking accessibility to the global remote work market, we're talking who has better

advantage, that's a different conversation. So yes obviously based on experiences and data we do know

that the remote global remote work market is more open accessible and favors those in the US market than an

Europe than those in emerging market. That is a given and if everybody knows that

>> we all know that as a matter of fact we call us the rest of the world. So there is the world and then we imagine markets

are the rest of the world. >> Ru that's what we call us. Yes. So these things are now

>> two things to think about when you remember that I tell my clients this all the time

already understand that the stacks are up against you >> because of where you are. Yes. But

again, you must understand that there are people just like you who have these opportunities and are living in that

reality. So what I would say to an average Nigerian is yes, put it at the back of

your mind that you are somewhat disadvantaged because of your location, but also understand that they hiring. I

mean, I've worked with companies where we a lot of Nigerians, I mean, it's it's not like they are not hiring Africans. M

>> I work with even my current I work with a lot of Nigerians. I work with a lot of Africans, right? So, they're hiring,

but yes, >> we may not find as much of opportunities as we find. We could go on LinkedIn

right now and when you filter, you would see the ones open to Nigeria much less than those. But yeah, but they're still

hiring. >> Of course. What do Nigerians get wrong though, you know, in what what do people

get wrong that basically disqualifies them, you know, from Yes. from getting a job remotely from your perspective as a

recruiter? What I see mostly is they don't position them. Most people the top reason they target the wrong wrong roles

the wrong roles. >> So you would see that I'm just trying to give give an example.

to somebody uh who all their life they've run a small business maybe they were selling cake

>> and and now they want to get a remote job and then they start looking for a job in let's say data analysis

>> and well that that's even a given in HR I'm saying like international standard what does that really even mean you know

what does that what what does that translate to you know for the everyday Nigerian

>> when remotely. >> Yes. With working remotely what? Yes. >> I'm trying to understand your question.

Are you asking >> why people don't get jobs? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Why we know we don't meet

up to that >> to meet up to the stand? Well, it's still part of the same question. Well,

getting a job right when you apply to a job and you don't get it. There are many reasons you may have applied to the

wrong job. >> Okay. >> And I see that as the most common reason

to be honest. >> Okay. I was giving an example of somebody who had been running a small

cake business and wants to get a job, learns that analysis and applies that analysis, you most likely will not get a

job because you're neglecting where you ought to leverage on. You're most um maybe you are you must have worked a lot

in operations, customerf facing, you know, situations, you should target that instead of going to something you just

learned a course and then trying to target. >> Yeah. The second reason

is because um a lot of people don't position themselves as a global professional.

>> They play locally. So they're not taken seriously. As a matter of fact, a lot of immans don't even see your resume

because ATS were already applicant tracking system were already weed it out and it will not be seen. Um what does it

mean to play locally? You were not thinking of the business. I tell applicants the worst thing to do is to

think as the applicant. Think as a business owner. M think as the owner of the company you're applying to. What

would matter to you? Why would you make because every is an investment decision for global companies?

>> They want to know if I'm going to pay you $50,000 every year, what would that mean to my bottom line? Would you then

solve my problem worth that amount? >> So, you must think and show this is what I can do for your business. I've done

this at XYZ. Show your business impact. It's how you compete. The competition is unbelievable. You have to be very

competitive. It's like you're selling. you're selling yourself. You must not downplay on the numbers the scope of the

problems you've solved, >> the things you've you've done. >> Yeah. So, I think that's that's the

strongest suit for anyone. >> Blow your trumpet. No one else would for you. But for that baker trying to get

into data analysis, like you said, I mean, you wouldn't blame them. This is 2026 and we hear that there are skills,

you know, that are high in demand that these people ask for, I think, up to an extent you were opportun to have learned

project management and that's, you know, equally translated to remote. So I'm going to be getting um written off some

skills from your perspective tech project management, HR, digital marketing and customer success. Which of

these skills are globally demanded or high highest you know in global demand in 2026?

>> When you say tech, what do you mean software programming? >> Software programming even up to virtual

assistant and the likes. From your perspective, what should people seeking to transform or moving to remote work,

what kind of skills should they start gathering? >> It depends on who is looking for the

job. >> Sometimes this responses are not one way. I've met with a lot of

professionals in Nigeria and they want this single answer that solves all that applies across board and it doesn't

work. If you are a new graduate, you just finished NYC um you've not you don't have any

corporate experience what you your approach will be different from a banker who has worked in bank for 5 6 years 10

years even uh or a business owner who has run a small business. So it depends on the the area that would work for each

persons is different. So I usually categorize this thing like in a pyramid according to the the barrier of entry

how difficult it is or how steep the learning slope is. So there are some that in the first layer that is very

easy. I mean you can pick it up in a few weeks and you don't have a lot to learn as it were and you're not always

required to have deep experience or expertise. So for a beginner that's where to pick. So you would think of

administrative roles. some entry- level operations because operations is really deep. You can't

just dabble into it. So, but for a banker who has worked for years, you'll be thinking what have I done most of my

career? Is it sales? Is it customer service? Is it operations? Is it accounting? What have I done most of my

that's where you'll be targeting >> in terms of data? I don't know have I don't have data of which one is most in

demand. But yeah, everyone everything you mentioned on that list are all in demand. However, this is a rule of thumb

I always pitch. If you're really thinking of how to position yourself in a place that you would always be in

demand, think of what makes money for employers. >> Think like the employer, not the

employee. >> Everyone, every role that makes money, >> makes money, keeps clients, brings

clients for global businesses would always, always be in demand. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank

you. And we're getting to the end of the show, but I understand you are such a huge advocate for remote work. However,

we see that not all that glitters is gold. You would agree. Remote work also has its disadvantages. We are talking

about isolation, job insecurity, a lot that has to in fact um overwork, burnout. Mhm.

>> I mean, we're talking about burnout and physical work, you know, it's equally first of um how from your perspective,

what do you even have to say on those traits or those >> cons?

>> Yes, those cons. >> Okay. >> For remote work,

>> they are real. >> I I have worked remotely for about 6 years now and I know I've experienced

most of these cons. Mhm. >> Um I think the best thing to do is to first figure out even if remote work is

available to you, not everyone can work remotely, not because of availability of opportunity, but because of personality

and the way your life works and what you drive on. If you are the kind of person that cannot do well isolated, you would

struggle a lot because there's no one to talk to mostly. So first of all, identify who you are.

>> Okay? >> Can you drive working remotely? >> Are you able to do that? If you can then

we will now talk about ways to mitigate manage all of these things. First you have to be moving your body

>> right. You have to move your body. So >> either you take you go to the gym for 8 hours.

>> Well >> it's a lot. 8 hours is even it's baseline to be honest. You sit longer

than that and it's destructive. >> The devil see I beg >> is is destructive. So you've got to

move. Find ways to move. I personally would stand up every 2 hours, walk around my house, come sit down again.

Sometimes I stand up for an hour working. >> Okay.

>> So, you just have to find ways. Also, you use um protective glasses for your eyes and stuff like that.

>> For isolation, you have to have an active social life. So, if you don't go out, you have to now intentionally plan

to mingle with people, go out, have something else going on for you apart from your computer.

>> Absolutely. >> Yeah. But personally the pros are always the cons for me.

>> Okay. Of course. Of course. Because the money really you're earning in dollars. Your money. So the money.

>> Okay. First of baseline for a Nigerian what realistic figure someone that gets into remote would they start earning

today. >> That's difficult to say. >> Please no. Don't you don't have to

overshoot >> the answer. >> Per month.

>> It depends on who hired you. >> What's the lowest? What's the realistic baseline figure?

>> I mean 0.0. 01 >> and you can be earning Yeah, you can be earning over a,000 10,000 in a month. I

said it largely depends on what you're selling, >> the skill you're selling and who hired

you. >> I've seen people in a single role being paid $2,000 and for the same role, I've

seen people being paid times four of that for the same role, the same job because their employers are

different. >> So, it depends. Clients ask me this question a lot and I try to tell look it

depends on who hired you. >> So do market research. What does them for my kind of what does the market

usually pay and then for this company what would they what would they usually pay people in my kind of role? So you

have to do those research before you accept an offer. I was going to say the same thing because people you find out

even people in Nigeria who probably have much more um should I say much more experience regarding something you see

the person earning a 100k for that and somebody working remotely earning $3,000 for that $1,000 for that. So when

someone begins to earn remotely how should they think about money differently in one minute? Oh, so you

would first of all when you get your first credit, >> your first dollar,

>> you would be speechless for some time if you're earning good money and then you'll be like, "Oh, now I can now

expand my life." There's a lot of temptation and the money flies quickly. Yeah. So, you've got to finish.

>> Oh, it does finish. >> If I'm earning $3K a month, please, >> even if you're earning 30,

>> okay, >> 30,000, it does finish. it would finish. So you need to be a bit more deliberate.

I for one, first of all, I was like, no. So you be tempted, let me go and start, you know, renting on the highland. Let

me just be a baller because how much is rent? 6 million. That's just like half of my salary in a month. So you'll be

tempted to do all of those. So you're like the first thing >> try to leave like 20%.

>> Okay? >> You know, of your just under 20% of your income because you know, you could lose

that job or market could shift or something like that. So you have to be very well prepared for those um for

those kind of changes. Start to invest. I mean >> that's the important thing. Live below

your means and start to invest heavily so you have that leverage. >> Many professionals like you working for

Nigeria employers would not be able to afford to invest more than half of their income but you can because of the power

of the currency you earn. So start to invest real like a lot a lot and then you'll have a good baseline that you can

now you know I'm going to take vacation once a year and it won't mean anything >> at least you can take vacation you can

take vacation >> well money is good yeah and so finally we're ending the show um soon dami thank

you so much for your time your final message for that NYC corper that young professional confused seeking to break

to remote work, seeking to just your final message for them, you can speak to them directly.

>> Okay. The first thing I tell anyone trying to land their first remote job or get into global career is

invest in yourself. >> Okay, >> this is so valid and relevant even if

you eventually left Nigeria. Like make sure that you are the asset. Make sure that no matter what happens to mega

trends or what happens to remote economy or what happens to companies generally, you are able to still remain extremely

valuable to any business. So invest in yourself. I'm not talking simply go learn a course or do a certification.

You've got to be that asset who solves problems. What I found is money will gravitate

towards you. We're talking a 9 to5 year remote job, but you could be consultant working for so many companies. You could

be anything really. So you are the greatest asset. The moment you are you have exportable skills, skills that

build global businesses, you can build anything and earn as much as you want. >> Okay, thank you so much Dami. And with

that said, we are coming to the end of the everyday money matters episode for today. But before you go, I would like

to tell you about the Narametrics Moneywise Fair 1.0. So the Narametrics the Money Fair wise 1.0 is a 2-day

investment and financial engagement event designed to connect Nigerians with credible financial institutions,

investment opportunities, and long-term financial planning tools. You do not want to miss this event. It is happening

on the 17th and 18th of March at Landmark Event Center. You don't want to miss this. See you there. So, thank you

so much, Dami. And like you've rightly heard on what you should do and what you should not do before getting into remote

work. Till our next episode on Everyday Money Matters, proudly brought to you by Narometrics.