The Japa Dream: 5 hilarious struggles Nigerians face abroad

It’s 2025, and there’s a new virus sweeping the length and breadth of Nigerian communities. Hey, don’t be scared – it’s not Covid all over again! This time, it’s the Japa virus, a man-made epidemic that has seen lots of young and old people planning to leave the country. Ask an average young man on the streets today, and they’ll tell you their biggest dream is to pursue better living outside the shores of Nigeria. Whilst this is a valid dream, it comes with its unique challenges. One of them is the struggle to adapt. ALSO READ: ‘Japa’, ‘Agbero’ and more Nigerian words now in latest Oxford Dictionary Popular countries like Canada, America, and England may offer opportunities for easier adaptation, but the same cannot be said for most other countries. No wonder people sometimes struggle so hard to return to Nigeria after leaving. It was your lifelong dream to travel. How come you suddenly want to come back after a few weeks abroad? The solution is simple – you must know about expected struggles and plot ways to overcome them before travelling. What are these challenges? Let’s go over five of them! The culture shock comedy One of the first challenges that greets most travellers is culture shock. The Nigerian way of doing things is grossly different from what’s attainable in most parts of the world. For instance, moving to a new neighbourhood in Nigeria means that neighbours will knock on your door to welcome you to the neighbourhood. But this is different in most parts of the world, as people will mostly mind their business unless you invite them over! The Japa cuisine comedy show You expected this one, didn’t you? From the moment you land at the airport of your dream country, you can wave bye to your favourite pounded yam and banga soup unless you can afford to patronise Naija restaurants abroad. So brace up because your diet will change to avocado toasts and kale salads. The Nigerian slang dilemma  One big challenge most Nigerians face when navigating the Japa landscape is switching from the popular slang they’re already used to. For example, telling someone “how far” may cause them to use Google Maps to calculate distance when all you meant was a harmless hello. Expensive hairstyles While it’s normal to see Nigerians plaiting new hairstyles every week to look neat and bright, travelling abroad will see you struggle to maintain the same lifestyle. Not only do stylists struggle to keep your hair as neat and firm as you’ll have it in Nigeria, but they’re also usually expensive. That’s why many people prefer to choose hairstyles that’ll last them many weeks before needing to change hairstyles. ALSO READ: Why Africans abroad won’t tell you their reality – Seun Kuti Stringent immigration laws While immigration laws are not very strict in Nigeria, the reverse is usually the case when you travel abroad. You must have the complete immigration papers or face the risk of deportation. You also must update your papers now and then. Don’t even border on trying to squeeze money into the hands of law enforcement officers if you’re caught because that attracts heavier punishments. Let’s stop here for now. Which of these struggles can you cope with? Which is a surprise for you? Tell me in the comment section below.