Nursing Student Borrows ₦12k to Learn Writing, Now Earns Millions

Esther, a 22-year-old former nursing student, once faced limited career prospects. A decision to borrow money for a writing course, however, set her on a path to a high-earning career. In this account, she describes her time in nursing school, the difficulty of finding a job, and how a loan of ₦12,000 changed her financial future. She also shares why she believes hard work can lead to good earnings despite national economic hardship. This is Esther’s story, as told to Azara.

Early Struggles During Nursing School

Esther’s story begins in what she calls “the trenches.” At 19, she was a final-year nursing student overwhelmed by coursework and living hand-to-mouth. Her father, who once had enough money to cover her needs and some wants, could no longer support her as before. In 2023, her grandfather became seriously ill, draining both his health and her father’s finances. Most of the money went into his care, leaving little for Esther. Her father still sent her a small amount each week, but it never exceeded ₦5,000. She stretched that to cover food and school essentials, but there was nothing left for clothes, hairstyles, or regular mobile data.

Despite these constraints, Esther remained optimistic. She believed that giving her all would eventually lead to a breakthrough. That belief drove her to act when she saw an online creative writing program. She had always loved writing and had followed a woman who taught people how to earn dollars through writing for three years. She never had the money to enroll, so she waited for the right time. With her family’s funds dwindling, waiting no longer felt possible.

The ₦12k Loan That Changed Everything

The writing class cost ₦12,000—money she did not have. She gathered the courage to ask a friend for a loan. Asking was painful because she hated burdening people she cared about, and she had no idea when she could repay him. But he saw her determination. “I can see your determination,” he said as he handed her the money. “I trust you.”

Esther took the classes as seriously as her nursing studies. Her schedule became packed: school classes, work postings, fellowships, and the writing course. She barely rested or saw friends. Sometimes she stayed up until 4 a.m. working on her writing course and still woke at 7 a.m. for nursing class. During work postings, while classmates scrolled through their phones, she learned tips to improve her writing. Even during exam season, she used her days to research writing and studied only late at night. She understood that as someone who did not come from much, she could not afford to rest and wait for life to happen.

From Nursing Graduate to Full-Time Writer

Her hard work paid off. At the end of 2023, she graduated from nursing school with a strong degree and completed her writing course. She set writing aside to see what her nursing degree could offer in Nigeria. The best job offer she saw during two months of searching was ₦50,000 per month. She knew Nigerian nurses were underpaid, but ₦50,000 was not even the minimum wage. After only eight weeks of considering nursing, she abandoned it to focus on writing.

Around the time she stopped job hunting, she landed a remote writing role for a foreign company. She was paid ₦50,000 per month to write 12 articles. The pay later increased to ₦70,000 per month. She found it better than nursing because she did not waste money on transport. With this income, she took another writing course.

She had been posting snippets of her writing on Facebook, as taught in her first course. She was inconsistent but never stopped. This brought a few low-paying jobs, no more than ₦10,000–₦12,000 per task. Combined with her job, she was earning about ₦100,000 per month.

LinkedIn Breakthrough and Six-Figure Clients

After about a year and a half, Esther wanted more. She signed up for LinkedIn and began posting motivational stories and short writing snippets, similar to what she did on Facebook. The posts were poorly done at first, but she kept learning and tweaking until she improved. Four months later, her life changed.

A man who had been engaging with her LinkedIn posts received a direct message from her thanking him. Instead of simply acknowledging it, he asked about her portfolio and rates. After some back-and-forth, he commissioned her to ghostwrite 200 pages of his book for ₦500,000. She took the job without hesitation, though she later wished she had charged more. Two months later, another foreign client asked her to write a 50-page book. This time, she charged over ₦1 million, and he accepted without negotiation.

It has been over a year since that offer, and her earnings have remained strong. She writes for several clients and consistently earns between $600 and $800 per month—about ₦790,000 to ₦1 million monthly.

A Transformed Lifestyle and Future Goals

The changes in Esther’s lifestyle have been drastic. Last month, she moved into a new apartment that cost ₦800,000 (₦1 million with agent fees), and she can easily afford the rent. She furnished it without struggling to save. She can now afford any food she wants, including healthy options that are often more expensive. She also sends money home every month and is helping put her brother through school. She does not mind spending on her family, especially her father, after everything he sacrificed for her.

Esther is happy with her life but sees room to grow. She wants to earn at least $2,000 per month. She remains optimistic and believes she can achieve it. She also wants to teach others how to write the way she was taught. It hurts her that many Nigerians are walking around aimlessly, just as she once did, unaware they can earn big. She believes anyone with enough dedication can make what she is making and more. She has already trained over 1,000 people, and a few are earning in dollars as well.

For now, Esther is content to bask in her newfound success before jumping into the next thing. One thing she knows for certain is that whatever her next goal is, she will not have to borrow to make it happen.