The way Nigerians in the UK earn and spend money is changing, challenging long-held ideas about what economic progress looks like for immigrants.
As the UK continues to grapple with its own cost-of-living crisis and labour market shifts, immigrant communities like Nigerians are experiencing these changes with added complexity. They’re not just managing one household economy. They’re funding two, sometimes three, with remittances flowing back to Nigeria every month.
OhentPay, a leading remittance app, surveyed 655 Nigerians across the UK to understand how they earn and distribute income. The findings reveal a community experiencing both remarkable upward mobility and growing economic pressure.
The 2025 UK–Nigeria Remittance Report highlights a rise in women’s earnings, a decline in the middle class, and the growing influence of entrepreneurship among Nigerians abroad.
Major income trends from OhentPay’s report
The middle class has shrunk by 10% in just one year
In 2024, 75% of Nigerians in the UK earned between £15,000 and £50,000 annually. By 2025, that figure dropped to 65%. In just one year, 10% of the middle-income bracket either moved up or slid down.
The middle-income bracket represents people who can cover their bills, send money home, and save a little. When that group shrinks by 10%, it means more Nigerians are either struggling at the bottom or thriving at the top. The comfortable middle ground is disappearing.
Some Nigerians are breaking into higher income brackets, particularly those earning between £50,000 and £125,000. But there’s also been growth at the bottom, with more people stuck in precarious, low-wage work below £15,000.
This polarisation reflects broader UK economic trends. The cost of living crisis has pushed marginal earners further to the edge, while those with in-demand skills or businesses have managed to scale up. For Nigerians, this is particularly acute because their financial obligations don’t stop at UK borders. They’re managing dual economies, and when the middle shrinks, the pressure on both ends intensifies.
Women’s earnings in the £50k-£125k bracket nearly tripled
One of the most striking findings is the surge in women’s earnings. In 2024, only 5% of Nigerian women in the UK earned between £50,000 and £125,000 per year. By 2025, that figure nearly tripled to 12.9%.
The gender gap in higher income brackets has also narrowed dramatically. Men were three times more likely than women to earn above £50,000 in 2024. By 2025, that ratio dropped to 1.8 times. Women are still behind, but they’re catching up faster than anyone expected.
What’s driving this? More Nigerian women are entering high-paying sectors like technology, finance, and healthcare. Others are launching businesses or pivoting into freelance and consulting roles that offer better income flexibility.
There’s also a generational element. Younger Nigerian women in the UK are more likely to have UK degrees, professional networks, and access to industries that were harder to break into a decade ago. They’re also more willing to negotiate salaries and switch jobs for better pay, behaviours that older generations were less comfortable with.
The top earners are concentrated in technology and engineering at 10%, creative industries at 9%, and finance at 7%. These are industries where skills transfer across borders and where UK employers are desperate for talent. Nigerians are increasingly well-represented in these sectors, and women are closing the gap.
Business owners are 21 times more likely to earn over £125k.
If there’s one finding that stands out above all others, it’s this: entrepreneurship is becoming a real wealth builder.
Nigerians who own businesses are 21 times more likely to earn above £125,000 than those in traditional employment. That’s proof that business ownership bypasses the invisible ceiling many Nigerian employees hit in the UK job market.
This tracks with lived experience. The UK job market, particularly for immigrants, has limits. Promotions come slowly. Pay rises are modest. Even highly qualified Nigerians often find themselves stuck at certain levels.
Business ownership changes the equation entirely. Whether it’s consulting, tech startups, care services, logistics, or food businesses, owning the business means owning the upside. The risks are higher, but so is the potential.
And it’s not just high earners who are doing this. About 24% of all respondents have multiple income streams, combining employment with side businesses, freelance work, or investment income. One salary doesn’t stretch as far anymore, so people adapt.
This hustle mentality is deeply embedded in Nigerian culture, but in the UK, it’s also becoming an economic survival strategy. One income stream is risky. Two or three provide a buffer, especially when remittances, Black tax, and rising UK living costs are all competing for the same salary.
Bottom line
The income data from OhentPay’s 2025 report reveals a community in transition. The comfortable middle is shrinking. Some Nigerians are thriving, particularly women, business owners, and those in high-demand sectors. Others are struggling, caught between rising costs and stagnant wages.
This isn’t unique to Nigerians, but the way it intersects with remittance obligations, cultural expectations, and the immigrant experience makes it particularly acute.
In conclusion, the OhentPay UK–Nigeria Remittance Report 2025 offers a rich insight into how Nigerians earn, send, and spend, providing an inside view of the evolving financial lives of Nigerians as they build stability across two homes.
