Nigerian salary earners and working professionals have been encouraged to move beyond dependence on monthly salaries and begin focusing on building long-term assets capable of creating sustainable wealth and financial stability.
The advice was given during the third edition of the Game of Money Conference held recently in Lagos, where financial experts, business executives, investors, and corporate professionals gathered to discuss strategies for wealth creation, disciplined investing, and financial growth amid Nigeria’s challenging economic climate.
The 2026 conference, themed “How to Build Wealth on a Salary,” centred on helping workers and professionals understand how to maximise their income, avoid financial stagnation, and convert earnings into profitable investments and appreciating assets.
Convener of the conference and financial educator, Tope Mark-Odigie, explained that many Nigerians wrongly believe that wealth is determined mainly by high income, family background, or access to privilege, whereas true financial growth depends largely on understanding how money works and applying sound financial principles consistently.
Speaking during the event, Mark-Odigie said years of interacting with Nigerians through television and public engagements exposed her to the widespread financial struggles faced by many professionals despite earning stable salaries.
According to her, she discovered that many people remain financially trapped not necessarily because they earn too little, but because they lack financial education, investment discipline, and long-term wealth-building strategies.
She explained that this realisation inspired the creation of the Game of Money Conference three years ago as a platform designed to provide practical and personalised financial education beyond what is usually shared on social media.
Mark-Odigie stated that the initiative specifically aims to help Nigerians develop sustainable financial habits capable of transforming their lives over time.
She further explained that the latest edition focused deliberately on salary earners because many young professionals have started believing that it is impossible to build wealth legitimately through employment income alone.
According to her, the conference was organised to challenge the growing mindset that financial success can only come through corruption, fraud, or unethical practices.
Mark-Odigie stressed that there are legitimate opportunities within careers, entrepreneurship, investing, and strategic financial planning that can help individuals build substantial wealth over time if properly utilised.
She also noted that all speakers invited to the conference were selected carefully based on their personal experiences of building financial success gradually while working as professionals and employees.
The media personality explained that the real success of the conference is not measured by attendance numbers or popularity but by the long-term financial transformation achieved by participants after applying the lessons shared during the programme.
According to her, several people who attended previous editions with little or no investments have now started building savings, acquiring properties, and developing investment portfolios.
She stressed that wealth creation is a gradual process that requires consistency, patience, and long-term commitment.
Business executive and investor, Victor Afolabi, also advised participants to stop relying solely on salaries as their primary source of financial security.
According to him, salaries alone rarely create lasting wealth unless they are intentionally converted into productive assets capable of generating future income.
Afolabi explained that many professionals struggle financially because they focus excessively on consumption, luxury spending, and lifestyle upgrades rather than investing in appreciating assets and businesses.
He stressed that financially successful individuals deliberately direct their income into investments, businesses, and opportunities capable of growing in value over time.
Speaking further, Afolabi warned young professionals against trying to impress others with unsustainable lifestyles, expensive habits, and social appearances that offer no long-term financial benefit.
He advised participants to prioritise building substance, financial stability, and asset ownership instead of seeking temporary validation from social status.
According to him, true financial growth comes when money is invested in assets that continue working and generating returns even after the salary has been spent.
Afolabi also highlighted the importance of developing multiple income streams, especially as inflation and economic instability continue to reduce the real value of salaries across Nigeria.
He revealed that his own financial structure combines consulting, investments, and business operations in order to create long-term financial stability and reduce dependence on a single source of income.
The conference additionally featured discussions on financial literacy, wealth sustainability, and economic empowerment led by digital equity advocate, Tobi Durojaiye.
Durojaiye explained that building sustainable wealth requires strategic thinking, discipline, patience, and the ability to focus on long-term goals instead of immediate gratification.
According to him, entrepreneurship, investing, and responsible money management have become increasingly necessary for economic survival in Nigeria’s high-inflation environment.
Participants were encouraged to prioritise financial education, investment planning, and asset ownership as key tools for achieving long-term security and improving economic opportunities for themselves and their families.
Deputy General Manager and Regional Bank Head at Fidelity Bank Plc, Chetachi Okechukwu, also urged professionals to adopt disciplined financial habits and avoid wasteful spending.
She explained that extra income should not automatically translate into increased consumption or unnecessary luxury expenses, but should instead be channelled into investments and wealth-building opportunities.
According to her, exposure to financially successful individuals helped reshape her own understanding of money, discipline, and wealth creation.
She noted that beyond material wealth, what impressed her most about successful people was their mindset, discipline, communication style, and the way they conducted themselves professionally.
Human resources professional, Nneka Jethro-Iruobe, also stressed the importance of psychological discipline, intentional spending, and patience in wealth creation.
She advised professionals to minimise financial pressure resulting from excessive social obligations and avoid constant association with individuals who encourage reckless spending habits or repeated financial dependence.
According to her, sustainable wealth creation takes time and requires consistency, discipline, and emotional control.
Partner at PwC, Chioma Obaro, shared personal experiences about making career and investment decisions focused more on long-term growth than immediate financial rewards.
Obaro explained that earlier in her career, she intentionally accepted lower-paying opportunities because they offered better exposure, learning opportunities, and long-term investment potential.
She recounted investing aggressively during Nigeria’s stock market boom despite earning a modest salary at the time and later using loans strategically to acquire real estate assets.
Although the stock market crash eventually wiped out a large portion of her investment portfolio, she explained that her real estate investments appreciated significantly over time and helped preserve her financial stability.
According to Obaro, the experience taught her the importance of intentional financial planning, diversification, and proper asset allocation when building wealth.
Financial experts at the conference concluded that in today’s economic environment, salary earners must move beyond dependence on monthly income alone and begin focusing on disciplined investing, financial education, asset accumulation, and long-term wealth strategies capable of creating financial independence and lasting economic security.
