Internship life in Lagos is not for the weak. For many young Nigerians, especially fresh graduates or students doing IT, Lagos is the ultimate training ground. From figuring out how to make your stipend last the entire month to quickly learning that Lagos traffic has no respect for your resumption time.
If you’ve ever interned here, you’ll definitely relate to these struggles and if you haven’t, consider this your survival guide!
1. The Daily Battle with Lagos Traffic
I consider interns like me that do not have to show up to work physically every day, God’s favorite. But every Lagos intern knows that commuting to work is a daily battle. You wake up at 4:30 AM, thinking you’ve outsmarted the traffic gods. But somehow, by 6:00 AM, you’re still stuck in a Danfo, sweating, questioning your life choices, and praying your white shirt doesn’t get stained.
Survival Tips:
- Leave ridiculously early; Lagos traffic respects no one.
- Find alternative routes; Google Maps is your best friend.
- Use podcasts or music to stay sane while stuck in traffic.
- If possible, negotiate remote workdays (because Lagos traffic is a full-time job).
2. That Intern Salary That Disappears Instantly
Let’s talk money. Or better still, the absence of it.
Interns get “stipends” a fancy word for “money that evaporates the second it enters your account.” After spending it on daily transport within Lagos and one pack of spaghetti, you’re left wondering if you’re working for experience or charity. You can’t even randomly decide to buy shawarma without serious planning.
Then, there are those who get nothing at all. Imagine doing 8 hours of work and your reward is, “You’re learning, that’s the real payment.” God abeg!
Survival Tips:
- Budget aggressively and track every naira spent.
- Bring food to the office from home. buying food will dry your wallet
- Find free food opportunities; office events or generous colleagues.
3. “Can You Hear Me Now?” Remote Internship Wahala
For us doing remote/hybrid internships, the struggle is no less dramatic. You’re constantly dealing with:
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- NEPA taking light mid-Zoom meeting
- Data finishing at the worst moment
- Glo network suddenly disappearing
- Your mic refusing to work when it’s finally your turn to speak
And let’s not forget when your household members constantly disturb you because “it can’t be that bad, you’re working from home”.
4. The Struggle to Impress
Every intern wants to leave a good impression, no one tells you how much of internship life is guesswork.
Your boss will drop a task like, “Please do a competitive analysis and UX audit by noon.” You respond confidently, “Sure!” Meanwhile, you’re opening 10 tabs on Google because you can’t even remember what UX audit means.
The real intern motto? Fake it, then YouTube it.
Survival Tips:
- Triple-check emails before sending; typos can haunt you.
- Speak up confidently, but don’t force ideas into conversations.
5. Lunch Time Struggles
When it’s lunchtime, you’re faced with three choices:
- Pretend you’re fasting so nobody knows you can’t afford anything
- Join the big boys going to Chicken Republic and watch your entire stipend disappear
- Buy mama put and pray your stomach can handle it
- Calculating your budget before ordering food, because one wrong move and you’re broke.
Let’s not forget the daily internal debate: “Should I eat now or save money?”
6. The Fear of Making Mistakes
Every intern lives in constant fear of messing up:
- Forgetting to mute yourself on a Zoom call.
- Doing the wrong thing because you interpreted your assignment wrong.
Survival Tips:
- Double-check everything, emails, reports, and assignments.
- Ask for clarification, don’t assume instructions.
- Own up to mistakes and quickly fix them before they escalate.
- Jot down your tasks, don’t depend solely on your brain to remember your tasks!
7. Finding the Bright Side
All jokes aside, every Lagos intern learns to:
- Multitask like a ninja
- Network like a boss
- And most importantly; laugh through the chaos
Sure, it’s stressful. Sometimes it’s overwhelming. But in between the frustration and fatigue, there are moments of pride, growth, and memories you’ll never forget (whether it’s being squeezed into a crowded Danfo or perfecting the art of writing a flawless email).
Plus, nothing beats the joy of finishing your internship and realizing, “If I survived Lagos as an intern, I can survive anything.” So to every Lagos intern out there, I see you. You are not alone. And most importantly one day we’ll look back and laugh.
Just remember: This too shall pass. But the stories? They’ll last a lifetime!
Join the Living in Lagos community and share your good, bad and ugly experiences of living in Lagos.
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