On the first Sunday of 2024, Olamiji Awosanya was in church, about to film a quick outfit video, when the phone she’d handed to a friend came back to her dead. She tried to use her power bank. Nothing happened. The next day, she went to Computer Village and received the verdict: her iPhone 6 was gone for good. It was January, money was tight, and she was about to face a full month without a phone.
We will come back to how the story ends. It matters because of everything that had happened prior to it: losing her father a week into her third year in university and becoming, in her own words, the “head of house.”
We sat down with her to talk about grief, being the first daughter, and learning to manage her finances using Piggyvest.
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Olamiji Awosanya. I’m a project manager at a telecommunications company. Beyond my 9-to-5, I am also a content creator. I share bits of my day-to-day life with my audience: my commute, my work, and a bit of my lifestyle.
When did you first become aware of money?
Growing up, we weren’t rich, but we were comfortable. Every expense at home was planned, and I’d often see my mum making lists of things we needed to buy or restock by the end of the month. My sisters and I had a kolo, and she always reminded us to save some money instead of spending our entire allowance. So I’ve been aware of money from a very young age.
Watch our interview with Olamiji, for Piggyvest’s Saver of the Month.
What was the moment you became responsible for your own finances?
It was after my 300 level second semester. I got home for the post-semester break, and a week later, my dad passed. I had family members who supported my mum, so my fees for the new semester were cleared, but I knew the situation at home, and I didn’t want to keep going home and asking for pocket money all the time. So when I resumed 400 level, I started doing assignments and projects for people in school. I knew I had to take charge and stand on my own.
Losing a parent that young leaves a real gap. How did you deal with it?
Losing my dad that young was painful. Being the first child, I had to be strong. I was going into 400 level, my immediate younger sister had just gained admission into university, and my youngest sister was writing WAEC. I knew that my dad would want me to get good grades, so I had to get over it quickly and return to school.
So there were times, maybe during a group assignment and my group members weren’t contributing properly, that I’d break down and cry. I knew deep down it wasn’t really about the assignment. It was because I hadn’t healed from losing my dad, and I had to return to school and start living life immediately.
I’m really sorry you had to go through all that. How do you feel being the first daughter has shaped your finances?
It’s affected me in different ways. When I got my first job, I was earning ₦80,000, and I’d spend ₦2,000 to ₦3,000 on transportation weekly, sometimes more. But whenever I collected my salary, the first thing I’d think about was how much I was giving my sisters.
I had to repeat a lot of clothes. Literally, you could predict what I’d wear, because I wasn’t making room for myself, I was making room for my family. My younger ones would see how other people treated their siblings, and I didn’t want them to feel like they couldn’t get me to buy things like shawarma from them. They’d never come to me and say I wasn’t trying as an elder sister, but I always wanted to try for them, regardless of my situation.
How did you discover Piggyvest?
I discovered Piggyvest in university, through a friend of mine. Unlike some people who got their allowance every week or every month, my friend Miriam got hers at the beginning of the session, and it took her through the entire session. She used Piggyvest to manage herself, and you’d never hear that she went broke. Instead, she’d be the one helping the rest of us who got money in the middle of the session.
I liked how intentional she was with her savings. She’d always tell me and my other friend Natasha, “Come and save; use Piggyvest.” I think I used her referral code when I signed up. She was very disciplined with it, and I was like, “I’ll be like you one day.” That’s how I found out about Piggyvest.
What convinced you to start saving with us?
There were two things. First, the interface. When I downloaded the app after my friend referred me, it was very easy to use, very explanatory. Second, the interest rates. At the time, I wasn’t putting away much, but I’d get a notification on the first of every month prompting me to claim my interest. It wasn’t much, but I always looked forward to it.
You mentioned Piggyvest came through for you before. What happened?
There was this one time, the first Sunday of 2024. I was in church, and I wanted to make a video of my outfit while dancing, so I gave someone my phone to record me. She handed it back and told me the phone wasn’t turning on anymore. I had my power bank with me and tried to charge it immediately. Still nothing. The next day, I went to Computer Village, and they told me my iPhone 6 was gone.
At the time, I didn’t have much; I was broke. It was the beginning of the year, and I ended up being without a phone for a whole month. But I already had about ₦100,000 in my Piggyvest. When I collected my salary for January, I added some of it to what I already had saved, and that’s how I was able to get my next phone, an iPhone XR.
What feature do you use the most?
My favourite feature is SafeLock. All my workplaces have been far from where I live, so I spend about ₦20,000 to ₦25,000 a week on transportation.
Every month, when I collect my salary, I send ₦80,000 to ₦100,000 to my SafeLock. I section it by week — ₦20,000 for week one, and so on. It unlocks into my Flex Naira wallet every Sunday. I just move it to my bank, and I’m safe for the week. That’s one feature I don’t play with.
Also, being the first child, there are times my sisters ask for money I’d set aside for something, and it’s hard for me to say no. But if the money is in SafeLock, I know heaven and earth cannot bring it out. There’s the upfront interest too If you lock in a good amount, getting that upfront interest is really nice. That’s why I love SafeLock.
What are you saving toward right now?
There are a few goals I’m working towards with Piggyvest. My place of work is far from where I stay, so I want to get a place closer, and Piggyvest is really the only way I can achieve that. Besides that, I’m planning to do my master’s degree this year — I’m already in the application process — and by the time payment and everything else comes up, I know Piggyvest is going to come through for me again. I’m confident it’s going to help me achieve those goals.
What would you tell someone who hasn’t started using Piggyvest yet?
If you’re not using Piggyvest, let me tell you, you are snoozing. I say it every time. Everybody around me uses Piggyvest, at work, at home, and I always tell them, if you’re not using it, you’re snoozing.
Even if it’s something small, the mistake I made was not starting early. I thought my pocket money wasn’t much, and it wasn’t until my dad passed and I realised I had nothing to my name that I started saving with Piggyvest. So I’d tell you to start small, as low as ₦1,000. By the time you start collecting interest on that ₦1,000, it’ll be exciting enough that you want to add more.
I hear people doing a lot of ajo, where they still remove charges, and you still have to fight your leader for your own money. Piggyvest will thank you for saving, and you get your interest. And honestly, the country is hard, so it’s good to have something to your name. Knowing you have something somewhere keeps you going.
