Many Nigerians want to japa for one reason or another. That reason is frankly your business and not mine. It could be for school, work, relocation, vacation, or simply because the country is stressing you out and or just maybe everyone is stressing you spiritually.

You might have already travelled abroad, or you are planning to. And if you have travelled, you are probably still trying to understand what exactly you are seeing. Because while visas, tickets, accommodation, and “what to do when you arrive” are carefully planned and with itineraries in place, nobody truly prepares you for the culture shock.

Not even those YouTube relocation videos. They show you the apartment tour, snow aesthetics, and soft life angles, but they don’t warn you about the emotional and cultural whiplash that can hit you unexpectedly.

Most times, what shocks people the most are the things they were never told to expect. That is why some Nigerians abroad are still emotionally attached to home, surviving on long phone calls, WhatsApp statuses, and loud voice notes from family and friends.

Information reduces shock. When you are mentally prepared, the shock becomes a little less… shocking. And that is why you are here, to get a glimpse of the culture shocks

What Is Cultural Shock?

Cultural shocks are the confusion, discomfort, or surprise you feel when you encounter beliefs, habits, social norms, or daily practices that are very different from what you grew up with. It can be funny, frustrating, lonely, or even offensive, depending on what hits you first.

Now, let us get into the real-life shocks Nigerians often experience abroad.

Common Cultural Shocks for Nigerians Living Abroad

1. Spiceless Food

This one deserves to go first, because the Nigerian taste buds are not built for just vibes or to just get the stomach filled, it is built for real satisfaction. This is a cultural shock because the food that you get to see outside, abroad, even the ones that look promising can betray you mentally.

Many Nigerians over there quickly realize that the foreign foods they enjoyed back home were “Nigerianized” — pepper added, seasoning adjusted, taste resurrected. Outside Nigeria, food is often just… existing.

2. Visitation by Invitation Only

Privacy abroad is sacred, you do not show up at someone’s apartment unannounced, even for good reasons. No surprise visits. No “I was in the area.” Even if someone just gave birth or is sick, you must inform them first.

In Nigeria, visiting is love, but outside the borders of this nation, visiting without notice can be seen as disrespectful or an evasion of personal space.

3. Foodless Parties and Self-Sponsored Dates

This one breaks hearts a lot, because what do you mean that there is no food in a party? Imagine attending a party and there is no food, not because it finished but because it was never planned for.

Many gatherings require you to bring something yourself. Also, if someone invites you on a date, please go with extra money. You may discover that everyone is paying for themselves. Romance has receipts.

4. Every Man to His Own

Communal living is replaced with individualism. You can live next to someone for years and never speak. Play loud music and you might have to pay a free visit to the police, not your neighbour courtesy of your neighbour.

In some countries, minding your business is not pride, it is survival and protection of personal space in one.

5. Per-Hour Payment

Honestly if you ask me if many Nigerians get this opportunity of pay per hour, they would definitely overwork and wouldn't want to go home, no shades intended tho.

In some developed nations time is literally money. If someone comes to fix something in your house and as the hour passes, your bill is growing. This is because payments are being made per hour and time spent in total.

From photo studios to plumbers to consultants, payment is calculated per hour, and is adhered to strictly.

6. Lack of Respect (in the Nigerian Sense)

In Nigeria respect is a big deal but outside this nation, it's not the same and the energy and approach is quite different.

Respect definitely exists everywhere but in different forms and it always looks different. Children call adults by their first names, young people have the liberty to talk back and air their opinions.

A child might boldly ask your age. In Nigeria, this is unimaginable. Outside the country, it is normal.

7. Young Professors and Senior Students

Education outside the country is not determined or limited by age, everyone can do what they want to do as regards education as against some limitation you might come across as a Nigerian.

You may meet a professor who looks like your course mate or a PhD holder younger than the last-born in your family house. Age is not a major marker of authority and academic achievement and competence matter more than grey hair.

8. Strong Work-Life Boundaries

People actually rest, they log off work without a second thought.

They take vacations without guilt and emails do not follow you home, they stay inside the office at the close of work pending when next you resume.

Nigerians abroad often feel uneasy resting because many of them are used to constant hustle. Overworking yourself will not earn you applause, just burnout.

9. Rules Are Taken Seriously

There is no scenario where you can say “manage am” or “they will understand” Rules are rules and they are meant to be followed.

Traffic laws, queue systems, recycling guidelines, all enforced. Breaking them comes with consequences and in some cases there is no negotiation about it.

10. Loneliness Hits Differently

Despite the structure and order, loneliness can creep in quietly. Without family, noise, and spontaneous interactions, many Nigerians feel isolated.

This teaches you emotional independence, but it can be heavy at first and the boredom would finally become normal.

Conclusion

Relocating outside your country especially as Nigerians is not just a change of location; it is a complete cultural reset. It stretches your mind, challenges your habits, and sometimes humbles your expectations. The goal is not to abandon who you are, but to adapt without losing yourself.

Culture shock does not mean you made a mistake or the people you meet are making a mistake. It simply means you entered a different world.