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Ini was 32 when she decided she’d had enough of struggling to survive as a doctor in Nigeria. Alongside her husband, who is also a doctor, she chose to start over in the UK, believing it would offer better opportunities for career growth and a more secure future.
The move didn’t happen overnight. It took two years of disciplined saving before they could afford the journey. With guidance from seniors who had already gone ahead, Ini mapped out the process: first the IELTS exam in Nigeria, then PLAB 1 (available only in Lagos and Abuja). Once she passed, she had to travel to Manchester in the UK to sit for PLAB 2. Success in both earned her a license to practice medicine in the UK — the ticket to job applications across the country.
The process was far from cheap. PLAB 1 cost her around ₦250,000, including exam fees and a flight from Abuja to Lagos. PLAB 2 was even steeper, with flights, visa fees, accommodation, COVID-19 tests, and other expenses bringing the total to nearly ₦2 million. Altogether, Ini spent less than ₦3 million to make the transition — but it drained years of savings.
Then came the hard part: finding a job. For six months, rejection after rejection left her anxious about whether the move had been a mistake. Finally, an offer came through, and with it, a new chapter in her career. Today, Ini is training to become a general practitioner and describes her professional life as stable and rewarding.
But not everything has been easy. Personally, the move has cost her more than she imagined. Earlier this year, her mother passed away. Though her UK salary allowed her to pay her mother’s hospital bills, she wasn’t able to be physically present during her final years. Heartbreakingly, her mother died the same day she booked a flight to Nigeria to see her. “If I had known those three years would be her last, I would never have left,” she admits.
Living in the UK has brought other challenges too: the weather, the loneliness, and the effort required to build community in a way that comes naturally in Nigeria. Still, she has found solace in her church and Nigerian gatherings that make her feel at home.
Looking at her journey, Ini says moving to the UK in 2020 was the right decision at the time, but she wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to others now. “The anti-immigrant rhetoric has gotten stronger. I wouldn’t advise anyone to sell their properties in Nigeria just to come here in 2025. These are uncertain times,” she warns. She believes the next few years — especially after the 2029 elections — will determine whether the UK remains a safe bet for immigrants.
Despite the bittersweet moments, she acknowledges the benefits. In the UK, labour laws protect doctors from the brutal overwork common in Nigeria, the healthcare system is more advanced, and she no longer struggles financially. But the uncertainty of immigration policies keeps her happiness at a measured seven out of ten.
“I’m grateful for my family, for stability, and for community,” Ini reflects. “But if anyone asks me whether to japa now, I’d say think very carefully. It’s not just about leaving — it’s about what you might be giving up.”
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