I Found Joy in Writing and Took It as My Hobby
Personal GrowthWelcome to Daily Reality NG, where we break down real-life issues with honesty and clarity. Today, I'm sharing something deeply personal—my journey into writing, how it transformed from a simple hobby into a platform that now reaches hundreds of thousands of Nigerians every month. This isn't just another success story; it's about finding joy in something unexpected and turning that joy into purpose.
I'm Samson Ese, founder of Daily Reality NG. I've been blogging and building online businesses in Nigeria since 2016, helped over 4,000 readers start making money online, and my sites currently serve 800,000+ monthly visitors across Africa.
How It All Started: A Random Notebook and a Dream
Let me be honest with you. I never planned to become a writer. Back in 2015, I was just another Nigerian youth trying to figure out life after university. I had finished my degree, done my NYSC, and found myself in that frustrating space where you have qualifications but no clear direction. The job market was brutal, as it still is for many young Nigerians today.
One afternoon, I was sitting in my small room in Lagos, scrolling through Facebook (before everyone moved to Instagram and TikTok), and I kept seeing people share their opinions on everything—politics, relationships, money, entertainment. Most of what I read felt shallow, disconnected from the real struggles we face as Nigerians. I remember thinking, "Someone needs to write about this stuff honestly, without the sugar-coating."
That same evening, I picked up an old notebook I'd used during NYSC and started writing. Nothing fancy. Just my thoughts on why it's so hard to save money in Nigeria when your family expects you to contribute to everything. I wrote about how NEPA takes light the moment you finally get home from Lagos traffic. I wrote about the pressure of being in your twenties with everyone asking when you'll "settle down" while you're still trying to settle your rent.
I filled about fifteen pages that night. When I read it back the next morning, something clicked. This was my voice. Raw. Real. Nigerian. Not the polished, formal English we learned in school. Not the motivational speaker talk you hear everywhere. Just honest conversation about real life.
The truth is, most Nigerians don't need more inspirational quotes. We need practical insights, honest discussions, and someone who understands our reality. That's what I wanted to create.
I didn't know it then, but that random evening of writing would change my entire life. What started as a way to organize my thoughts would eventually become Daily Reality NG, a platform reaching hundreds of thousands of Nigerians every month. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you how I actually got from that notebook to where I am today.
My Writing Journey: From Doubt to Daily Reality
📝 The First Blog Post That Changed Everything
After filling that notebook, I knew I wanted to share what I was writing. A friend suggested starting a blog. Back then, blogging wasn't as popular in Nigeria as it is now. People were more into Facebook notes or just posting directly on social media. But I wanted something more permanent, something I could build and own.
I spent days researching how to start a blog. YouTube became my teacher. I learned about Blogger (now Blogspot), WordPress, domain names, hosting. The technical stuff intimidated me at first. But here's what nobody tells you: you don't need to understand everything before you start. You just need to start.
I chose Blogger because it was free and didn't require me to pay for hosting. Money was tight. I couldn't afford to invest in something I wasn't even sure would work. So I created my first blog, picked a simple template, and published my first article: "Why Saving Money in Nigeria Feels Impossible (And What to Do About It)."
🎯 The Reality Check: My First Month
Want to know the truth? My first month was depressing. I published five articles. I shared them on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp groups. I begged my friends to read and share. By the end of the month, I had exactly 47 total page views. Forty-seven. Most of them were probably me checking if the blog was still working.
Everyone shares their success stories, but few people talk about those early months when you're writing for almost nobody. When you spend three hours crafting an article and only your mom and two friends read it. That's the real test of whether you actually love writing or just love the idea of being a writer.
I almost quit. Several times. The discouragement was real. But something kept pulling me back—I genuinely enjoyed the writing process. Even when nobody was reading, I found satisfaction in organizing my thoughts, researching topics, and putting words together in ways that made sense.
💡 The Turning Point: Finding My Niche
Three months in, I wrote an article about mini-importation and how Nigerians could start importing products from China and selling them online. I shared it in a Facebook group focused on online business. That article got 500 views in one day. People started commenting, asking questions, sharing their own experiences.
That's when I realized something crucial: people don't just want information; they want information relevant to their specific situation as Nigerians. They wanted to know how to make money online in naira, not dollars. They wanted strategies that work with Nigerian banks, Nigerian internet, Nigerian realities.
I started focusing my content on practical guides for everyday Nigerians: how to make money online, how to manage small businesses, how to navigate Nigerian financial systems, how to hustle smartly in our economy. My traffic started growing. Slowly at first, then faster.
🔥 Building Daily Reality NG
By 2017, my blog was getting about 5,000 monthly visitors. Not huge, but significant. I was getting emails from readers thanking me, telling me how my articles helped them start their own businesses or make better financial decisions. That feedback meant everything.
I decided to rebrand and give the blog a proper identity. That's when Daily Reality NG was born. The name came from what I was trying to do—break down the daily realities of Nigerian life with honesty and practical advice. No fluff. No false promises. Just real talk about real issues.
I also started taking it more seriously. I invested in a proper domain name, improved the design, learned about SEO, studied what topics Nigerians were actually searching for online. I treated it less like a hobby and more like a business, even though I still loved the writing part most.
Why Writing Became More Than a Hobby
Somewhere along the way, writing stopped being just something I did for fun. It became my purpose. Let me explain why.
🎯 The Power of Impact
In 2018, I received an email from a young woman in Port Harcourt. She told me she had been jobless for over a year, depressed, feeling hopeless. She stumbled on one of my articles about starting an online business with little capital. She followed the steps I outlined, started a small online store selling fashion accessories, and within six months, she was making enough money to support herself and contribute to her family.
She ended the email with: "You changed my life without even knowing me. Thank you for not giving up on your blog."
I sat there reading that email with tears in my eyes. That's when I understood that writing wasn't just about expressing myself. It was about helping people. Every article I published had the potential to change someone's situation, to give them hope, to show them a path forward.
After that, I received hundreds more messages. People who paid off debt using my financial advice. Students who started making money online through methods I shared. Young entrepreneurs who built successful businesses following my guides. Each story reinforced why I write.
💰 The Financial Reality
Let's talk about money, because if we talk am well, that matters too. By 2019, Daily Reality NG was generating income through Google AdSense, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content. I wasn't rich, but I was earning more from writing than I would have made in most entry-level jobs in Nigeria.
More importantly, I was earning while doing something I loved. I wasn't dragging myself through Lagos traffic to sit in an office doing work that drained my soul. I was waking up excited to write, to research, to connect with my readers. That freedom is priceless.
The money validated that what I was doing had value, but it wasn't the main motivation. The main motivation was always the impact and the joy of writing itself.
🌍 Building a Community
Daily Reality NG became more than a blog. It became a community. Readers would share my articles with friends and family. They'd tag me on social media when they achieved goals using advice from my posts. They'd send me questions, suggestions for new topics, updates on their progress.
I created a WhatsApp channel where I share quick tips and updates. It now has over 15,000 members. I started a Facebook group where readers help each other with business advice and support. That group has over 30,000 active members.
This sense of community transformed my relationship with writing. I wasn't just publishing articles into the void. I was having conversations with real people, understanding their struggles, learning from their experiences, and continuously improving my content based on what they needed.
Challenges I Faced as a Nigerian Blogger
Let me keep it 100 with you—this journey wasn't easy. Being a Nigerian blogger comes with unique challenges that people in more developed countries don't deal with. Here are the major ones:
⚡ Power Supply Issues
You know the struggle. You're in the middle of writing an important article, fully in the zone, and NEPA decides to take light. Your laptop battery is at 15 percent because you forgot to charge it during the last power session. You have to stop everything, pack up, and either wait for light to return or find somewhere else to work.
I've lost count of how many times I've had to rewrite sections because my laptop died before I could save. Even with a generator and inverter now, the cost of fuel in Nigeria means you can't always run them whenever you want. Inconsistent power supply is still one of my biggest frustrations.
📶 Internet Connectivity Problems
Unreliable internet is another headache. You're trying to upload images, publish articles, research topics, and your internet keeps cutting. Sometimes you buy data only for your network to be terrible that whole day. Other times, you're ready to work but you've run out of data and your salary hasn't dropped yet.
I've learned to work offline as much as possible—writing drafts in Word documents, downloading research materials when I have good connection, scheduling posts in advance. But it's still frustrating.
I created a system where I write most content offline during the day, then upload and publish during late-night hours when internet is typically more stable and data might be cheaper on some plans. I also keep multiple network SIM cards as backup. You have to be creative to survive as a Nigerian content creator.
💸 Financial Constraints
Starting and running a blog in Nigeria requires money—domain name, hosting (if you upgrade from free platforms), design improvements, sometimes paid tools for research and SEO. When you're just starting and not making any income from the blog yet, finding money for these investments is tough.
I couldn't afford premium WordPress hosting for years. I had to make do with free Blogger and slowly upgrade as my income grew. Even now, I'm strategic about which tools and services I pay for, because every expense in dollars hits harder when you're earning primarily in naira.
🎯 Staying Consistent
This might be the hardest challenge. Life in Nigeria is unpredictable. Family emergencies, financial stress, health issues, the daily grind of just surviving—all these things can make it hard to stay consistent with your writing schedule.
There were months when I barely published anything because I was dealing with personal issues or trying to make money for rent. But here's what I learned: consistency matters more than perfection. Even when I couldn't publish weekly, I made sure to publish something monthly. That kept my blog alive and my readers engaged.
👥 Dealing with Criticism and Trolls
The moment your platform grows, criticism comes. Some of it is constructive and helps you improve. But some of it is just negativity from people who aren't even your target audience. Learning to handle criticism without letting it kill your passion is crucial.
I've had people call my content basic, question my qualifications, accuse me of not knowing what I'm talking about. Early on, these comments would hurt and make me doubt myself. Now, I understand that you can't please everyone, and that's okay. My focus is on the thousands of people my content actually helps.
The Impact: 800,000+ Monthly Readers and Growing
Today, Daily Reality NG reaches over 800,000 monthly visitors across Africa. Let me put that number in perspective for you. That's like filling the National Stadium in Lagos almost eight times over. Every single month, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians read what I write.
📊 The Numbers Tell a Story
Here's what those numbers mean in real terms:
- Over 4,000 people have used my guides to start making money online
- More than 15,000 WhatsApp subscribers get daily tips and updates
- 30,000+ Facebook group members actively support each other
- Thousands of email subscribers who trust my content enough to give me access to their inbox
But beyond the numbers, it's the individual stories that matter most. The single mother who now supports her children through an online business she started following my guide. The fresh graduate who avoided years of unemployment by implementing strategies I shared. The young entrepreneur who scaled his business using marketing tips from my articles.
Success isn't just about traffic numbers or income. It's about knowing that your words are making a difference in people's lives. It's seeing someone implement your advice and watching their situation improve. That's the real reward of writing with purpose.
🌟 Recognition and Opportunities
As the platform grew, opportunities followed. I've been invited to speak at events about blogging and online business. Brands reach out for collaborations. Other bloggers ask for advice. Media organizations reference my articles.
This recognition feels good, but it also comes with responsibility. When hundreds of thousands of people trust your content, you can't afford to be careless with information. Every article needs to be well-researched, honest, and genuinely helpful.
💰 Financial Independence Through Writing
Writing full-time now provides more income than most traditional jobs I could have gotten in Nigeria. Between AdSense revenue, affiliate commissions, sponsored content, and digital products I sell, Daily Reality NG generates consistent income.
More importantly, it gives me financial independence and flexibility. I work from anywhere. I set my own schedule. I choose what projects to take on. This freedom is the ultimate reward for those years of writing when almost nobody was reading.
Lessons I've Learned Along the Way
After nine years of writing professionally, these are the most important lessons I've learned:
1. Authenticity Beats Perfection Every Time
Early on, I tried to write like the big American bloggers I admired. Perfect grammar, formal tone, polished everything. My content was technically correct but emotionally cold. When I started writing in my natural voice—mixing Nigerian English with occasional Pidgin, sharing personal struggles, being real about failures—my audience connected with me more.
People don't want perfect; they want real. They want to feel like they're having a conversation with someone who understands them, not reading a textbook.
2. Consistency Builds Trust and Momentum
You don't need to publish every day. But you need to publish regularly. Whether it's once a week or twice a month, stick to a schedule your audience can rely on. This consistency builds trust and keeps your blog alive in people's minds.
I've seen talented writers give up because they expected overnight success. The truth is, building an audience takes time. But if you stay consistent, the compound effect of your content will eventually pay off.
3. Write to Serve, Not Just to Be Seen
The difference between content that performs and content that flops often comes down to intent. Are you writing to genuinely help your readers, or just to get traffic and make money? People can sense the difference.
When my primary goal is serving my audience—answering their questions, solving their problems, giving them value—the traffic and income follow naturally. When I write just to chase algorithms or trends, it never works as well.
Ask yourself before writing every article: "Will this genuinely help someone?" If the answer is yes, write it. If you're just trying to manipulate SEO or chase clicks, readers will eventually lose trust in you.
4. Your Unique Perspective is Your Superpower
Whatever topic you want to write about, hundreds of people have already written about it. But nobody has written about it from YOUR specific perspective, with YOUR experiences, in YOUR voice. That uniqueness is what makes you stand out.
I write about online business and personal finance—topics covered by millions of bloggers worldwide. But I write from the perspective of a Nigerian who understands the specific challenges we face: unstable power, limited payment options, economic uncertainty, currency devaluation. That Nigerian angle is what makes my content valuable to my audience.
5. Learn the Business Side, Not Just the Creative Side
Loving to write isn't enough if you want to make a living from it. You need to understand SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, monetization strategies, analytics. You need to treat your blog like a business, even if writing is your passion.
I spent my first year focused only on writing. My second year, I forced myself to learn the technical and business aspects. That's when my blog truly started growing. Creative talent gets you started; business skills keep you going.
6. Build Relationships, Not Just an Audience
The bloggers who succeed long-term are those who build genuine relationships with their readers. Respond to comments. Answer emails. Engage on social media. Show appreciation for people who share your content.
My most loyal readers aren't just followers; they're friends. They check on me when I go silent. They defend my content when trolls attack. They recommend my blog to others without me asking. That kind of relationship is priceless and can't be bought with ads.
7. Invest in Yourself Continuously
Take courses. Read books about writing and business. Study successful bloggers. Learn new skills like video editing, graphic design, copywriting. The more skills you have, the more valuable your platform becomes.
I've invested thousands of naira over the years in learning. Some courses were worth it; others weren't. But every investment taught me something, even if it was just what not to do.
8. Don't Compare Your Chapter 1 to Someone Else's Chapter 20
This is crucial. When you're just starting, it's easy to look at established bloggers with massive audiences and feel discouraged. Remember, they also started with zero readers. They also struggled with doubt and technical issues. They also wanted to quit.
Focus on your own progress. Celebrate small wins. Compare yourself to who you were last month, not to someone who's been doing this for years. Your journey is yours alone.
How You Can Start Your Own Writing Journey
If my story has inspired you to start writing, here's exactly how you can begin:
Step 1: Start Writing Before You Start Blogging
Don't wait until you have a perfect blog setup to start writing. Start now. Open a notebook, a Word document, a Google Doc—anything. Write about topics you're passionate about. Write about problems you've solved. Write about experiences you've had.
This practice helps you find your voice and build a content bank before you even launch publicly. When I started Daily Reality NG properly, I already had about 30 draft articles ready to publish. That gave me momentum.
Write down 20 topics you could teach someone about. They don't have to be professional topics. Could be cooking Nigerian soups, navigating Lagos public transport, managing relationships, saving money on a tight budget—anything you have real experience with. Those 20 topics are your first 20 blog posts.
Step 2: Choose a Platform and Set Up Your Blog
For beginners on a budget, I recommend starting with Blogger (Blogspot) because it's free and owned by Google. It's what I used for years before upgrading. You can always migrate to WordPress later when you have more resources.
Basic setup steps:
- Go to Blogger.com and create an account
- Choose a blog name (make it memorable and relevant to your niche)
- Select a simple, clean template
- Customize basic settings (blog description, your profile, etc.)
- Create essential pages: About, Contact, Privacy Policy
Step 3: Define Your Niche and Target Audience
The biggest mistake new bloggers make is trying to write about everything. "Lifestyle blog" that covers fashion, tech, food, politics, relationships—everything. That rarely works because you're competing with everyone.
Pick a specific niche where you have knowledge and passion. For me, it was practical guides for everyday Nigerians on making money online and managing finances. That specificity helped me stand out.
Questions to help you find your niche:
- What do people always ask you for advice about?
- What problems have you solved that others struggle with?
- What topics can you talk about for hours without getting bored?
- What specific group of people do you want to help?
Step 4: Publish Your First 10 Articles
Don't worry about perfection. Your first articles won't be your best. That's fine. The goal is to start building your content library and developing your writing rhythm.
Aim for 1,500-2,500 words per article. Make them genuinely helpful. Use simple language. Break up text with subheadings. Add images where relevant (use free stock photos from Unsplash or Pexels).
Don't copy content from other blogs. Don't stuff keywords unnaturally. Don't write just to hit a word count. Write to genuinely help your reader understand something or solve a problem. Quality matters more than quantity.
Step 5: Learn Basic SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is how people find your blog through Google. You don't need to become an expert, but understand the basics:
- Use keywords naturally: What words would someone type into Google to find your article?
- Write compelling titles: Include your main keyword and make it interesting
- Add meta descriptions: The short description that appears in Google results
- Use proper headings: H1 for title, H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections
- Add alt text to images: Describe what the image shows
- Internal linking: Link to your other relevant articles
Step 6: Promote Your Content
Writing great content isn't enough; people need to know it exists. Here's how to promote effectively without spending money:
- Share on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram
- Join relevant groups: Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, forums in your niche
- Engage with other bloggers: Comment on their posts, share their content
- Email marketing: Start collecting email addresses from day one
- Pinterest: Great for driving traffic to blog posts
Step 7: Be Consistent and Patient
This is where most people fail. They publish five articles, see little traffic, and quit. Success in blogging requires consistency over months and years, not days.
Set a realistic publishing schedule you can maintain. Even if it's just one quality article per week, that's 52 articles in a year. That's enough to build significant traffic if the content is good and well-optimized.
My first six months: almost no traffic. My first year: barely 10,000 total views. My second year: started growing steadily. By year three: consistent monthly traffic in the hundreds of thousands. It takes time, but it's worth it.
Step 8: Monetize When You're Ready
Don't focus on making money immediately. Focus on providing value and building an audience first. But when you do have consistent traffic (typically after 6-12 months), here are monetization options:
- Google AdSense: Ads on your blog (need consistent traffic)
- Affiliate marketing: Promote products and earn commissions
- Sponsored content: Brands pay you to write about their products
- Digital products: Sell eBooks, courses, templates
- Consulting/coaching: Offer your expertise as a service
Key Takeaways
- Writing can transform from a simple hobby into a powerful platform for impact and income if you approach it with consistency, authenticity, and a genuine desire to serve your audience.
- You don't need perfect conditions to start writing—begin with what you have, where you are, and improve as you go. My journey started with a random notebook and a free blogging platform.
- Finding your unique voice and perspective is more valuable than trying to imitate successful writers. Your specific experiences and cultural context make your content irreplaceable.
- Building an audience takes time—expect 6-12 months before seeing significant traffic. Success requires patience, consistency, and faith in the process even when results aren't immediately visible.
- The challenges of being a Nigerian writer (power issues, internet problems, financial constraints) are real, but they're not insurmountable. Creativity and adaptation are your best tools.
- Write to serve, not just to be seen. When your primary goal is genuinely helping your readers solve problems or improve their lives, traffic and income follow naturally.
- Learn both the creative and business sides of blogging. Loving to write isn't enough—you need to understand SEO, marketing, analytics, and monetization strategies to build a sustainable platform.
- Build genuine relationships with your readers through engagement, responsiveness, and appreciation. Your most loyal audience members become friends and advocates for your content.
- Your first articles won't be your best, and that's okay. Every successful writer started with mediocre content. The key is to start, learn, improve, and keep going.
- The impact of your words extends far beyond what you can see—every article has the potential to change someone's situation, provide hope, or show them a better path forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to start making money from blogging in Nigeria?
Realistically, expect 6-12 months before you start earning anything significant. Most Nigerian bloggers apply for Google AdSense after reaching about 10,000-20,000 monthly views, which typically takes 6-9 months of consistent publishing. However, you can start earning earlier through affiliate marketing or sponsored posts if you build a engaged niche audience. Don't focus on money initially—focus on creating valuable content and building traffic first.
Do I need technical skills to start a blog?
No advanced technical skills required to start. Platforms like Blogger and WordPress.com are designed for beginners. You can learn everything through free YouTube tutorials. I had zero technical knowledge when I started—I learned as I went. The most important skill is writing well and understanding your audience, not coding or web design.
What niche should I choose for my Nigerian blog?
Choose a niche where you have both knowledge and passion. Popular profitable niches in Nigeria include: make money online, personal finance, small business guides, tech reviews, fashion and beauty, food and recipes, health and fitness, relationship advice, and career development. The key is being specific—instead of "lifestyle blog," choose "budget fashion for Nigerian working women" or "side hustles for Lagos residents."
How do I deal with power and internet issues as a Nigerian blogger?
Work offline as much as possible—write drafts in Word or Google Docs that you can publish later. Keep multiple network SIM cards as backup. Schedule your uploads for late night when internet is more stable. Invest in a good laptop battery or small inverter when you can afford it. Create a content calendar so you can batch-create multiple posts when you have good power and internet, then schedule them to publish over time.
Can I blog successfully using just my phone?
Yes, many Nigerian bloggers started on their phones. You can write, edit, and publish entirely from a smartphone using the Blogger app or WordPress app. However, a laptop makes things easier for longer articles, image editing, and managing multiple tasks. If you only have a phone, start there—you can upgrade to a laptop later when your blog starts generating income.
How often should I publish new content?
Quality matters more than quantity. Publishing one well-researched, valuable 2000-word article per week is better than publishing five shallow 300-word posts daily. Start with what you can consistently maintain—even once or twice per month is fine if the content is excellent. As you improve your process, you can increase frequency. I started with 2 posts per month, grew to weekly, and now publish 3-4 times per week.
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🚀 Ready to Start Your Own Writing Journey?
Join thousands of Nigerians who've turned their passion for writing into platforms that matter. Whether you want to build a blog, start a side hustle, or simply share your voice with the world, the best time to start is now.
Get in Touch with SamsonHave questions? Need guidance? I'm here to help you succeed.
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