A Nigerian man has gone viral after revealing that he earned an annual salary of $120,000 while working at Shell in 2012 before eventually leaving paid employment to build his own business. In a post shared on X, the man, identified as @AskMichaelTaiwo, said his salary doubled by 2022 following several promotions.
However, he explained that discovering a confidential internal document showing senior employees’ salaries made him realise his maximum earning potential at the company was about $480,000 annually.
According to him, he did not want to spend another decade following the same career path. He recalled quietly wishing to leave Shell on his 40th birthday, a decision he later fulfilled.
The man further disclosed that his business generated $500,000 in gross revenue in 2024 before growing to $1 million the following year. He credited his journey to faith in God, self-belief and trusting his instincts.