When Jennifer Okpechi (31) moved to the UK in 2023, she had no idea that the stock market would become her lifeline. What started as a side hustle back in Nigeria has now grown into a full-time career that has grown her money by almost �100,000 in just two years. Heres how she made it work.
I moved to the UK in 2023 for my masters degree. The plan was simple: come here to study and then return home. But after settling in, I decided to stay a bit longer. I often describe it as being on an extended holiday.
I started out in Portsmouth, where I completed a postgraduate degree in Digital Business Management. Like many other immigrants, I worked in healthcare support jobs before securing a full-time consulting role, which I eventually quit when sponsorship wasnt forthcoming. In April 2025, I relocated to Manchester, hoping it would expose me to bigger opportunities and, ideally, a job with visa sponsorship.
That hasnt happened yet. Ive been without a 9-to-5 for four months now. Instead, I doubled down on investing, trading stock options and steadily growing my portfolio. Since moving to the UK, Ive built my stock portfolio to nearly �100,000.
It may look like a sudden leap, but its really the product of years of practice and discipline. Id been learning about investing since I was 16, when my parents drilled the habit into me. Money working for me always felt natural because I grew up watching it happen. My dad was deeply invested in real estate, while my mum preferred financial instruments.
That curiosity led me to experiment early. In my first year of university, I got into fixed-income products like treasury bills, eurobonds, and FGN bonds. The returns were high, steady, and reliable. Those investments became my foundation, bringing in a stream of passive income I could count on, and partly funding my relocation alongside my parents support.
Becoming a full-time investor in the UK wasnt the original plan, but it became the most practical one. My attempts to secure sponsorship at my former company failed, and job applications were exhausting. Recruiters only seemed interested in my visa status, and the constant rejections wore me down. Job hunting felt like a job in itself, only without the paycheck. And I knew I had skills I could monetise without waiting for anyones approval.
So I made a choice: stop chasing jobs, refine my trading skills and rebalance my investments, while establishing my presence as an investment thought leader online. When I ran the numbers, I realised I could live comfortably if I consistently made �100�200 daily from the market, mostly through stock options trading. That became the goal.
It wasnt easy. I had to unlearn and relearn strategies and commit fully. But its finally paying off. Now, I earn up to �200 or more daily from trading.
Since quitting my job in February, this has been my reality. If I keep going at this pace, I can eventually sponsor myself in UK terms, that means proving I can fund my stay without an employer. I still have about a year left on my visa, but the consistency of my income, from both trading and the fintech AI startup Im building, puts me in a strong position.
That stability also gives me options: I could apply for a Global Talent Visa, set up my startup to sponsor me directly, or even explore opportunities in other countries. Either way, I wont be boxed in.
My first real taste of the stock market came in 2019, when MTN launched on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. That was my very first stock purchase.
Around the same time, Bamboo, a Nigerian app that allowed direct access to U.S. stocks, also launched. I signed up immediately and bought my first shares.
- �700k spread across Okomu Oil, Dangote Cement & tier-one banks
Back then, I was a business development manager for a luxury goods company, earning about �500,000�700,000 a month plus bonuses. Almost everything I earned went into investments.
At first, stocks were just one slice of a larger portfolio. But soon, I realised their unique edge: unlike treasury bills or bonds, they gave me two returns capital gains when prices went up, and dividends when companies paid them out. That combination hooked me. Stocks became the centrepiece of my investment journey, not just a hedge against inflation but a vehicle where money could multiply faster than I had ever seen.
But when I moved, I had to start building my portfolio almost from scratch.
My old Bamboo account still holds about $14k worth of stocks Id built over the years, but I leave that largely untouched to grow long-term.
In the UK, I manage my portfolio through platforms like Trading 212, eToro and Robinhood, which offer commission-free trading and instant buying and selling. For the first time, investing felt less like a side hustle and more like a full-fledged commitment.
These platforms also introduced me to stock options trading, which I never had access to in Nigeria.
Stock investing involves buying and holding shares to grow wealth over time, while stock options trading is short-term. I trade on the rise and fall of stock prices, and thats how I currently make around �200 a day.
When I moved to the UK, I didnt arrive with a big pot of money to throw into the stock market. I started with about $2,000 and topped up month after month.
- My previous 9-to-5 as a digital business consultant
- Side hustles like affiliate marketing and brand collaborations
- My paid investment group of 300+ members
I dont leave money lying around. Even �20 sitting in my account for a few days feels wasted; Id rather put it in the market. My friends joke that if I say Im broke, it just means Ive invested all my money. Theyre not wrong.
That discipline helped my stock portfolio reach �100k in over two years not just from what I put in, but from capital gains, reinvested profits, and steady growth.
Right now, I balance between growth and income stocks:
- 75% Growth Stocks: Palantir, Tesla, Nvidia, Broadcom, Netflix, Meta
- 25% High-Yield Income Stocks: REIT funds, ETFs, Index funds
Options trading has been another big part of my growth. I dont trade every day, but I aim to make �100200 when I do. That consistency, dollar-cost averaging, and avoiding greed have kept me profitable.
This year, my biggest stock market wins came from Palantir and Netflix:
- Palantir: I put in �5,000 last year and made �30,000 when the stocks surged
- Netflix: I bought during a dip in early 2025, and made over �10,000
My portfolio is at its peak this year. My strategy is simple: keep rebalancing, buy good companies stocks at the right time, and never panic sell. Losses are temporary; the value always comes back if you hold strong stocks.
Ive seen firsthand how fast money can grow once its working for you. Over time, investing has shifted from curiosity to obsession, and now its the backbone of my dream to retire early and live free.
Im not where I want to be yet financially. I think big and like chasing big things; thats why Im still hustling. People think because I dont have a 9-to-5, I must have it all figured out, but honestly, Im still working towards my FIRE number the amount of money I need invested to cover my living expenses indefinitely without working. In other words, the point at which my investments generate enough passive income to fund my lifestyle comfortably. I dont have a specific amount in mind, but I know Im not there yet.
If I moved back to Nigeria today, that number would already feel within reach; Id probably be living like a baller. But in the UK, the bar is much higher. Lifestyle costs, taxes, and inflation all push the target further out, making the journey more demanding.
For me, success is simple: peace, freedom, happiness, good food, and the ability to sleep without stress. Thats what Im chasing.
When I pick stocks, I keep it practical. I only buy companies backed by strong products, services, and leadership. If a company isnt adapting to new technology, especially AI, itll fall behind. I ask: Does this company solve a real problem? Even if I dont need the product, do others rely on it? That mindset has paid off, but investing isnt about greed. Its about conviction, patience, and discipline.
In the next 35 years, I want to be job-optional, living off my portfolio as a full-time investor while scaling my startup. Im building Money Bestie, an AI-powered financial coaching app. Its the tool I wish I had when I started, giving people personalised, practical financial advice.
At the end of the day, life itself is one long gamble. Investing taught me that while you cant escape risk, you can decide the kind you take. Learning to choose my risks with intention has transformed my life in ways I never imagined.
