15/01/2026
If you have ever borrowed money from a loan app before, I beg you… SIT DOWN AND READ THIS POST.
Because what you are about to read is not just about debt.
It is about your mental health, your family, your peace, and your future.
One of my followers sent me a DM (I will keep him anonymous).
He said:
“Sheyi, since February 2024 I was sick… we had no money for treatment… me and my wife borrowed online loan from two apps.
Now the calls are too much. I have fainted twice. I tried begging them to purge the interest but they refused.
Sir, how can you help me?”
First of all… brother… I’m sorry.
And I want everybody reading this to understand something:
Debt is not shameful.
Sickness is not a crime.
Asking for help is wisdom.
Now, let me be very honest with you:
The main danger here is not the debt.
The main danger is that loan apps use fear as weapon.
They don’t just want to collect money.
They want to collect your confidence.
They want to collect your mind.
They want to collect your peace.
But today, let me reset everything.
Many loan apps in Nigeria are not behaving like normal lenders.
They behave like:
debt collectors
street thugs
emotional terrorists
They will call you 100 times, threaten you, call your contacts, shame you.
And the truth is:
They are doing it because it works on most people, not when you know their secret and weakness.
Fear is their business model.
As your Financial Literacy Advocate, let me explain this better with a Simple Story.
Imagine:
Mama Ngozi sells tomatoes.
She borrowed ₦80,000 from a loan app because her son was sick.
After 2 weeks, the app said she should pay ₦145,000.
She started shaking.
Each time her phone rings, her heart will jump.
She started losing customers because she can’t even sell again peacefully.
Now tell me…
Is that debt again?
No.
That is slavery with data and phone calls.
So what did Mama Ngozi do?
She stopped panicking.
She sat down.
She wrote her debt down.
And she took control.
That is what you will do too.
HERE'S A STEP-BY-STEP: HOW TO ESCAPE LOAN APP DEBT IN NIGERIA
STEP 1: STOP FEAR FIRST (your life first)
I’m telling you this as your financial mentor:
No debt is worth your life.
If you have fainted twice, it means:
your body is already in emergency mode.
So from today:
Put your health first
Eat well
Sleep
Reduce stress
Talk to your wife openly
Don’t carry it alone
STEP 2: WRITE YOUR FULL DEBT LIST (this is your weapon)
You cannot fight what you don’t understand.
Write everything like this:
1. Loan app name
2. Amount borrowed
3. Amount they want you to pay
4. Due date
5. Penalty per day
6. Total outstanding
Bring it out from your head and put it on paper.
In Finance....
Debt inside head = depression
Debt on paper = strategy
STEP 3: STOP BORROWING TO PAY BORROWING
This is where most people die financially.
They borrow from App A to pay App B.
Then borrow from App C to pay App A.
Now they are owing 6 apps.
Brother… that is how people enter loan app prison.
STOP IT TODAY.
No more borrowing from loan app to solve loan app.
STEP 4: NEGOTIATE LIKE A HUMAN BEING (Not Like A Beggar)
This is how you will message them:
“Good day. I acknowledge the debt.
I am currently financially down due to health issues.
I can pay ₦X weekly/monthly.
I’m requesting a restructuring and waiver of penalties.
If you agree, I will start payment immediately.”
Then you wait.
If they refuse and keep abusing you…
do not argue.
Just move to Step 5.
STEP 5: PAY PRINCIPAL FIRST (this is a secret)
I am telling you this as an Accountant:
Loan apps will frustrate you with interest.
But the truth is:
Many times they can reduce interest, but they won’t tell you.
So your strategy is:
Start paying small-small but consistently
Even if it is:
₦5,000 weekly
₦10,000 every 2 weeks
₦20,000 monthly
Because consistent payment gives you power in negotiation.
Once you pay part of principal:
your fear reduces
your confidence increases
their threats reduce
STEP 6: TAKE BACK YOUR PHONE (This one is Very Important)
Loan apps operate through phone access.
Do these immediately:
Change your passwords
Remove app permissions (contacts, media, calls)
Block abusive numbers
Put DND if necessary
Inform family members:
“Anybody that calls you about loan, ignore them.”
That shame tactic works ONLY when you’re hiding.
Once you’re bold, it loses power.
STEP 7: CREATE A “DEBT EXIT PLAN” (3 Bucket System, I have said this before)
This one is practical:
From any money that enters your hand, divide it:
Bucket A: Food + health + transport (survival)
Bucket B: Debt payment (consistent)
Bucket C: Small savings (even ₦500 daily)
Yes, save small.
Because if you don’t save small, one emergency will send you back to loan apps again.
Brother, you are not in problem because you borrowed.
You are in problem because:
you borrowed without structure
you borrowed without safety net
you borrowed from a wrong lender
And let me tell everybody reading this:
Loan apps are not financial help.
Many of them are financial traps.
They don’t save people.
They catch people.
Here's my Advice To Him (And To You Reading)
From today:
Stop panic
Start structure
Pay with strategy
Protect your health
Protect your family
Never borrow again without a plan
Because debt is not a death sentence…
But unmanaged debt is a weapon.
If you are reading this and you are in debt
Type “your experience” in the comment section.
Let other people learn from your courage.
This year, we must stop suffering in silence.
*Sheyi Brown