A Nigerian man identified simply as Anthony has opened up in a deeply emotional revelation about what he describes as his biggest life regret — losing almost all his savings to a failed stock market investment, an incident that completely altered the trajectory of his future and shattered his migration dreams.
During a candid street interview with content creator @ekaftv, Anthony narrated how, as a hopeful secondary school student, he gathered courage and invested approximately ₦400,000 into the Nigerian Stock Exchange. At the time, he believed that the move would secure his future and provide him the financial foundation to achieve his dreams of traveling abroad. However, things took a drastic turn when the 2007–2008 global financial crisis struck, causing his shares to crash drastically and plummet to a mere ₦30,000.
Anthony recounted that at some point his investment had actually appreciated to nearly ₦500,000, fueling his confidence that he was on the right path. But the unexpected collapse of the market wiped out almost everything, leaving him devastated. He revealed that he had secured a visa to relocate to South Africa and had already made plans to pursue better opportunities, but the financial loss forced him to abandon those dreams entirely.
“One of the deepest heartbreaks of my life remains the investment I made when I was in secondary school. I genuinely thought that if I invested, it would shape my destiny and give my life meaning. I put over ₦400,000 into the stock exchange, only to discover during the 2007–2008 crash that my portfolio had shrunk to less than ₦30,000. It was so painful because, despite having a valid visa, I couldn’t travel anymore. My dream of starting life afresh abroad ended there,” Anthony recalled, holding back tears.
He further revealed that the investment was managed under Vision Trust, which later rebranded to Harmony. Although he admitted that the value of the shares has seen some recovery in more recent years, the damage had already been done, and the setback left scars that shaped his outlook on financial investments.
Reflecting deeply on the missed opportunities, Anthony said the biggest mistake of his life was ignoring sound advice to invest in landed properties instead. According to him, land was being sold for as little as ₦50,000 at the time, but he turned it down, believing stocks were the better option. Today, he says that single decision remains one of his greatest regrets.
“Someone advised me back then to buy land for about ₦50,000, but I ignored it. If I had listened and invested in properties, I could have been a multimillionaire today. Looking back, I realize how much of an opportunity I lost, and it pains me deeply. That’s why I personally cannot advise anyone to put their money into shares again. My experience was too bitter,” he said with regret.
The story has since sparked conversations online, with many Nigerians sympathizing with Anthony’s plight while also drawing lessons on financial literacy, diversification, and the importance of long-term investments in assets such as land and real estate. His heartbreaking story serves as a cautionary tale to young people about the risks of putting all their savings into volatile markets without adequate guidance.
Watch the video of Anthony’s emotional revelation below …
@ekaftvIf you could erase one heartbreak or pain from your life, what would it be? #fyp #viral #fypsounds
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