Wellness and the Economy: Why Collective Wealth is Vital for the Nation

Can an entire month’s salary buy enough nutritious food to feed a family for a month?
For many Nigerians today, the answer is no.
That single reality tells us more about the nation’s health than many hospital statistics ever could.

When people cannot afford nutritious food, delay seeking medical care because of cost, or live with the daily stress of wondering how to make ends meet, wellness becomes about far more than eating right or exercising regularly. It becomes a reflection of the economic conditions in which people live.

This brings us to an important but often overlooked concept: shared prosperity.
The World Bank defines shared prosperity as improving the incomes and wellbeing of the bottom 40 per cent of a country’s population. Simply put, it is the idea that economic growth should improve the lives of ordinary people—not just a privileged few.

Why should this matter to those of us concerned about health?

Because wellness does not exist in a vacuum.
Our physical health, mental wellbeing, emotional resilience and quality of life are profoundly influenced by the opportunities available within our communities. In many respects, the healthiest societies are not simply the wealthiest—they are those where prosperity is more broadly shared.

The World Health Organization has long recognised that health is shaped by much more than hospitals and medicines. Income, education, employment, housing, transportation, food security and safe neighbourhoods—collectively known as the social determinants of health—often have as much influence on our wellbeing as medical care itself.

Consider two families.

One family thrives on secure employment and a steady income, living in a neighborhood where good schools, quality healthcare, and safe parks are just around the corner. The other struggles month after month, stretching every naira to cover rent, put nutritious meals on the table, and keep the lights on.

The difference between these households extends far beyond their bank accounts. It influences the quality of food on the table, the ability to seek medical care early, opportunities for physical activity, stress levels, sleep quality, and, ultimately, life expectancy.

Financial insecurity places the body under constant stress. While our stress response was designed to protect us from short-term danger, chronic financial pressure keeps stress hormones elevated for prolonged periods. Over time, this increases the risk of hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, and weakened immunity.
In many ways, economic inequality eventually becomes health inequality.

Perhaps this explains why some of the healthiest countries in the world are not merely wealthy, but intentional about ensuring that prosperity is widely shared.
Take Singapore, for example. Today, the country enjoys one of the highest life expectancies in the world—about 83 years—alongside one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. While Singapore’s economic success is well known, researchers frequently attribute its impressive health outcomes to the way that prosperity has been translated into opportunity. Nearly 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in quality government-supported housing within communities that provide easy access to healthcare, schools, parks and efficient public transport. Investments in education, preventive healthcare and thoughtfully designed neighbourhoods have made healthy living accessible to the majority rather than the preserve of a wealthy minority.

Singapore did not become healthier simply because it became wealthier; it became healthier because its policies ensured that prosperity translated into better housing, healthcare, education and opportunities for ordinary citizens.

Research from England tells a similar story.
In one study involving 324 local authorities over almost a decade, researchers found that communities experiencing the greatest improvements in employment and household income also experienced the greatest gains in life expectancy. Every one per cent reduction in unemployment was associated with an increase in life expectancy of approximately 2.2 months for men and 1.7 months for women. Simply put, when opportunity expanded, people did not merely earn more—they lived longer.

These findings hold profound lessons for Nigeria.

In 2024, Nigeria increased the national minimum wage to ₦70,000 per month. While this represented progress, inflation has significantly reduced its purchasing power. Today, depending on the market and location, a 50kg bag of rice often costs between ₦75,000 and over ₦100,000.

Think about what that means.

If an entire month’s salary cannot purchase one bag of rice, what remains for eggs, fish, beans, milk, vegetables and fruit? What remains for transport to the hospital, blood pressure medication, children’s school fees or opportunities for recreation?

Healthy living gradually becomes less about personal choice and more about financial capacity.

This is where the concept of health poverty becomes relevant.

Health poverty is not simply the absence of money. It is the absence of the resources needed to live a healthy life. It describes a situation where people are prevented from making healthy choices because those choices have become financially inaccessible.
A parent who skips meals so the children can eat, a patient who delays purchasing prescribed medication because rent is due, or a worker who ignores early symptoms of illness because taking time off means losing income—all are experiencing health poverty.
Yet, in many African societies, there is another layer to this conversation that deserves attention: black tax.

Black tax refers to the financial responsibility many working adults carry for parents, siblings, extended family members and sometimes entire households. It is born out of love, gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. Many of us were raised by families and communities that made enormous sacrifices to educate us, support us, or help us get established in life. Giving back is not only admirable; it reflects one of the greatest strengths of our culture.

Nevertheless, these profoundly meaningful commitments can become a source of immense strain when a limited number of individuals are left to carry the collective weight.

A young professional may finally secure a good job, only to discover that one salary is expected to pay school fees for younger siblings, cover medical bills for ageing parents, contribute to family ceremonies, support unemployed relatives and respond to an endless stream of financial emergencies. Likewise, many Nigerians who relocate abroad in search of greener pastures often discover that earning in pounds, euros or dollars does not necessarily translate into financial freedom. Behind the perception of prosperity is often the reality of working long hours to support multiple households across continents.

In recent years, there have been heartbreaking reports of young Nigerians in the diaspora who died after working relentlessly, sometimes holding multiple jobs while trying to meet financial obligations both abroad and back home. While each of these tragedies has its own unique circumstances, they remind us of an uncomfortable truth: relentless financial pressure can take a devastating toll on physical and mental health. Chronic stress, inadequate sleep, burnout and neglect of one’s own health are all recognised risk factors for serious illness.
Black tax therefore reminds us that prosperity should not be measured solely by what an individual earns, but also by what they are expected to carry. A person may appear financially successful on paper while privately experiencing financial strain, emotional exhaustion and declining health because one income is sustaining many lives.

This brings us back to the importance of shared prosperity. When economic opportunities are more widely available, fewer families become dependent on a single breadwinner. More people can contribute. The responsibility of caring for loved ones becomes shared rather than concentrated, reducing the physical, emotional, and financial burden on any one individual. In this way, shared prosperity protects not only household incomes, but also the health and wellbeing of the people carrying those responsibilities.

It is easy to tell people to “eat more vegetables,” “exercise regularly,” or “go for annual health screenings.” These are important recommendations. However, they become increasingly difficult to follow when every financial decision is a trade-off between survival and wellbeing.

This is why conversations about minimum wage should never be viewed purely through an economic lens. They are equally conversations about nutrition, mental health, chronic disease prevention and life expectancy.

Income, in many respects, is a health intervention.

This does not diminish personal responsibility. We must each continue striving to make the healthiest choices possible within our circumstances. But personal responsibility flourishes best when supported by environments that make healthy choices realistic rather than aspirational.

Shared prosperity is therefore not solely the responsibility of government. Businesses contribute by paying fair wages and investing in employee wellbeing. Schools contribute by teaching lifelong healthy habits.

Communities strengthen social wellbeing by supporting local businesses, mentoring young people and caring for vulnerable neighbours. Healthcare professionals educate and empower people to prevent disease rather than simply treat it.

As a wellness coach, I have observed that sustainable health is rarely achieved in isolation. People thrive when they have supportive families, healthy workplaces and communities that expand opportunities instead of limiting them.

Perhaps this is the most important lesson of all: a nation’s wealth should not only be measured by the size of its economy, but by whether ordinary people can care for themselves, support those they love and still have the financial, physical and emotional capacity to live healthy and dignified lives.

When one person’s income must sustain an entire family, prosperity is fragile. When opportunities are shared across society, responsibility is shared too. And when responsibility is shared, the burden becomes lighter, families become more resilient, and communities become healthier.

Shared prosperity is much more than an economic aspiration. It is a public health strategy. It reduces stress, improves nutrition, extends life expectancy, and strengthens communities.

When prosperity is shared, wellness is shared.
And when wellness is shared, the entire nation becomes stronger.

Thank you for reading. Until next time.

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