I looked rich on TV but my salary told a different story — Frank Edoho

Veteran television host Frank Edoho has revealed that his monthly salary during the first two years of hosting Nigeria’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was just over ₦100,000, even as he projected an image of wealth and polish on air.

Edoho made the disclosure at a seminar, in a video posted on his Instagram page on Tuesday, recounting how he dressed the part of affluence while earning a modest income.

“On Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the first two years of my salary per month was a hundred and something thousand naira. But I had to wear a suit as if I owned all the money,” he said.

His fortunes changed when MTN came on board as a sponsor.

Edoho said he seized the moment to negotiate directly with the production company’s owner, proposing a figure he did not fully expect to be accepted.

“Once I mentioned the figure, okay, we’ll give you three months’ back pay,” he recalled, adding that he immediately accepted the offer. He declined to disclose the amount.

The improved pay opened doors to broader opportunities.

“The rewards came in. I was hosting events all over the place. I was flying and doing all kinds of things,” he said.

Edoho also reflected on personal setbacks along the way, urging his audience to compartmentalise difficulties and remain focused.

“Learn how to compartmentalise and just push it aside, concentrate your eyes on the prize,” he said.

The revelation has generated widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians contrasting the relative value of ₦100,000 in the mid-2000s — when it converted to roughly $700 to $800 at an exchange rate of about ₦130 to the dollar — with today’s economic realities of naira devaluation and high inflation. Others praised Edoho’s negotiation instincts and his ability to project confidence ahead of his financial breakthrough.

Edoho hosted the Nigerian version of the global franchise for over 13 years and remains one of the country’s most recognised television personalities.