One day, Africans must sit down and have an honest conversation about black tax.
Across much of the continent, success quickly becomes communal property. The moment you are perceived to have “made it,” expectations multiply. Parents, siblings, cousins, classmates, neighbours, and entire communities begin to see your income as a shared resource. Refuse, and you risk being labelled mara tausayi, selfish, arrogant, or ungrateful.
Family support has always been one of Africa’s greatest strengths. It has helped millions survive poverty and weak public institutions. But there is a point where solidarity becomes entitlement.
That entitlement comes at a cost. It discourages savings, investment, and entrepreneurship. It also feeds corruption. Many people conclude that a successful relative or community member will always carry them, reducing the incentive to build their own future.
We see traces of this mindset in different forms. In northern Nigeria, generations of almajirai have depended on begging for food and alms, a practice shaped by poverty, social norms, and the failures of both the state and society. In many of our cities, the agbero culture has normalised aggressive demands for money from anyone perceived to have it. During streamer IShowSpeed’s visit to Nigeria, millions watched crowds relentlessly chase, surround, and demand money from him. That spectacle embarrassed many Nigerians because it reinforced a stereotype of entitlement. While versions of this exist elsewhere in Africa, the scale and visibility in Nigeria deserve honest reflection.
Most of us have lived this. You help a relative start a business. The money disappears. They return asking for more. When you finally say no, you become the villain. The bystanders defending them rarely know how much you have already given.
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has spoken publicly about the relentless financial demands that followed his success. His story resonates because it is familiar to millions.
The same culture partly explains why people like Aliko Dangote are often misunderstood. He is admired for his achievements, yet some criticise him for not distributing money as freely as public expectations demand. What is often overlooked is that wealth is sustained by discipline, boundaries, and long term thinking. Many people who appear wealthy end up broke because they spend their lives meeting endless demands.
This is not an argument against helping family. It is an argument for responsibility on both sides. Support should help people become independent, not permanently dependent.
Black tax is no longer just a private family issue. It is an economic and social challenge that Africa can no longer afford to ignore.
- Salkida is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of HumAngle Media
