Come Saturday, February 14, 24-year-old Lagos resident Tunji won’t be scrambling for a restaurant reservation in Lekki. Instead, the IT Support specialist plans to cook rice and chicken at his Iyana-Ipaja home with his girlfriend, light a few scented candles, and play a curated playlist from his phone. The entire Valentine’s Day date should cost him N50,000 ($37), including the thoughtful and reasonably-priced gift he bought for his girl but refused to disclose to us.
“I asked ChatGPT for romantic but affordable Valentine’s Day ideas, and it gave me this plan” he told this reporter through the phone. “In this economy, one needs to think outside the box lest you bankrupt yourself.”
Many Nigerian GenZs share Tunji’s point of view, especially the young men who are traditionally expected to plan, sponsor, and execute date nights, especially on special occasions like Valentine’s Day. To cope, some of them are also now relying on AI to act as their financial adviser.
Love during a Cost-of-Living Crisis
Across Lagos, Valentine’s Day used to mean packed restaurants, traffic around waterfront lounges, and social media posts featuring expensive desserts and matching outfits. This year, the tone may be a little different… less extravagant.
Nigeria’s economic strain has made dating a financial decision as much as it is an emotional one. According to the latest Consumer Price Index report from the National Bureau of Statistics, the country’s headline inflation rate stood at 15.15% in December 2025, reflecting still-elevated price pressures on essentials like food, transport and accommodation even as overall inflation eased from earlier peaks in the year. Food inflation alone was recorded at 10.84% in December, underscoring how staples continue to take a heavy bite out of household budgets
Meanwhile, wage growth has remained largely stagnant, particularly for young workers entering the labour market. Consequently, the gap between earnings and expenses has reshaped lifestyle decisions. Eating out is no longer casual. It is strategic.
Tunji said last year’s Valentine’s dinner cost nearly half his monthly salary. “I remember calculating my account balance after the date and realising that lovereally does cost a lot,” he joked. This year, he wanted something meaningful but sustainable. ChatGPT suggested storytelling, games and a shared movie along with cooking together, instead of dining out. Luckily for him, his girlfriend bought into the idea.
AI Rescues Dating
For 27-year-old Mohammed, a PR executive living in Ikeja, AI rescued him from dating-related financial ruin. He started using ChatGPT in 2025 after his friends shared prompts in group chats. “I typed, Imagine I earn N500,000 monthly, and I want regular dates without financial stress, what should I do” he recalled. The AI responded with a structured weekly plan designed around affordability and routine rather than spectacle.
Now, instead of occasional expensive outings, he and his girlfriend meet more frequently. Some evenings, they eat snacks, cuddle up in his sofa and recount their days or gossip about their friends. Other nights, they walk around Ikeja GRA and debate which of the streets and houses are finer.
“It changed the psychology of dating for us,” Mohammed said. “Dating stopped feeling a performance review. And most importantly, it relieved me of the financial strain of having to pay for overpriced meals and uber fares. In this tough economy, that’s a life saver.”
Economic data suggest that Mohammed is not alone. A staggering percentage of young people in the West African country are either unemployed or underemployed. For the ones who do have jobs, the monthly remuneration is often too small to cover discretionary spending like date nights. Nonetheless, young people in love have to find a way to keep the romance alive, hence the reason they are resorting to new trends, thanks to AI.
Note that Mohammed does intend to take his woman out tomorrow night, in line with his trend of only spending on date-nights on very special occasions.
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