My first salary on WWTBAM was N100k+ – Frank Edoho

Veteran Nigerian TV host Frank Edoho has opened up about the modest pay he earned when he first began hosting the popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, while still maintaining an image of wealth and sophistication on screen

Speaking at a seminar in a video shared on his Instagram page, Edoho recalled that in the first two years of hosting the show, his monthly salary was a little over ₦100,000, even though he appeared in expensive suits and projected the lifestyle of affluence.

“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.

He explained that his earnings improved significantly after telecom giant MTN came in as a sponsor of the programme.

According to him, the change in sponsorship gave him the confidence to renegotiate his pay directly with the production company’s owner.

“When MTN came on, I just said, let me just give a figure to my boss… He said, ‘How much are you going to be paying?’”

Although he did not disclose the exact amount he requested, Edoho said the response surprised him positively, as the offer was accepted and even included three months’ back pay.

“Once I mentioned the figure, okay, we’ll give you three months’ back pay,” he recalled, adding that he immediately agreed to the arrangement.

He further noted that better financial rewards followed, including increased event hosting gigs and frequent travel 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 the resilience required to navigate early career struggles, noting that success often involves learning to stay focused despite personal challenges.

His revelation has since sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians comparing his early earnings to current economic conditions amid inflation and currency devaluation.