300 Surveyed Nigerians: What Nigerians Really Want for Their Birthdays

To better understand what Nigerians really want for their birthdays, Trelluna analysed a survey dataset representing 300 Nigerian adult consumer profiles across different ages, genders, cities, budgets and relationship statuses. The findings reveal a clear gap between the gifts people usually buy and the gifts recipients actually value most. 

Be honest: when a Nigerian says, “Don’t stress yourself; anything is fine,” there is still a good chance the birthday gift they really want is money.

It could arrive as a bank alert. It could be placed inside a card. Or, for a more dramatic birthday reveal, it could come as a money bouquet.

That does not mean Nigerians no longer appreciate cakes, flowers, teddy bears or beautifully arranged gift boxes. It simply means that the most attractive gift is not always the one the recipient values most after the celebration ends.

To explore that difference, Trelluna created an editorial model containing 300 adult Nigerian consumer profiles. The sample was concentrated in South West Nigeria, with substantial representation from Abuja and Port Harcourt.

The clear winner is cash, transfer or money bouquet

In the model, 44% of recipients selected cash, a bank transfer or a money bouquet as their first-choice birthday gift.

Personalised gifts came second at 15%, followed by practical fashion, home or work items at 13%.

Flowers, teddy bears and balloons appeared frequently among the gifts buyers selected, but only 2% of recipients ranked them first.

This does not make decorative gifts useless. It means they may work better as supporting characters.

A small cake, a thoughtful note and a ₦50,000 money bouquet may feel more valuable.

A money bouquet can offer the best of both worlds: the excitement of a physical presentation and the freedom of cash.

Gen Z wants flexibility

Cash, transfers and money bouquets led among both generations, but the preference was much stronger among younger recipients.

Among Gen Z profiles, 54.9% selected the combined money-gift category. Among millennials, the figure was 31.2%.

For Gen Z, money offers options. It can go toward data, transport, an outing, clothes, savings, a phone upgrade or something already sitting in an online shopping cart.

Millennials still liked money gifts, but practical and personalised presents performed more strongly among them. Their ideal birthday gift was more likely to combine flexibility with long-term usefulness.

The message is not that every young Nigerian wants only money. It is that younger recipients are more likely to say, “Give me the value and let me decide what to do with it.”

Men and women agree on money—but differ after that

The combined money-gift category led among both men and women.

Among men, 50.7% selected cash, a transfer or a money bouquet. Practical items and technology followed.

Among women, the combined category received 37.7%, followed by experiences at 20.1% and personalised gifts at 13%.

Single recipients want freedom; married recipients value usefulness

Among single profiles, 50.8% selected cash, a bank transfer or a money bouquet.

Among married profiles, the category still ranked first, but at a lower 33%. Practical and personalised gifts followed at 17.4% each.

This may reflect different life stages.

Single recipients may want money toward personal plans, outings or purchases. Married recipients may place more value on something useful, durable or chosen especially for them.

One useful rule: a married person’s birthday gift should still feel like their personal gift—not an unofficial contribution to the whole household.

The budget sweet spot is ₦50,000 to ₦200,000

The model suggests that the strongest birthday-gift budget range sits between ₦50,000 and ₦200,000.

The point is not simply to spend more. It is to spend more of the budget on what the recipient actually values.

A ₦100,000 gift does not automatically become thoughtful because it arrives in a giant box. The recipient may prefer a ₦70,000 money bouquet, a small cake and a personal message.

Because budgets below ₦20,000 were excluded, these figures should not be treated as the average amount Nigerians spend on birthday gifts.

The city results still point toward money gifts

The model included Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Abeokuta, Osogbo, Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Ile-Ife, Enugu, Benin City, Kano and Kaduna.

Cash, bank transfers or money bouquets led in every city with a reasonably usable modelled base.

The category was strongest in Port Harcourt, where 50% selected it, followed by Lagos at 47.8%.

It received 41.7% in Ado-Ekiti and Ile-Ife, 40.5% in Ibadan, and 38.9% in Abuja, Osogbo and Akure.

Abuja showed comparatively more interest in personalised gifts and experiences, while practical items performed more strongly in Ibadan and Abeokuta.

The smallest city groups should be treated only as directional because their sample sizes were too limited for broad conclusions.

Physical gifts still beat experiences when money is removed

When money gifts were removed and recipients had to choose between a physical item and an experience of equal value, 58% selected the physical gift and 42% chose the experience.

The result was much closer among Gen Z:

Gen Z: 52% physical gift, 48% experience

Millennials: 65% physical gift, 35% experience

Experiences therefore remain an important birthday category.

A dinner, spa booking, concert ticket, cinema date, short trip or planned activity can feel more memorable than another item that ends up in a cupboard.

A strong combination is a small physical present plus an experience—or a money bouquet presented with an invitation to spend part of it on something memorable.

The ideal Nigerian birthday gift may be a combination

The model suggests that money and thoughtfulness do not have to compete.

Cash, a bank transfer or a money bouquet can still feel deeply personal when paired with:

• A handwritten message

• A small customised item

• The recipient’s favourite cake or snack

• Flowers they genuinely like

• A planned outing or experience

That is where a curated gifting service can add value. The money provides freedom, while the presentation makes the birthday feel special.