Frank Edoho, the iconic host of Nigeria’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, has revealed that his first salary on the hit game show was just a little over ₦100,000 a month, despite the opulent image he projected on screen.

Speaking at a seminar in a video shared on his Instagram page, Edoho recounted how the glamour of prime-time television contrasted sharply with his early earnings.

“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, recalling the pressure to look successful even when his finances were modest.

According to him, everything changed when telecommunications giant MTN came on board as a major sponsor of the show. Sensing a shift in the programme’s commercial value, Edoho decided it was time to renegotiate his contract 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 paid?’” Edoho narrated. He declined to reveal the exact amount he requested but described it as a bold figure he never expected would be approved.

To his surprise, the response was immediate and generous. “Once I mentioned the figure, [he said] okay, we’ll give you three months’ back pay,” Edoho recounted. He accepted on the spot, marking a turning point in his career and finances.

The improved pay packet opened doors beyond the studio. “The rewards came in. I was hosting events all over the place. I was flying and doing all kinds of things,” he said, describing how the show’s visibility transformed him into one of the country’s most sought-after masters of ceremonies.

Edoho also reflected on the personal struggles that ran parallel to his rise. “Although my life had some ups and downs and everything, but like they said, it’s just the same microcosm of you facing trouble in your business… learn how to compartmentalise and just push it aside, concentrate your eyes on the prize.”

His revelation has sparked debate online, with many Nigerians noting that over ₦100,000 in the mid-2000s, when the naira was stronger and inflation lower, carried far more weight than it does today. Others have hailed his story as a lesson in perseverance, image management and the power of negotiating one’s worth.

Edoho went on to host Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for more than 13 years, cementing his status as one of Nigeria’s most recognisable and respected television personalities.