Speaking during a seminar shared on his Instagram page, the veteran broadcaster offered a candid look at the early years of his career on the show, revealing that the glamorous image viewers saw on screen did not match his earnings at the time.
“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.
Despite the modest income by today’s standards, Edoho explained that maintaining a polished, confident on-air presence was part of the job—especially for a show built around luxury, high stakes, and life-changing prize money.
At the time, the figures he mentioned reflected a stronger purchasing power in Nigeria’s mid-2000s economy, when ₦100,000 could stretch far more than it does in today’s inflationary environment. Still, he admitted the disconnect between appearance and reality was striking.
His financial situation, however, shifted significantly after the telecom giant MTN came in as a sponsor, boosting the show’s commercial strength and his personal earnings.
According to him, that period also marked a turning point where he decided to take a more direct approach in negotiating his compensation.
“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?’”
While Edoho chose not to disclose the exact amount he proposed, he hinted that it was a substantial leap from his previous salary—one he initially doubted would be accepted.
“Once I mentioned the figure, okay, we’ll give you three months’ back pay,” he recalled.
The approval surprised him, and he immediately agreed to the offer, describing it as a major breakthrough moment in his career.
Beyond salary improvements, Edoho said the increased visibility and credibility opened more doors in the entertainment industry.
“The rewards came in. I was hosting events all over the place. I was flying and doing all kinds of things.”
He also used the opportunity to reflect on resilience and mindset during uncertain periods of his life, noting that success often requires emotional discipline.
“Although my life had some ups and downs and everything, but like they said, you know, 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.”
The revelations have sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians comparing Edoho’s early salary to current economic conditions shaped by naira depreciation and rising living costs. What once seemed modest—about ₦100,000 monthly—was, at the time, equivalent to roughly $700–$800 depending on exchange rates, and carried significantly higher purchasing power than it does today.
Many commenters also praised his confidence in negotiating better pay and his ability to maintain a successful public image despite early financial constraints, describing it as a blend of professionalism, strategy, and resilience.
Edoho’s tenure as host of the Nigerian edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? lasted more than a decade, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most respected and enduring television personalities.