Japa Diaries is a media, community, and events platform documenting what it means to build a life away from home.
Hosted by two Nigerians figuring it out as they go, Japa Diaries started as a podcast about the immigrant experience and has grown into a space for honest conversations about what happens before, during, and after you japa.
We talk immigration, careers, relationships, identity, money, culture, and everything in between (including the occasional “should we just move back?”).
Because leaving home is more than changing your location. It’s figuring out who you are, where you belong, and how to build a life that still feels like yours.
The Show
“Japa” is Nigerian slang for leaving, usually in search of something different or something better. But what happens after you leave?
That’s what we’re interested in.
Through candid conversations, personal stories, and conversations with people doing interesting things across the diaspora, we explore the realities of building a life between cultures.
From navigating immigration and international education to career pivots, language loss, relationships, identity, and finding your people, Japa Diaries makes space for the messy, funny, complicated, and sometimes unexpected parts of life abroad.
And because the diaspora doesn’t just exist online, Japa Diaries is also a place to connect IRL. Through our events and experiences, we bring people together to meet, play, learn, and build community beyond the podcast.
Events & Experiences
From game nights and watch parties to community gatherings and live experiences, we take Japa Diaries beyond the screen and into the real world.
Our events are designed to bring our community together to make new friends, discover new spaces, and have a genuinely good time while we’re at it.
Want to see what we’re up to IRL? Head to our Events page to learn more about our events and community experiences.
Meet Your Hosts
Abimisola
Executive Producer | Creative Producer
Abimisola is a storyteller, producer, and one half of Japa Diaries. With a background in media, communications, and journalism, she’s passionate about telling stories that make complicated things feel a little more human.
When she’s not behind the mic, she’s probably planning the next Japa Diaries event, making something, or convincing someone that leaving home is actually a personality trait.
Malik
Co-host | Operations Lead
Malik is a co-host of Japa Diaries and a double-degreed civil and architectural engineer. Having lived the immigrant experience firsthand, he joined his sister’s vision and somehow ended up five seasons deep.
When he’s not recording episodes or dropping gems on-air, he’s country-hopping, back on the football pitch, and nursing his latest round of Man United-inflicted wounds.