Former Nigerian senator Dino Melaye has caused a stir online after claiming that buying a goat at age 12 set him on the path to financial independence and helped fund his university education.
Melaye made the claim during an appearance on the KAA Truths podcast on August 14, 2026, where he spoke about investment decisions he said began before his political career.
He said: “At the age of 12, I bought a goat. And this goat would give birth, and I would sell the offspring of the goat to pay my school fees in secondary school. From the offspring of that goat, I paid for my WAEC, paid for my JAMB, I paid for my first year and second year in Ahmadu Bello University.”
Melaye said his investments later went beyond livestock. At 18, he began investing internationally and later bought Eurobonds about 27 years ago, when the Euro traded at 60 naira to 1 Euro. He said he left the investment untouched and reinvested the dividends.
He also claimed to have invested early in Apple, Microsoft, Uber and Zoom. Speaking about Zoom, he said: “Then COVID came, and Zoom went times 400.”
He added that he has operated franchise businesses in America for over 20 years, growing from one outlet to several.
Addressing claims that his wealth came from politics, Melaye said: “I’ve been out of public office since 2019. Seven years ago, my standards have not dropped.”
His claims drew sceptical reactions online, with some Nigerians questioning his account and others alleging that his wealth may have come from questionable deals.
