Updated on December 11, 2023
Are you ready to take your income to the next level? Do you have a job but you’re still very interested in side hustles in Nigeria? Here are the best side hustles that can transform your financial life and open doors to new opportunities.
Making money is almost as important as breathing. In a world where you have to pay for everything, you consume (except the air you breathe), finding ways to make extra cash is important. Side hustles provide an opportunity to make some extra money and even offer the possibility of becoming your primary source of income in the future.
Whether you’re a student juggling classes and expenses, a professional seeking extra income streams, or simply someone with a burning desire to turn your passion into profit, there are enough side hustles to pick from.
The best side hustles in Nigeria include Selling online, e-commerce, tutoring, gadget repair, real estate agent, event planning, POS agent, digital marketing, freelancing, etc.
From flexible freelancing gigs that let you showcase your skills, to innovative online ventures that capitalize on the digital age, we’ll reveal plenty of options that align with your interests and goals.
Let’s get started on the best side hustles in Nigeria that can help fatten your bank account a bit and maybe even turn you into a millionaire 😎.
Best Side Hustles in Nigeria
Whether you’re a student looking to make some money or you’re looking for how to make money from home, Here’s a list of the best legit side hustles in Nigeria to start making extra cash from:
Sell Online
You can become a vendor/merchant on Jumia and Konga for free and start selling in a couple of hours. Selling on Jumia and Konga means you can reach millions of customers everywhere in Nigeria. Just make sure you sell products that are in demand and have good margins (profit).
To sell on Jumia or Konga, you’ll need to pick a product category. Decide on product prices based on the cost of sourcing the products, and prices of similar products by other merchants. As well as the commissions and fees Jumia and Konga take on every sale.
All you need to get started is your email address, phone number, valid government ID, details of your business/company, and your bank account number for receiving funds. To get started selling on Jumia visit here and on Konga go here.
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e-Commerce Store
Selling on 3rd party e-commerce sites like Jumia and Konga means that you’ll have less control over pricing and that you will have to compete with a lot of other merchants too. An alternative is to open your own online store and sell your products.
You can open an online store using platforms like Shopify and WordPress, however, they might cost a pretty penny. You can decide to use a platform like Paystack Storefront or Flutterwave store to open your online store for free.
What can you sell online? Anything. You can retail in-demand products like gadgets, health products, and fashion items. Just choose a niche or category you have an interest in.
Checkout: How to Make Money Money Online in Nigeria
Tutoring
People will always seek help in their learning and educational journey. Whether as secondary or tertiary students or those looking to write professional exams.
This side hustle is especially great for those who are teaching as well as those who have written and successfully passed professional exams.
Tutoring people based on the knowledge you have is one of the easiest side hustles to start in Nigeria.
All you have to do is find customers through word of mouth (telling your friends and family) and post about it on your social media for more people to see.
You can even run inexpensive ads to let more people know about your new hustle. However, you must brand yourself and your business well so you can easily stand out and maybe command higher fees.
Related: 15 Ways to Make Money as a Teenager in Nigeria
Gadget Repair
Repairing gadgets (phones and computers mainly) as a side hustle in Nigeria is a great way to supplement your income. However, it requires expert knowledge that you need to acquire.
Another way to go around is to partner with someone who can repair gadgets and have an agreement with them.
Real Estate Agent
People are always looking to rent or buy a house in Nigeria but the country’s real estate is stifled by misinformation and underhanded tactics.
You will most likely find it hard to find affordable houses for rent when you go house hunting. Especially in more urban cities like Lagos, PH & Abuja.
If you can stand out as a real estate agent that helps people get the types of houses they want. By making the process smoother, quicker, and easier for people, can mean more clients for you.
Becoming a real estate agent is one of the easiest side hustles in Nigeria to start. All you need to do is to be proactive, smart, and honest with clients. And of course, know how to navigate the real estate agent network in your area of operations.
Checkout: The Top Real Estate Companies in Lagos, Nigeria
POS Agent
Currently in Nigeria, a POS Agent is very similar to a small bank. And with the rise of fintech companies in Nigeria and the demand for more financial inclusion, you can expect POS Agents to continue to thrive.
Yes, there is a lot of POS business in Nigeria right now but there’s still room for more people to start it as a side hustle.
You don’t need to be there. You just need to put someone that you trust to handle it and also have a system that helps you detect when there’s something fishy.
Some top POS Agent services you can join include GTB POS, Baxi POS, Kudi POS, Palmpay POS, Opay POS, and Moniepoint POS
People will continue to send and receive money, especially those that deal a lot with cash. So you can be sure this business isn’t going to die down anytime soon.
Related: Top Business Ideas in Nigeria to Reach Your High-Income Goals
Digital Marketing
As more and more businesses go online they’ll need the help of people who can help them both stand out online and reach more potential customers. As a digital marketer, you can help them.
Whether it is just creating a digital strategy or running ads for these businesses and tracking engagements and views. You can make some good money doing this from your home.
The only challenge is finding clients. If you already have this skill or intend on acquiring it then this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Content Marketing Consultant
While Ads are great for reaching potential customers online, creating quality content is still the best way to engage with any online audience. This is where you can come in as a content marketing consultant.
If you can create content marketing strategies and create quality content around these strategies. Then you will get paid. So if you can create content, whether it’s text or video-based content. Then you should consider starting this side hustle in Nigeria.
Related: 12 Lucrative Untapped Business in Nigeria for Making Plenty of Profit
Event Planning
Nigerians love parties, whether it’s birthdays, weddings or even naming ceremonies. The event market in Nigeria is so huge that if you decide to start planning events, you can make some people’s salaries in one week for a few days of work.
The main thing is finding your first client. You can do this for a family member for free or a small token and start marketing yourself from there.
Presentation Design Consultant
People who can design attention-grabbing presentations can make some extra money on this side.
With a lot of people starting businesses every day, they’ll need help with designing presentations and you can do this for them for a fee. Starting this side hustle in Nigeria also requires little to no investment, except if you want to learn this skill which will require time, effort, and maybe the money for a course or data for YouTube.
Writing
The internet has embedded freelancing as a career choice in our world. You can be in a village somewhere in Nigeria and be doing short-term work for some in Washington DC.
If you are a writer, you can make money freelancing by ghostwriting, editing proofreading other people’s writing, and making some cool cash as well.
Related: How to Make Money on Your Phone in Nigeria
Youtube Channel
Millions of people visit YouTube to learn, unwind, and entertain themselves. You can create high-impact video content for a particular set of people and make money based on the number of people who watch your videos.
Whether it’s cooking recipe videos, self-help content, doing interviews or even just banter about a particular topic.
Monetizing a YouTube channel is one of the best side hustles in Nigeria you can start. You also get to earn a dollar income. However, you need to be able to create videos but this is a skill any determined person can learn
See: 10 Ways to Make Money on TikTok in Nigeria
Uber Driver
Running an Uber/Taxify gig is still a legitimate side hustle in Nigeria that can net you considerable income. Especially in Lagos where the population is massive.
All you need is a car that matches Uber/Taxify requirements with all the necessary paperwork. Whether it’s yours or someone else’s. You can make some money with this side hustle.
Web Design Consultant
A lot of Brands are looking to improve their online presence and a well-crafted website is a great start.
You can offer brands web design services like website auditing and search engine optimization as a value-add for creating stunning websites.
For better results, you can couple your web design consultancy with content creation and digital marketing strategies. Web design is one of the most in-demand skills in the world right now which makes it one of the best side hustles in Nigeria for making money.
Business Consultant
If you’re an expert in your field then offering your expertise as a consultant can be a great side hustle for you in Nigeria. A consultancy business/side hustle is a great way to capitalize on your expertise if you’re looking for extra income.
You also get to improve your skills and expertise maybe it might lay the foundation for your own primary business.
Home-Made Food Delivery
A lot of people are out hustling and don’t have time to make the homemade food that they would like. If you have got great cooking skills, then this is one of the side hustles in Nigeria you should consider.
While there are a lot of people doing this business right now, there is still a lot of room for new entrants in the market. Just make sure your food tastes great and your brand stands out.
Online Fitness Trainer
Everyone cannot open a gym of their own but setting up a home gym creating workout content and adding it to social media and YouTube can make you some money. If you’re a fitness buff you should consider starting this side hustle.
You don’t even need to build out your home gym. You can make recordings of your workouts at the gym where you go to. Just make sure you’re authentic.
Another way to make some money is to consult for people looking to start their fitness journey. Using apps like WhatsApp and Telegram you can easily achieve this.
Fit Fam Food Delivery Service
With more and more people becoming conscious of their health and as a result more conscious of what they eat, starting a side hustle in the health and diet food delivery space is a good option. You’ll have to look at what other people and doing in the space and come up with your twist.
You can start by marketing to friends and family and see how it goes from there.
See: Best Healthy Nigerian Lunch Ideas
Handmade Greeting Cards
People love handmade greeting cards because of how personal they are. If you’re creative and an artsy person, selling handmade greeting cards can be a good side hustle for you if you’re very artistic with your hands.
Gifting Service
People give gifts every day and a lot of people get stuck on what to give. Helping people give gifts to their men, gifts to their women and all the ones they love and care for can become a very profitable side hustle in Nigeria.
Curating gift boxes that people would love is no small feat. So do well to carry out extensive research and make the process a smooth one for customers and you might make enough to decide to turn this side hustle into a full-time business.
Checkout: Best Apps to Redeem Gift Cards in Nigeria (Buy & Sell Gift Cards)
Food Shop/Truck
A lot of Bukas, restaurants and eateries are making a killing in Nigeria, especially in Lagos where there is overpopulation. If can you make great meals and finger-licking foods. Starting a food shop, stall, eatery or restaurant can become a good option.
You can even go further and use a food truck where you make awesome finger food.
Just remember that in the food business; Location, location, and location are everything.
Teach an Online Course
If you have some passion for teaching and have deep enough expertise in a field, creating and selling an online course can be a great way to rack in more income. Many people are making decent money through online courses.
Creating an online course has almost no tangible cost, all you need is time, knowledge, and passion for teaching. You can use platforms like Teachable, Skillshare, Masterclass, Udemy, Thinkific, and Podia to create and sell your online course.
You can also check out this guide on how to create a profitable online course.
Resume/ Business Writing Service
If you’re great at creating CVs, resumes, and cover letters, you can start marketing this skill as a side hustle using your social media channels.
Fashion & Style Consultant
As a fashion, style, or image consultant, you help people find, define, and refine their identity for the public. Through what they wear and how they carry themselves.
However, you need to have a great fashion sense, and people skills and also keep up with fashion trends. This side hustle can start paying very well even with just a few clients.
Freelancing
Freelancing is still one of the best side hustles in Nigeria, especially if you have digital skills like programming, designing, and even SEO. Using platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and other gig websites, you can start earning online.
Just make sure you have a good portfolio that showcases your skills.
Blogging
A blog is still a great side hustle. It can offer a different stream of income as well. You can make money from advertising, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing and even selling your products. But it isn’t an easy side hustle either because it requires a lot of time.
Checkout: How to Start a Blog in Nigeria and Make Money
Stock Photography
If you love taking photos, not just of yourself but of different things, you can start making money off being a hobbyist and amateur photographer.
Take pictures of people, places, landmarks, events and nature and upload them to paying stock photography platforms. Depending on the picture quality and how many people like it. You can start making a few dollars from this small side hustle.
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