Learning how to earn money directly to your bank account can be life-changing — whether you’re an established professional or a newbie discovering new ways to make money online. In fact, it’s probably one of the most exciting feelings you can experience as a Nigerian — besides earning in dollars (of course). But how exactly can you do it?

You can earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria through freelancing, blogging, e-commerce, affiliate marketing and content creation. Some other excellent options include trading, social media influencer marketing and online course sales.

In this article, we’ll explore how to earn money directly to your bank account (or Pocket) using these skills and highlight what you need to get started. But note that some of these methods require an online wallet before you can remit money to your bank account. Let’s begin!

Requirements to earn money directly to your bank account

Even though making money directly into your bank account seems complicated, there’s not much to it. All you need to do is connect with customers, sell a service or product and get paid. You can also make money by sharing or using knowledge without selling anything.

Still, there are a few essential items you’ll need to have to get started.

Here’s all you need to earn money directly to your bank account:

• An internet-enabled device. A computer or smartphone will do — even if it isn’t yours. You’ll need this device to communicate with customers or to do the work that will fetch you money.
• An internet connection. It’s almost impossible to do anything these days without an excellent internet connection. So ensure you choose an internet service provider that’s top-notch.
• In-demand skills, knowledge or products. We’ll explore these in the next section of this article. However, they can range from skills like software engineering to pursuits like consulting.
• A bank account or Pocket. There’s no way to earn money directly to your bank account or Pocket if you don’t have either — obviously. Ensure this account is in your name so you don’t have issues receiving payment.
• An invoicing system. Invoices are physical or electronic documents you send to buyers or clients to collect payments. These documents typically include all transaction details, including your bank details.
• A valid means of identification. An ID might not be necessary in all cases, but it does help to have one at hand. You can use your international passport, driver’s licence or NIN slip — depending on the platform you use or the skill you’re selling.

That’s all. Honestly!

8 ways to earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria

Earning money directly into your bank account is so easy that you can start today. The crucial part of the endeavour is the skill, product or knowledge you want to monetise. You’ll need to pick one that works for you and matches your strengths.

The following are eight ways to earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria:

1. Freelancing
2. Blogging
3. E-commerce
4. Affiliate marketing
5. Content creation
6. Forex, crypto and stock trading
7. Online course creation and sales
8. Social media influencer marketing

There are several more options, but these are some of the best choices to try if you’re in Nigeria.

But that is just half of the story. In the next section, we’ll explore how you can use them to earn money directly to your bank account.

1. Freelancing

Freelancing is one of the easiest ways to make money in Nigeria today, and it’s pretty profitable. Just ask graphic artist and illustrator — Morenike Olusanya — who left her 9 to 5 to become a freelancer!

It’s also an excellent option to try if you want to earn money directly to your bank account. But you’ll need an in-demand skill (like sales or digital marketing) to connect with paying clients.

Of course, it’s best to make the most of online freelancing platforms like Fiverr. They can help you quickly find and connect with clients while ensuring you get paid.

Here’s all you need to do to get started in freelancing using Fiverr:

1. Visit the Fiverr website. You can use the website or the official Fiverr app. Just pick an option that’s convenient for you.
2. Create a seller profile. You’ll get a confirmation link immediately after you complete the seller sign-up process. You can use this link to create and optimise your profile to attract high-quality buyers.
3. Create your first Fiverr gig. These gigs are simply job descriptions on the platform. They should include essential information about the services you intend to offer on Fiverr.
4. Market your gigs to get orders. You can market your gigs on Fiverr by responding to buyer requests or using social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter.
5. Process orders and deliver. The Fiverr app is a great way to work out the fine details of the order and communicate with the buyer throughout the project.
6. Receive payments for completed orders. Fiverr allows you to withdraw your money whenever you want. However, the platform charges all sellers a 20% fee on all orders.

We already wrote an excellent article on how to make money on Fiverr that you can check out if you want to learn more about freelancing.

2. Blogging

Blogging in Nigeria has gone through its ups and downs over the years, but it’s still an excellent way to earn money directly to your bank account. In fact, media professionals like Benjamin Dada have shown us that online publications can still be profitable endeavours if you do it right.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Decide what you want your blog to be about. You can write about tech like Benjamin Dada or go for a different niche. The key is providing content your audience will read, like and share.
2. Open an account on a self-publishing website. WordPress, Medium and Substack are the best options today. But the perfect choice will depend on how you plan to monetise your blog.
3. Choose and set up a monetisation option. You can make money from blogging by running ads, through brand partnerships or via partner programs (like the Medium Partner Program). Ensure you connect your bank account during the set-up process.
4. Write for an audience. You might need to create lots of blog content before it becomes profitable. You can even hire someone to help you write if you are not a good writer or don’t have the time.
5. Publish and share your content. Publishing is pretty straightforward, but using social media to market your blog will help your numbers. The more visitors you get on your blog, the better.

You should receive money daily, weekly or monthly earnings — depending on your chosen monetisation feature.

3. E-commerce

You’ll agree that earning money directly into your bank account is one of the best things about having a profitable online business. And with e-commerce, you can sell goods over the internet using online marketplaces like Pocket by PiggyVest App.

Here’s how to use PocketApp to start your own e-commerce store:

1. Choose a product and target market. We recommend picking an excellent high-demand product and a big enough target market. Say, sell food if you’re in the university.
2. Find a reliable supplier for your goods. Ensure the seller enables bulk purchases so you can save money. To ensure that your consumers stay visiting, you should purchase high-quality goods.
3. Create your free Pocket by PiggyVest account. PocketApp is easy to use and a great option if you want a reliable platform.
4. Create a social media page or website. This step is optional, but having a social media presence can be helpful. You can also use your website to handle customer complaints.
5. Use a reliable delivery service. You’ll need an excellent delivery service that’s reliable and fast.
6. Sell your products. Your sales will depend on demand, and you should be profitable before you know it.

Dare Aderinokun’s Quacktails is an excellent inspiration if you need an e-commerce success story on PocketApp.

4. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is another excellent option to explore if you need to earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria. All you need is a great network and a legit affiliate program.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to affiliate marketing:

1. Pick a niche that matches your ability. Like in e-commerce, you must choose your target market and select what product resonates with your values. Or you could also go for whatever is profitable.
2. Choose a platform that suits your needs. To connect with your audience, utilise social media, blogs or newsletters. Whatever works.
3. Become an affiliate. Find a programme that promotes goods your target market would adore. For example, you could join an affiliate program for an online course website if you’re still in the university.
4. Develop high-quality content for your platform. Videos and articles could work, but ensure it’s material your audience will love.
5. Encourage people to come to your platform. You could try ads, SEO or even use direct word-of-mouth promotion.
6. Get your visitors to click the affiliate links on your platform. You can try “hiding” the links so people don’t feel like you’re selling to them, or try placing the link in situations that might promote clicks (like at the end of an exciting sentence).
7. Earn money. While getting many people to click affiliate links is fantastic, most programmes only pay you when a visitor makes a purchase. As a result, you must make sure the product appeals to your target market.

Most affiliate programs pay directly into your bank account. However, some programmes have wallets that allow you to send money into your account when you fulfil specific terms.

5. Content creation

Content creators like Alma Asinobi have been monetising their expertise and knowledge using the internet for a long time. And although we have an excellent article you could explore to learn how to make money on TikTok, we thought it’d be a great idea to provide a general guide.

Here’s how to earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria using content creation:

1. Select a niche. You can create content around anything — including your life. The most important thing is to ensure it’s a niche you like and understand.
2. Pick the best social networking platform. The best choices for content creators in Nigeria today remain Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, but you can try Facebook, Snapchat and even Twitter.
3. Create excellent content. Remember to keep your content as authentic as possible. But have fun while you’re at it!
4. Choose a monetisation option. You can try brand partnerships and ads or just partner with the social media platform you’re using. For example, YouTube has the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) that’s available to qualified Nigerians.
5. Earn money directly to your bank account. Yep, just like that!

You don’t need expensive equipment to create great content in Nigeria — although having high-quality videos does help. Instead, we recommend creating beautiful, authentic content that resonates with your audience.

6. Forex, crypto and stock trading

The basics are the same — whether you settle on forex, crypto or stock trading. All you have to do to make money is capitalise on assets’ demand shifts and predict value changes. It’s easier said than done, but trading on any of these markets is an excellent way to make money.

You should follow these steps to earn money directly to your bank account in Nigeria as a trader:

1. Research the market and get some training. You can read books, watch YouTube or take a quick course.
2. Create a trading account. The account you’ll create depends on what kind of trading you want to venture into. Platforms like Bamboo and Quidax allow you to trade stocks and crypto, respectively. For Forex, you’ll need to create a brokerage account.
3. Set up a trading plan. An excellent strategy is always a good idea; it’s the best way to ensure you make money.
4. Deposit money in your trading account and start trading. Don’t forget to stick to your trading plan and be as disciplined as possible.
5. Earn money. Withdraw your profits and send money to your bank account or keep trading.

The steps above are a general guide. Your exact journey might be less complicated if you’re going into trading.

7. Online course creation and sales

This idea is pretty niche in Nigeria, but it’s another excellent way to earn money directly to your bank account. And it’s not that complicated! All you need are your smarts, some learning resources, a smartphone and a platform to sell your courses.

Here’s how to monetise online courses in Nigeria:

1. Create a course. This course can be in video or written format and around a topic or subject you understand. The key is ensuring it’s well-made and perfect for your target audience.
2. Upload your course. You can use YouTube or create a website for this step. Or you can try any other option you feel might work.
3. Market your course. Use social media, SEO or offline marketing to tell people about your course. Remember to sell all the good parts of the course to get lots of buyers.
4. Get paid. The amount you’ll earn depends on your pricing and the number of students you have.

We recommend checking out Thinkific’s article to learn more about creating a wildly successful online course.

8. Social media influencer marketing

Social media influencer marketing is big business in Nigeria — whether you’re a hotshot like Diane Russet or a micro-influencer looking for how to make some money online. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to get into the business.

Here’s how you can make money from social media influencer marketing:

1. Decide on a niche. Ensure it’s one you like or understand so it’s easy to build an audience. 
2. Pick an appropriate social media network. There’s Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Just choose whichever you’re most comfortable with.
3. Create a social media account. You can skip this step if you already have an account on your preferred platform.
4. Build your account. You can explore different content strategies to grow your followers — but try to create only original content.
5. Speak with brands. These brand partnerships are how you will earn money directly to your bank account on social media.
6. Earn money. The amount of money you’ll make depends on the brand you’re working with as well as your account metrics.

That’s all there is to it! 

Building an online brand and growing an account, however, takes time. Therefore, it might not be ideal for you in the short term if you don’t already have a sizable following on social media.

Conclusion

Remember that earning money directly into your bank account demands effort, consistency and even a bit of self-marketing. Therefore, we recommend developing a strategy that fits your abilities, interests and free time to ensure excellent results.

Another great tip is to be mindful of all the money you make. Ensure you don’t spend it all at once. Instead, you can use a safe and secure online savings and investment platform like PiggyVest to manage and grow your income.