Are you looking for how to make extra income while working or learning full-time in Nigeria? You’re in the right place. We’ve collated some fantastic side hustles you can start right now — with little to no hassle!
Some amazing ideas for side hustles in Nigeria include offering ridesharing services, becoming a voiceover artist, creating a clothing line and starting an e-commerce store. There’s also freelance writing, content creation, tutoring and photography.
The ideas in this post aren’t exhaustive, of course. However, we decided to focus on ten profitable gigs that won’t interfere with your 9-to-5 job or university schedule. Ready to start your side hustle? Let’s go!
1. Become a voiceover artist
Do you have an iconic voice like, say, Big Brother Nigeria’s “Biggie”? Then, you can make money from voiceover gigs! As a voiceover artist (or voice actor), you’ll use your voice to bring characters to life, work as an announcer or even narrate documentaries like the legendary David Attenborough.
In fact, there’s so much you can do!
Plus, some clients won’t mind if your voice isn’t Darth Vader-y. You should still get gigs if you can pronounce your words clearly and correctly while putting in the required emotion.
Ready to get started? You can offer your services on Fiverr right now!
2. Offer ridesharing services
In our article on the best ways to make money in one hour in Nigeria, we explored how you can use platforms like Bolt and Uber to make quick money. But do you know you can also turn ridesharing into a profitable side hustle?
Of course, you’ll need a car to make money this way. You can use your own vehicle, borrow your friend’s ride (and maybe cut them in on the profits) or partner with someone looking to use their car for ridesharing.
However, you can be truly flexible with ridesharing. For example, you could offer lifts to pedestrians on your way to and from work during the week and work for a couple of hours during the weekend.
There are no rules to it, really. Just ensure you stay as safe as possible.
3. Start content creation
From tech influencers like Kagan to comedians like The Igbo Wolf, we’ve seen content creators push their creative limits on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. But do you know anyone else who can create content and make money in the process? You, of course!
With content creation, you can create funny, informative or weird content for the web and make money through brand collaborations, platform partner programs or even ads.
Want to get started? We recommend checking out our excellent interview with Nigerian YouTube legend Fisayo Fosudo, where he shared some tips that took him to 200k+ subscribers in four years.
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4. Become a freelance writer
Dammypep makes money from writing viral stories on X (formerly Twitter), freelance Nigerian content writers make up to ₦1,000,000 monthly, and you too can get in on the action.
The best thing about making writing a side hustle is you can explore different kinds of writing and freelance, all while spending little to no money to get started. In fact, you can start writing for cash right now with your phone or laptop. All you need are clients!
Fortunately, you can use social media — like Toyosi Godwin — or get on platforms like Upwork and LinkedIn to find paying clients.
New to writing? That’s okay! You can take free courses like the Secret Sauce of Great Writing on Udemy to improve your writing skills and make your content sparkle!
5. Create a clothing line
Do you have a knack for designing clothes that spark joy, or can you create prints that leave your friends wowed? It might be time to start a clothing line.
What kind of clothing line? Well, there’s so much to explore!
You can buy high-quality plain tees, print on the materials, and then sell them as merchandise. You can also sew your own clothes (or partner with a good tailor) and sell ready-to-wear pieces — just like Kunmi Oni!
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We’ll be honest: creating a clothing line isn’t exactly easy. However, if you do it well, you can build a full-time business in a few years. Don’t believe us? Read Draint Urban’s story!
6. Start an e-commerce store
E-commerce stores are all the rage these days. Come on, who doesn’t love the convenience they offer? All you need to do is whip out your phone, search for what you need and click a link to get it delivered!
It’s so amazing!
Guess what? You can create a side hustle out of this convenience. That’s right, you can sell regular or in-demand products (like clothes or household electronics) using an online shop and make quick money without stress.
All you have to do is create an online shop (you can create a free one using your Pocket by PiggyVest app) and then work with a logistics partner to deliver orders to your customers.
7. Sell digital products
Another excellent side hustle is selling digital products — from ebooks and online courses to digital art and music. Like e-commerce, you can make cool cash without stress from selling on platforms like Selar.
There’s no limit to what digital product you can sell to make money. All that matters is that you create something valuable and helpful. For example, Renike Olusanya makes cool cash selling her art online, leaving her 9 to 5 to focus on freelancing full-time.
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Looking for more success stories? Check out our interview with Salem King and our chat with Alma Asinobi.
8. Become a tutor
Teaching can also be a great way to make extra cash — no matter who or what you teach. You can tutor in the evenings or on weekends, offline or online, as a side hustle. All you need are students.
To get started, we recommend setting up a professional profile on a platform like LinkedIn or searching for ads on freelance sites like Fiverr.
9. Try photography
Another great idea for a side hustle? Photography! With your camera (or even your phone), you can make money by photographing people, landscapes or even nature. You can also take it a step further and explore filmmaking — like Nora Awolowo — to earn even more money.
The only downside to photography as a side hustle is the price of cameras. Fortunately, you can solve this problem by thrifting your equipment or saving for a new camera using our Target Savings feature.
10. Offer CV writing and editing services
According to the University World News, Nigeria produces about 600,000 graduates yearly. That’s a lot. And in a country with staggering unemployment rates, having a polished résumé can make all the difference when job hunting.
You can help these young adults — and make money — by offering CV review writing and editing services. Like writing, you don’t need much to start this side hustle — just a laptop will do. Still, you need to understand what a great CV looks like.
To ensure your CV writing and editing skills are great enough to monetise, you can take Coursera’s Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters course to improve your expertise.
You can also offer CV review services and use social media to connect with even more clients.
Final Thoughts
Juggling a side hustle alongside work (or school) might be stressful, but having multiple income streams is its own reward. With your extra cash, you can better plan your finances and explore more options than with a single salary.
Now, enjoying your money is essential. But don’t forget to pay yourself first by saving and investing your excess funds with a trusted financial platform like PiggyVest. With PiggyVest, you can enjoy up to 35% yearly interest and make your extra funds go even further.
The articles on the PiggyVest Blog are developed by seasoned writers who use original sources like authoritative websites, news articles and academic journals to perform in-depth research. An experienced editor fact-checks every piece before it is published to ensure you are always reading accurate, up-to-date and balanced content.
