Whether you’re posted to a major city with high living costs (like Lagos!) or a rural area with limited job opportunities, having an additional source of income can make your service year much easier. The good news? There are several side hustles and opportunities you can explore with little to no capital.
You can make money during NYSC by selling baked goods, offering barbing or hairdressing services, or blogging. You can also open a sports viewing centre, start a small-scale farm, monetize existing skills by freelancing, or become a tutor.
If done right, these in-demand side hustles can bring you enough supplementary cash to support you throughout your service year — and beyond! After all, some of these hustles can grow into full-time businesses after NYSC. But let’s start with baking.
1. Baking
If you have baking skills or are willing to learn, you can make money by selling cakes, pastries, and snacks. Start with small orders from fellow corps members, schools or local businesses and scale up as demand grows.
This business might seem small at first, but with time and dedication, you can turn it into a flourishing venture — just like Ezinne.
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2. Barbing and hairdressing
People always need haircuts and hairstyling. If you have the skills (or learnt them during SAED), you can offer these services at home or in a small rented space. With steady demand and good service, you can build a loyal customer base (and make tons of cash!).
3. Blogging and e-book writing
If you enjoy writing, consider starting a blog or creating e-books. You can monetise a blog through ads, sponsored posts and affiliate marketing. You can also create and sell e-books on popular topics like personal finance, career growth, or even NYSC on platforms like Selar.
4. Content creation and photography
As we’ve highlighted several times, social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook can be powerful tools for making money in Nigeria. If you have a knack for creating engaging videos and graphics or taking high-quality photos, you can offer content creation services to brands or sell stock photos online on platforms like Shutterstock.
5. Drycleaning
Laundry services are always in demand — especially in busy urban areas. With basic equipment (an iron, detergent and a washing area), you can start small and grow by offering door-to-door services to other corpers or busy workers.
6. E-commerce
Selling products online is another way to make money during NYSC. You can resell thrift items, handmade crafts, or even digital products through Instagram, WhatsApp, or platforms like Jumia.
7. Freelancing
Freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr allow you to offer services like writing, graphic design, video editing and more. This is a great option if you prefer remote work with flexible hours.
8. Home and online tutoring
If you’re (or were) good at a subject, you can teach secondary school students or even undergraduates in your area. Online tutoring is another option — you can teach English, Mathematics or other subjects on platforms like Edukoya.
9. Personal shopping
Busy professionals, corpers and even students often need help with shopping. You can offer personal shopping services for groceries, fashion items or electronics and charge a commission per order.
10. Professional training programmes
If you have specialised knowledge in a field (say programming, digital marketing or public speaking), you can organise paid training sessions for fellow corpers or the local community.
You can even take it online and host paid sessions for individuals around the world via social media or YouTube.
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11. Small scale farming
Agriculture is a profitable venture if done right. If you’re posted to a rural area, consider farming vegetables, poultry or catfish. You can sell your produce to local markets, peddle foodstuffs to fellow corpers or even supply restaurants.
12. Sports viewing centre
Football is a big deal in Nigeria, and many people are willing to pay to watch live matches. If you can rent a small space and invest in a TV and subscription service, you can run a sports viewing centre.
13. Tailoring and fashion designing
If you have tailoring skills, you can make and sell clothes, offer alterations, or even create custom outfits for clients. With social media, you can attract more customers beyond your immediate location.
14. Undergraduate and postgraduate project research
Many students struggle with academic research. If you’re good at writing and data analysis, you can help students (in and outside Nigeria) with research work, data collection and project formatting for a fee.
How to pick the right side hustle during NYSC
There are so many options to consider when it comes to side hustles and making money during NYSC. However, we have some tips that can guide you if you’re looking to settle on a single profitable idea. Don’t worry: we’ll keep things simple.
Here are some tips for picking the right side hustle during NYSC:
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- Consider your skills and interests. Pick a hustle that aligns with what you enjoy or are good at.
- Assess the startup costs. Some businesses require little to no capital, while others need an initial investment. Pick what you can afford to start almost right away.
- Look at market demand. Choose a hustle with a steady demand in your area.
- Think about time commitment. Pick something that fits around your NYSC schedule.
- Plan for scalability. Pick something with long-term potential if you want to continue the hustle after NYSC.
- Think about your financial goals. Pick an option that allows you to make enough money to save and spend during NYSC. Remember: you want to achieve your NYSC goals despite your 77k allawee not just with it.
Easy-peasy! Now, you’re ready!
Key takeaways
Your NYSC allowance is often not enough, so it makes sense to find a side hustle during your service year. The 14 ideas in this article require minimal capital and can generate extra income even beyond your corper days. Plus, with consistency and smart financial management (like automating your savings with PiggyBank), some of them can even evolve into full-time businesses post-NYSC.
So, which of these hustles would you like to try, dear corper?
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.
