Why would any Nigerian tertiary institution student want a side hustle? This was the first thought that came to mind.
Although I wanted to start this blog post by answering the question “Why,” everyone has different reasons. So I can’t persuade you that you should start a part-time business. You are the only one who knows why.
It could be because you want to overcome your financial difficulties. Alternatively, you could become self-sufficient, support yourself and your family, or supplement your monthly allowance. It may also be to monetize your talent. Or a campus ball. Anything could happen. As I previously stated, your reason(s) are best known to you.
On that note, here are 17 profitable side hustles that Nigerian university, polytechnic, and college of education students can start.
1. Tutoring and teaching
You can take it or leave it. You can make a good living by teaching people what they don’t know.
It could be one of your classmates or a junior student on campus. Outside of your campus, it could be secondary or primary school students. You’d be surprised how many parents require home tutors for their children. So, if you are skilled at teaching math, English, and science, you can begin freelance tutoring. Parents are willing to pay a reasonable fee if you can improve their children’s grades. You could even decide to tutor UTME students applying for tertiary education.
If you work hard and find the right market, you can earn $50,000 or more per month.
2. Photography
As a student, you have the option of pursuing a career in photography. You will not be the first, nor will you be the last.
You are ready to go if you are good at taking beautiful pictures and can afford a camera. You can also learn photography in order to provide professional services to others. People want to photograph memorable events, create portraits, and so on.
3. Copywriting and freelancing
If you enjoy writing and are confident in your abilities, you can pursue a career as a freelance writer. You can contribute articles to blogs. Website owners and business owners require copywriters who can create advertising and business copy. You could also work as a ghostwriter for authors.
If your writing skills aren’t bad, go ahead and improve them by learning from great writers and putting what you’ve learned into practice. Fortunately, there are hundreds of blogs available that teach people how to become successful freelance writers and copywriters.
Believe me when I say that this is a profitable side hustle. Many Nigerian students earn up to $100,000 per year. You can, too! – If you are a good writer.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of local and international freelance websites where you can find work.
4. Create Your Own Blog
This is yet another profitable side hustle for Nigerian students. You can blog whenever and wherever you want. Although blogging is not a quick way to make money, it can be a great source of passive income in the long run.
Find a good niche, create your blog, flood it with valuable content, optimize it for search engines, and monetize it. If you share useful knowledge that people can’t get enough of, you can make a lot of money.
In Nigeria, many students have started blogs. These blogs not only make money for them, but they also provide value to their readers.
5. Services for Editing and Proofreading
Many people write blog posts, articles, eBooks, scripts, stories, project documents, and so on. However, these contents require proofreaders and editors to improve their quality.
Editing and proofreading would be a good idea if you are fluent in English and have experience with software packages such as MS Word and Grammarly.
Proofreading is the process of correcting typography, punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Editing, on the other hand, is concerned with improving the quality and engagement of a document. This includes style, structure, clarity, and citation.
I have friends who work on freelance websites and earn up to $100,000 per month or more.
6. Repair of phones and computers
Every student on campus has at least one phone, and almost every student has a computer. Not only students, but also lecturers, non-academic staff, neighbors, and so on.
These devices, like humans, get sick and have accidents, and they require doctors to save their lives if their owners are concerned enough. You’d be surprised at how many students will flock to your home seeking assistance for the lives of their beloved gadgets. More patients equals more money!
If you want to work in this industry, you must first learn the skill. Say 3 to 6 months of training. Don’t just go around claiming to be able to repair phones and computers! First, master the skill.
7. Social Media Management
Please! Turn your addiction into a money-making hobby -seriously.
The rate at which smartphone users are freaking addicted to social media is alarming!
Guess you’re one of them, right?
Anyways, those data you burn monthly, consuming and posting on social media can fetch you fetch a decent income.
Study social media marketing/managing and render the services to business owners, celebrities that don’t know jack about promoting or managing their social media platforms.
As long as they know social media can be a goldmine for their businesses, they’ll pay you well. Just one client ONLY can pay you a minimum of ₦20,000 monthly! And no one said you should stop at one.?
8. Graphics Designing
Graphic designers reading this would have to pardon me. But I have to tell my people what you guys are hiding.
Designing just one flier costs a MINIMUM of 3k. The same price if you design a business card. You can design just one logo for as much as 10k and more (Depending on your client and skills)! Graphic designers also design cartoon, caricature, design cover, and many more.
Okay. Let’s do a little math calculation.
If you design a minimum of 20 fliers and 5 business cards, cartoon aside, caricature aside, covers aside, photo editing aside, photo manipulation aside.
How much will that make you monthly?
If you’re good at math, you can leave the answer in the comment session below. I think I should stop the secret exposure at this juncture.
9. Website Designing
Forget! In fact, remember! Web designing is a very lucrative business. It is now gaining more attention in Nigeria today because businesses are now realizing how important it is to build an online presence.
Website designing is a great technical skill you can render as a side hustle and, eventually, turn into a serious full-time job.
If you find where your service is needed and market yourself well, you will earn a very good income for designing people’s websites.
You can make as much as ₦300,000 monthly. But you have to learn this skill. Website design isn’t one of the side hustles you can wake up tomorrow morning and start without knowledge.
10. Website Development
Freelance web development is an incredible hustle. So as a student, you can go into it.
If you can learn the skill, within a few months, you’ll be swimming in money.
Fortunately, there are many websites, online courses, and eBooks that you can learn how to code for free!
Just like website design, this side hustle can become a full-time business.
11. Data Analysis
We are in a world of data. Thousands of companies and organizations out there need skilled individuals who are good at handling data. Talk of data mining, data manipulation, data scraping, data entry, and other things that have to do with data. The demand makes data analysis a lucrative side hustle a student can go into.
Data analysis is known as the sexiest job right now. So if you have a flair for numbers or you’re a student of statistics and mathematics, you’ll enjoy data analysis and make money simultaneously.
You can find companies that need these services or sell your services on freelance websites.
12. Catering Services
It could be indoor catering or outdoor catering services or both –depends on your decision. You can begin by informing people around you that you’re into the business or perhaps, approach catering services business to be a casual worker for them whenever you have time, especially during weekends.
Your job may not necessarily be cooking. It could be shopping for catering items, table setting or serving during events. If you are however good at cooking, you can actually turn it into a money-making business.
13. Tailoring / Fashion Designing
If you know how to sew, great! But if you don’t, you can learn.
Tailoring can make you extra income as a student in Nigeria. Sew and wear styles that are so amazing people ask you who made it or where you purchased it. Tada! That’s your chance to promote your side hustle.
In fact, you can brand your business and package it so well that people rate you a 5-star fashion designer.
There is a fashion designing company co-founded by a big brother of mine at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN). They import their fabrics from Dubai and sew classy shirts. Even celebrities patronize them. Now, you may not go to that length, but cut out some nice pieces, advertise your side hustle and, of course, make your money.
14. Modelling
If you can’t sew dresses, then you might want to consider modelling, especially if you have an attractive stature. Many students go into modelling and make a decent amount of money promoting brands. You too can.
Remember the cloth company I mentioned earlier? Well, the company signed some models that help promote their product. The image attached to this section is an image of a student of Lagos State University (LASU) –a friend actually.
15. Makeup Artist
Trust me. Beauty in this life, especially in Nigeria, is no longer in the eyes of the beholder. It is now in the freaking hands of makeup artists.
Seriously, I really don’t know how they do those things but they can turn a demon into an angel. And if a man isn’t careful, he’d be chasing what really isn’t.
Anyways, they earn a very good income covering up people’s facial flaws.
As a student, basically a female student, you might want to consider this hustle.
Wait, I didn’t say guys can’t become makeup artists. I only hear there are. But I haven’t seen one anyway.
16. Make and Sell Products
There are numerous products that you can learn how to make and then sell. It could be body cream, toilet soap, dish soap, beads, snacks, sandals, handbags, school bags and so on. Learn how to make any of these things or anything that I didn’t mention, produce them and sell to the public.
17. Buying and Selling (Mini Importation)
Talk of shoes, sneakers, bags, jewellery, wristwatches, phones, laptops, other electronic gadgets, books, t-shirts, gowns, etc. The numbers of things you can choose from and start selling are almost limitless. In fact, you can do mini-importation. Buy goods at ridiculously low prices from China and sell them twice or thrice the amount!
Students love to look great and use classy items. So find something useful to sell and market your items. People will surely buy from you. At least, this doesn’t require you to learn anything other than how to make profits from buying and selling.
Your Turn
Out of all these side businesses, have you decided which one you want to go into? If you’re already into one of them, tell us about your experience so far. If there’s anything else I’m missing out, let me know in the comment session below. And make sure you share this content with others –you never know whose life you might impact today.