Most people dream to own their business. Some of the big businesses today started as a small business and grew over time and become big if managed well. In this article, we will look at 65 business ideas you can start with low investment.
Some of the businesses ideas listed here, you can start from home, but others, you may have to rent a place.
One question you may have is whether you must be skilled, yes in most cases, you must have some kind of skills to be successful because every business needs expert knowledge to manage it properly.
Every business needs funding, even some need external funding like getting other people to put in their money. In this article, I am going to tell you about sixty five businesses you can start with low capital and grow it until it becomes big.
Top Business ideas you can start with low investment
This list of business ideas are in no particular order. So keep reading till you find one that suits you.
1. Blogging
One of the best business ideas to start in this millennium is blogging. Blogging is a very flexible business. You can do it from your home, you can do it from your office as a side job, you can even do it on your bed. It is a business that can do anywhere as long as you are connected to the internet.
Blogging business is all about sharing information online, it could be about anything. You can start a blog about anything. You can start a blog for news, gossip and politics. There is no limit, you can blog about traves, insurance, finance, music, sport, relationship, phones, technology, career, foods and recipes. There is no limit!
Starting a blog is not expensive, all you need is money to buy domain name and web hosting. This is less than $30 to start. That is less than N10, 000 to start.
Blogging is big business. You an make millions from it. If you are considering starting a blogging business, we have a step by step guide for you. Read: How to create a blog in less than 20 minutes.
2. Coaching classes
If you are an expert in any field such as paint production, soap making, snacks baking, cake baking, business management, computer repairs, business growth and so on, you can organise tutorial classes for prospective students and charge them appropriately. You only need an accommodation to carry out your tutorial.
You can run the classes from your home if you have a large space. There are people making millions every hear from running these kind of coaching classes as side job.
You can approach academic institutions, religious institutions, organizations and propose to offer training to their people and negotiate fees and payment.
3. Online courses
Alternatively to idea number two, if you are skilled in any filed, you can decide to start an online course to teach others. This is very lucrative and amazing business.
If you are really skilled at what you are teaching, you can establish your name in the field. There will be line up of plenty students waiting to sign up for your courses.
One advantage of these business idea is that you can be in anywhere and teach students from any part of the world.
All you need is your computer, connection to the internet and skill.
You can go to platforms like Teachable and Udemy and to launch your online course business.
Read: How to make money creating and selling online course
4. Food selling ( Mama put)
This is mainly suitable for anyone who is good at cooking, you can launch this kind of business right from inside your kitchen. Bring your delicacies to work places and business areas and you are smiling to the bank on daily basis.
What is needed here is necessary condiments and spices for the kind of food that appeals to an ethnic group of people or the public at large. ₦10,000 or more or less can start this kind of business.
In summary, it is about cooking sweet delicacies and delivering to people. You can construct a kiosk close to a busy area or you move around from office to office to supply. If you choose to move around from office to office, make sure you have a business card, so they can be calling you to make orders.
This is one of the business ideas that never grow old because people will always eat!
5. Frozen meat/fish store (Cold room)
This is about stocking frozen foods like chicken, fish, gizzards and more for sale.
You will need to have refrigerators to store the frozen items. Also, you will need a generator set depending on where you are to guarantee regular power supply.
You can work to be a distributor on a low scale and grow over time.
You will need less than ₦100,000 to go into this kind of business and you may use part of your apartment, possibly in front of your house to start and rent a shop later. This is one of the business ideas that will bring in high seasonal income during Christmas and festive seasons.
6. DSTV/GOTV/STARTIMES/PHCN Collection centre
You can do this business online or you may have an operating base. You need a Point of Sale (POS) machine and a bank account to be in this business. So the capital requirement is the POS machine and renting a small place where you can operate from.
7. Real Estate Agent
This business entails finding good accommodation for would be tenants and making money from both the tenant and the landlord.
You will need to rent a small shop and begin to scout for vacant accommodation in town, so that when a prospective tenant registers with you, you will quickly show the person available accommodation.
This is among the hottest business ideas in Nigeria. As lots of people try selling or renting properties, and and housing.
8. Mobile recharge card printing
Here you need to register with a GSM operator who licences you to print its credit recharge cards. The requirements are that you must buy the recharge printing machine and after printing, be ready to market printed recharge cards.
9. Cooking Gas retailing/cylinders
You will have to be buying gas from a filling station and retail to customers. You will need large cylinders and gauging machines to measure the volume customers buy.
The amount of money you invest depends on the scale you want to operate but if you have up to ₦100,000, you can start this business. But you may have to rent a shop.
It is very lucrative if you can find a spot where depend will be high.
10. Local fruit shop
This kind of business requires you to buy all kinds of fruits depending on what people need out there. So before you start, find out what people want and go for it.
It may be very easy to start but make sure you know how to do it by learning it from someone. The capital to start may not be more than ₦5,000.00
This business is very lucrative as there are people out there who loves fruit.
11. Soap making
Soap making is easy whether liquid or key soap. What you need here is chemical , oil and mould. Contact retail shops for selling of the soaps.
For capital, it boils down to the quantity you want to sell. Unless you want to operate at big scale, ₦50,000 can get you started. But you must learn how to make different kinds of soaps.
12. Snack shop
People in business and offices want to eat and one way they fill their belly is to take light food. So you can make the snacks in your house and bring them to work places and business areas.
You can have a permanent site or you can hawk it.
However, you need to learn how to make snacks before dabbling into it. It requires less than ₦20,000 to start the business.
13. Mobile phone repairs
This requires expert knowledge before you can go into it. Just be an apprentice over a period with an expert and as soon as you are done, start repairing phones from open space and rent a shop later.
The real capital for this business is the money you pay to learn the trade.
Alternatively, you can open a repair shop and hire professionals to handle all kinds of phone repairs.
14. Mobile phone accessories
This is the trading in mobile phone accessories such as casing, chargers, ear phones, power bank and light cables to connect your phones to the computer.
You can use trolley to display your wares and small amount of capital is required to start this business.
15. Car washing business
A lot of car owners take their car to the car washing joints. What you need to do is acquire a space large enough(it could be part of your compound).
The next think is to procure water spraying machine and you are ready to start your business. If you already have a space and regular water supply, it could be borehole. Then you don’t need much money to start.
16. Computer repairs business
All it takes is to undergo a training as an apprentice and at the end, to find a space and start repairing computer hardware.
You need to operate near the market for computers or offices where computers are used.
Alternatively, you can open a shop and hire professionals to handle all sort of computer repairs.
17. Computer training business
If you are computer expert, you can do this business and succeed. Just acquire used computers and a shop, you are into one of the most lucrative business in Nigeria today.
Understand that computer is the reigning thing. Everyone needs to learn computer these days.
You can approach schools, religious organizations and companies and offer to train their people on a particular computer program that will be beneficial to them and add value.
18. Fried akara/chin chin/doughnut business
This business is booming since people leave home without eating and even school children are given money at home to buy akara on their way to school.
What you need to do is to secure a space, buy big fry pan, raw beans and groundnut oil and you are ready to start a money spinning business.
People look down on business like this but I know of a woman who built a house with her husband running this business.
If you find a good location that is busy and you are good at frying, then you can make good money a day.
19. Security services business (CCTV & Surveillance)
Since everybody today is security conscious, the surveillance camera can be installed to monitor the intruders who come into a compound uninvited.
What you need to do get into this business is to study how to install the surveillance camera.
Partner with suppliers and go to companies and houses in premium area, the offer to install for them.
20. Tricycle ( Keke) commercial business
This is the area a lot unemployed youths are doing business. What it requires is knowing how to drive the tricycle and buying one for commercial use.
The cost is about ₦800,000, but can be purchased on hire purchase basis, you pay installmentally and at the end, it becomes yours.
21. Selling Tricycle spare parts
You can engage on the sale of tricycle spare parts. What you need to do is to contact those who do the repair, if possible give them some incentives to patronize your shop.
You do not need a lot of money to set this business up. Learn the business to be able to know the parts that are constantly in demand.
22. Tricycle repairs
This is like motor mechanic business, you must undergo a period of training if you want to succeed in the business. When you rent a workshop, you may have to stock tricycle spare parts so that you can easily fix your clients tricycle problems.
There are few people that are into tricycle repairs. So it is a very lucrative business as there are s many tricycle in the country with government ban on Okada.
Look for a location close to major tricycle park.
23. Beer Parlour
To open this business, you need to rent a shop and obtain a licence. You also need to buy assorted drinks, and to attract more customer, you need to prepare pepper soup or similar spiced meat and you may need to close late in the night to retain your customers.
The capital required is the cost of the drinks, refrigerator and generator set and shop.
What will determine the success of this business is the location. The best location are usually close to a busy bus stop. You can make so much money a day.
24. Selling credit recharge cards
This is also easy to start but the margin, i.e. the amount of money you make from each card is small so you must have a lot of customers to survive.
The amount of capital required depends on the scale you want to operate. Start small and work hard to service your customers well, and it is a question of time you grow.
Look for many shops that sell recharge cards ad supply to them.
25. Beads Making
Many people today put on native attire and sometimes make it more colourful by wearing beads round their neck or on their writs.
To go into the business, you need to learn the trade and that is all you need to do. Finished work can be sold to friends and relatives, through personal contacts and social media. You can also supply to shop and display in busy areas.
26. Clothes amendment and patching
You must learn how to sew to go into this business. As soon as you are good in sewing, get a sewing machine, and you are in business. You can hawk your trade from street to street, and when you make enough money, you can rent a shop.
The start up capital is low and one sewing machine should be around ₦20,000.
27. Home made chocolate bar
What you need here is cocoa powder, sugar, milk and other ingredients required to make chocolate. The making of the chocolate is really not the problem, but you learns how to do it. The marketing of it is the real problem.
The start up capital is relatively low and anybody with about ₦50,000 can go into this business.
28. Chocolate beverage
like the chocolate bar, it requires almost similar ingredients, only that chocolate beverage should be dry. The amount of capital required depends on the quantity you want to produce, but the marketing of it is where there is plenty of work to be done.
29. Money transfer/exchange business
Here you assist people transfer money through the banking system in exchange for cash. So one of the requirements for this business is having a bank account with sufficient funds.
30. Money Withdrawal joint
This business is about helping people withdraw money from their bank with their ATM.
There are places without ATM machines available, the goal of this business is to help people living in those areas have access to withdraw money with their ATM cards.
All you need is a POS and a shop or you can operate from your house. You can charge people N200 or above per withdrawal.
When you are talking about creative small business ideas, this one was amazing the day I discovered it somewhere at Ikorodu in Lagos. You will be surprised to find people on queue. And you are getting N200 from each.
31. Tea/coffee vendor
You need a trolley to hawk your drinks. The capital required is to buy the trolley and the beverages, but you may have to move from one place to another in order to make reasonable sales.
Alternatively, you can get a shop in a hot spot in town.
32. Snack bar retailer
What you do here is to retail snacks already prepared by other companies such as UAC Foods. You need a trolley to move about and if you are at the right places, there is every chance you will make good sales.
33. Plumbing services
If you have the knowledge of installing and repairing sinks, toilets, water pipes, etc. you can go into this business since house owners usually have problems that needs a plumber. Your investment is the little tools needed for the job.
You can make big money in this business if you are god build contact with building contractors. You may get contracts worth millions to handle plumbing for buildings, companies and more
34. Vulcanizing services
This is an easy business but you must undergo a training to be able to do it. The equipment you need mainly to do this business is the tyre pumping equipment, and you can fix yourself up at a road side.
35. Electronics maintenance
You must undergo a period of training to do this job. You have to rent a shop where you repair DVD/VCD players. Also you can repair all kinds of radios.. small capital is needed for this business.
36. Electrical maintenance
This also requires a period of training to master the trade. To start the business, you must rent a shop and get the tools needed to carry out the repairs.
The business is about fixing electrical issues at home and general electrical services.
You can make big money if you build contact with building engineers. You will get regular contract to handle wiring or buildings, companies and so on.
37. Refrigerator servicing
A period of training is required for this business. Though it does not require much capital, but you must rent a shop and buy tools that are necessary to do the work.
Your job will be to service fridge and freezers.
38. House painting
You must learn how to paint houses before you can do this work. However, you do not have to rent a shop at the beginning, just hang around a paint shop or rather leave your phone number, they will always contact you when someone needs your services.
When you make enough money, you can rent a shop, do business card. You can make big money when you have contracts to paint buildings.
39. Car painting
This is a very lucrative business people dont look at frequent. Everyday, car get scratched and all that. The owners want it painted to look new.
In some states, when you buy a new car for taxi or other transportation business, you will need to pant it to a specific colour.
That is where a car painter come in. There are a lot of money to be made. I have painted my car a couple of times and it cost a lot. Guess what? my car painter has built his own house from this business!
You will need to learn the skill and get a painting machine and a space.
40. Photography/video recording
This business requires a period of training for you to do it well. It also requires you to buy camera, video camera and laptop.
To be known in the business and secure customers, you must go to places that events are taking place and eventually have your own shop. Those in this business easily survive, it is recommended for male and female.
41. Motor mechanic
You may need a long period of training and it is a male dominated business but women are also very successful in it. After the training, you need to begin to repair cars for your clients which you started knowing when you were an apprentice, eventually you rent a workshop. You need tools for your business, so the business does not require much capital.
42. House cleaning
Some big people and companies are looking for house cleaners. No financial investment is required here, what it takes to do the job is to be strong . It is not necessarily to be on daily basis, so it is possible you can do two of the jobs and get paid mainly on monthly basis.
You can recruit people to join you when you have plenty clients.
43. Catering services
Some people do parties and need someone to supply the food for the party. It requires you buy cooking utensils and make contacts and get information on those planning parties in the immediate future. Investment required here is the amount it will cost you to make the meals required at the party.
If you cook for large evens as wedding, company meetings, political banquets and more, you will make a lot f money.
Collaborate with even planners and you will always have jobs.
44. Phone charging business
Since not every area is supplied with electricity, business opportunity is now created for you to charge peoples’ phones.
All you to do is to get a small generator set, construct charging points, buy few chargers and you are in business. Make sure you promote your business around your base so that people will be aware.
45. Networking business
This used to be a very popular business in Nigeria but since a lot of people lost huge sums of money to MMM, the popularity of networking businesses is waning. What is required in this business is to know a lot of people you can introduce into the business as well as buy the company’s products for sale to your friends.
There are a lot of networking business.
46. Baby sitting/childcare business
Today’s mothers go to work and where to keep their young babies becomes a problem. So as a woman or man who has soft spot for babies, you can start this business and if you are good to children, the sky is your limit.
You can begin with a part of your apartment if it is spacious enough, then later rent a befitting home for the babies.
47. Pet care business
People who love and keep pets sometimes go away on holidays if this is the case, it becomes a problem for the pets since they cannot be taken along on holidays. It is a profitable business so far you can promote your business wide enough. It does not require huge investment apart from space and animal feeds.
You can also take care of sick pets for fee.
48. Low income manpower supply business
Restaurant/Domestic workers are in great demand all over big cities in Nigeria and setting up manpower recruitment company, you can rake in a good fortune in no time. What it requires is a small space and mobile phones but it needs to be promoted widely for awareness.
49. Gardening services business
Lots of houses in the big cities are decorated with flowers and often times they need a lawns/flower cutter who will keep the flower around the compound neat and clean. No capital is required except your expertise and you are handsomely paid.
50. Sewing/sales of sewing accessories
For this business, you must learn the trade before you can start it. You must undergo a period of apprentice before you can begin accepting jobs from people. If you good are at sewing, you can grow quickly.
51. Event organiser party services
You can offer decorations, parking facilities and general planing for people who want to host parties. In big cities, every weekend it is happening somewhere in town and event organisers have a lot of work to do.
Apart from parties, other events such as meetings, conferences workshops, etc., you can undertake to put things together for the hosts. You do not need much as capital but expertise.
52. Online content writing
This business does not require much capital since what you need is an expert knowledge in a particular area, laptop, mobile and access to the internet. If you are good, the jobs will locate you and you will be rewarded accordingly.
Use websites like Upwork to look for jobs.
53. Snail farming business
This is easy and low cost business to venture into. Though you need to know about snail farming to do this business but you need not so much money to start it. And because snails lay eggs in hundreds, feeds on leaves and fruits and does not demand much of your time, it is a business anybody can do.
You can read more about it here: How to start a snail farming business
54. Online Email marketing
This business requires you to have Email list of blog subscribers to promote certain products. It is actually suitable for people who love to talk, write, explain and have the ability to persuade. It does not require cash investment except your talent.
55. Online Copy writing
There is no capital injection for this business but you must be vast in writing advertising copy that is meant to persuade other people to buy products. So you must have the ability to write sales copy that can sell products.
56. Online Freelance data entry business
These days many businesses collect an enormous amount of data such as customer details, product details, research data, etc. These data are collected via various media, forums, surveys and so on. These data need to be aggregated into one platform where you can study and analyse it. So a freelance data entry personnel will carry out the job and if he does well, can attracts much rewards.
57. Graphic designer business
Quality graphics help to build the product brand’s image into customer’s eyes, they create a long-lasting positive impression on people.
New products are launched every day and there is growing demand for graphics designers. To do the business, it is assumed you have the skill and you do not have to invest much money except your computer, mobile phone and internet access.
58. Whatsapp business
You can do this business by creating an active group on Whatsapp and add members to it. Then get links of products you want to sell and paste it to the Whatsapp group. It may even be your product.
If any member clicks on the link and buys the product, you will be getting a good amount of commission. So it does not require capital except your mobile phone and internet access.
You can read our guide: How to make money from WhatsApp
59. YouTube channel
This is one of the easiest and even successful way to make money. It is an open platform for those who create their own music content , video and publish them on the internet, it can reach targeted audience world wide.
However you must be creative, so that you can make children’s play, for example, and publish on the internet. It needs no investment as such but your talent, and you make so much money from this business.
You can read our guide: How to make money on YouTube
60. Cryptocurrency business
One of the reigning thing in the world today is cryptocurency. These are currencies that is digital and help people do transactions easily.
After bitcoin became popular, a lot of others have sprang up. There are many ways you can make money from cryptocurrency. You can trade, earn free coins and more.
To succeed in this business, you need to read and stay in touch with what is happening everyday.
Read our Guide: How to make money with cryptocurrecny in Nigeria
61. Forex trading
This business is all about understanding different currencies. As long as different countries use different currencies, forex business will thrive.
The only thing that can stop this business is if the world use one currency.
This business is all about currency exchange.
You can learn more here: How to make money from forex trading
These days, billions of people spend most of their time on the internet. The goal of social media marketing is to help companies and businesses reach these people online.
You do not need any capital apart from knowledge.
Read our guide: How to become a social media marketer
63. Online task completion job
This business involves completing tasks online suck as surveys, reviews and all that. You get paid little for tasks but if you can complete many of them daily, you can make a good income.
One of such companies that offer these opportunity is ySense.
You can read here: How to make money from ClixSense
64. MakeUp business
People, especially women can’t do without makeup these days. They need it to look beautiful and more professional.
Some need it for business reasons like movies and so on.
All you need is skills and passion for the job. It does not cost much to start.
Read: How to start makeup business
65. Okrika business
This is one the most trending business ideas in Nigeria because people will always have need of cloths.
Okrika cloths are the most sought after among the middle and lower class.
You don’t need much capital to start. It all depend on the scale you want to start.
Among small profitable business ideas, this one here is very lucrative.
Read: How to start Okrika business
We hope that this list of business ideas with low investment has been helpful to you.