Best side hustles for students in Nigeria to make money

Why would students desire to earn money while they are still in school? It’s simple: students who live away from their families must pay for their expenses, such as food and lodging.

They must also deal with both planned and unanticipated daily expenses at school, such as photocopying school materials and paying membership dues to student organisations to which they belong.

Making extra money on top of what their parents/sponsors provide them will ease the pressure on their sponsors and, most importantly, allow the students to save.

Best side hustles for students in Nigeria

Apart from applying for scholarships and grants, students can earn money on campus by engaging in any of the following activities.

1. Fitness Instructor

Many young people want to look fit and healthy. If your passion lies with bodybuilding, you can deploy your interest into becoming a Gym instructor and a personal trainer while schooling. You can make a lot of money doing this. 

For example, If 20 people need your services, you may earn ₦3000 to ₦5000 per visit to the gym for ₦100 to ₦200 charge for each training session.

You don’t even need to be the owner of a regular gym for this source of income. All you have to do is to negotiate with the owner of a gym or create an improvised gym with heavy metals in your neighbourhood.

2. Become a DJ

If you love music, you can become a disc jockey. There are a variety of music DJ applications that you can download on your laptop.

Take time and learn how to use the application(s) and you’re ready to go. DJs are always in demand for the school’s almost-daily parties and gatherings.

3. Comedian and MC

Can you make people laugh? Do you speak eloquently? If Yes, then you need to do now is to learn the basics of becoming a Master of Ceremony on the internet. MCs, like DJs, are always in high demand at occasions. 

If you are successful at hosting an event, perhaps at a colleague or friend’s birthday party, you will get referrals.

4. Modeling

In modeling, all you have to do is to turn up for photoshoots targeted at promoting specific businesses and be paid.

Note that this industry has been severely distorted in recent years. In attempting to be a model, many people have been exploited. We recommend that you be very cautious or simply do something else.

If you have excellent time management skills, you can try your hands on jobs that need you to work after school hours after you have completed your schoolwork. For example, a bar, a car wash, and so on.

5. Branding

Branding is a cool way of making money as a student. You can design customised teeshirts, mufflers, wristbands, and other wears for departments in your school, faculties, student associations, groups of friends, and so on. If you don’t have the know-how of branding, you can talk to someone who knows how to do it and offer your service as a middleman/go-in-between. You will then make money from the deal. 

Always make sure to deliver on time.

In business, reputation is everything. You’ll have loyal customers and new referrals if you have a solid reputation.

6. Baking/Pastries

For students of Home economics and dietetics, they can go into cake making, buns production, doughnuts, meat pie/fish pie, chin-chin, and popcorn.

Also, they can go into the production of ice cream and youghurt, soya milk, custard powders, juice beverages, etc. They can sell these items to sell to their colleagues in the dormitories or provide them to nearby canteens and supermarkets. 

On Saturday events, these products can be offered for sales, and in churches on Sundays.

7. Photography

In Nigeria, several academic institutions have an almost constant demand for photographs. The photography profession is lucrative, and all you need to get started is a digital camera, no matter how modest it is.

You can even sell wonderful random photographs of places and events on the internet.

8. Graphic design

Suppose you are good with CorelDraw, Photoshop, or other graphic design software. In that case, this is a lucrative business possibility for you, as there are always activities/events on campus that require promotional posters and fliers. 

Your work will speak for itself, and you’ll continue to attract clients from all around the world.

You can be hired to create yearbooks and other materials that demand excellent design.

9. Online registrations

If you have a laptop with internet access, you can help other students with online registrations (Scholarship applications, School fees payment, admission regularization, course registration, etc.) for a fee. 

This is incredibly profitable at the start of semesters and when there are a lot of prospective/new students on campus.

10. Organising tutorial classes

You can establish tutoring classes aimed at junior colleagues, particularly first-year students in your department/faculty.

You can hold classes just on weekends and charge for each class attended. The tutorial classes can also be held for secondary school students in your area.

You can also solve old exam and test question papers and sell them to students who are always searching for suitable materials.

11. Laundry services

Students care about their appearance on-campus, yet they are often too exhausted to do their laundry. 

You can make a lot of money if you are diligent and dedicated. It only takes a few hours of your time to do the laundry for a couple of your friends, and they will continue to bring you more.

You can employ a reputable resident to help you with the workload if it affects your study time.

Read: How to start a laundry business in Nigeria (Dry cleaning business)

12. Cleaning and Painting

Students moving into new residences may want assistance with cleaning and painting. You can make money by providing these services.

Creating unique wall patterns using paint will be a bonus, as students who can afford it and enjoy living in attractive apartments will gladly pay for it.

13. House agent

If you are well-versed in your neighbourhood, you can utilise your spare time to look for housing for fellow students, particularly freshmen in the school setting.

Commissions and agent fees are two ways to generate money here.

14. Sales of clothes and fashion accessories

If you go to any campus, you would notice that students are fashion-conscious and frequently purchase clothing, shoes, purses, jewelry, and a couple of other accessories.

You will undoubtedly make a lot of money from the trade if you can obtain these garments in quantity at a discounted price from prominent vendors.

15. Buying and selling used goods

You can make money by selling your properties, both the slightly used ones and the ones you no longer need. You will also earn money by assisting people with selling the properties they have used. Students enjoy buying cheap items and selling them as soon as they can, especially when they are in urgent need of cash.

If you have many friends, you can find out from them what they are willing to purchase and what they can sell at any time. You’ll have a steady cash flow if you make yourself the person they always go-to for any item.

Use classified sites like Olx, Nairaland, Jiji, etc to buy and sell items online.

16. Research what the people in your environment want and sell it to them.

It is possible for you to make money selling almost anything in your school campus. However, it would be best if you determined the most significant desires of students. These have to be items they can’t live without, but they’ll have to go off-campus to acquire them.

Books (essential medical, engineering, and economics textbooks, for example), outfits for law students, electronic gadgets, and fashion items, among other things.

What you have to do is to meet with major suppliers of the product and negotiate with them on the pricing, then deliver the goods to the doorsteps of the students, and you’re good to go.

17. Web development and design

You can learn how to create websites and blogs and then charge for the services you offer.

There is a market waiting for you in and outside of campus. You can go to different departments, student associations, and other organisations to offer your skills.

18. Blogging

Blogging is a profitable business. You’ve probably heard of Linda Ikeji and how much money she makes from her site.

Making money from blogging is no longer as simple as it once was, but if you have the appropriate guidance, you can tap into the gold mine that blogging is.

Read: How to create a blog in Nigeria in less than 20 minutes

Conclusion

As you can see, there are various options for students to earn money. Hopefully, you’ve discovered a means to supplement your income while you’re studying for your degree.

If you follow these steps, you will be able to graduate from college with less debt and more peace of mind.

However, you should be aware that reaching high income potential could take months, if not years. You will undoubtedly succeed if you work diligently, passionately, and strategically.