Let’s face it, we have all, at one point or another, thought about getting a side hustle. It’s perfectly normal to desire an extra stream of income. No, it doesn’t make you a ‘disloyal’ employee or a ‘greedy’ one.
It is another method of making money in addition to your everyday employment. With the money earned from your side hustle, you may not become wealthy, but you would have more money to take care of your basic needs, deal with your obligations, and undoubtedly, reduce your financial stress.
These days, the internet has made having a side hustle very easy. You don’t have to physically juggle between two (or more) jobs and/or business(es) when you can easily score a side hustle and meet its demands from the comfort of your home.
In addition to knowing how to land a side gig, you don’t need to have technical skills to manage a side hustle. In this article, there’s something for everyone.
First, it is essential to consider the questions you need to ask before taking on a side hustle.
Can You Dedicate Time?
The key to having a successful side hustle is time management. Your traditional 9-5 job is already time-consuming. So, be certain you can create enough time for your side hustle. Failure to do so would not only affect the extra stream of income but your mainstay as well.
Self-reflection is very essential. You should be straightforward with yourself on how many extra hours you can make accessible to your side hustle. Map out these available dates by calculating the time you would spend at your main job.
Remember not to procrastinate and work well with your time, however limited it is.
How Committed Are You?
At the end of the day, commitment overrides time availability. Even if you have all the free time in the world, but you aren’t dedicated to that side hustle, it would still flop.
Think about the possible clashes that may arise; the exhaustion from being overworked and the possibility of your side hustle not bringing in immediate profit.
If you cannot see yourself winging through the above-stated circumstances, side hustling might not be for you (which is fine!).
Would There Be a Conflict of Interest?
This may come off as dramatic, but it’s a real thing. Can your main and side hustle coexist without one corroding the other? Are you afforded flexibility from your main job?
Remember that except where the side hustle is extremely rewarding, it is not worth it to sacrifice your main employment.
Dropshipping
Social Media Copywriter
Freelance Writer
Logo/Font Designer
Affiliate Marketer
Virtual Assistant
Virtual Tutor
Language Translator
Social Media Influencer
Data Entry Specialist
Online Survey Take
Airtime/Data Reseller
WhatsApp TV/Status Marketing
POS Agent / Mobile Banking
Mini Importation
Academic Assignment Help
Instagram / Facebook Thrift Seller
Digital Skill Reseller
Online Recharge Card Printing
Jumia/Konga Affiliate Sales
Digital Typing Jobs (PDFs to Word)
Campus Logistics or Errand Runner
Freelance Voice-Over (with your phone)
Snack or Drink Vendor
Telegram Channel Monetization
Airtime to Money Conversion
Sell E-books or Digital Products
Freelance MC or Hype Person (Events)
Beadwork/Jewelry Making
Faceless TikTok or YouTube
Football Viewing Center Promoter
Home Lesson Organizer
Neighborhood Bulk Buyer
Hoarding for Profit
Dispatch Rider (Bike or Bicycle Delivery)
Proofreader
Podcast Editor
Sound Designer / Audio Producer
YouTuber
Online Course Creator
E-Book Author / Self-Publisher
Newsletter Writer
Captioning / Subtitling Services
UX Writer
Ghostwriter
Social Media Manager
Pinterest Manager
Content Strategist
SEO Specialist
Email Marketing Specialist
Brand Consultant
Digital Ad Campaign Manager
Influencer Outreach Coordinator
PR / Media Outreach Specialist
Scenario-based Training Designer
UX Tester
QA Tester (Software)
Illustrator / Digital Artist
Stock Photographer
Photo Retoucher
Print-on-Demand Designer
Remote Customer Support Agent
Online Community Manager
Project Manager
Bookkeeper
Recruitment Assistant
HR/Onboarding Specialist (Remote)
SOP Writer (Standard Operating Procedures)
Proposal Writer (B2B & Freelance)
Compliance Document Creator
Dropshipping is one of the easiest side hustles to get into. This is because you to sell an item legitimately to the client without purchasing any stock. This is great as a side gig because you don't have to have a major startup costs spending plan, keeping expenses low.
The producer of the goods conveys the stock as well as ships it to the client for you. You have to market it to buyers and provide customer services.
This keeps your involvement minimal, allowing you time to focus on your main job. So, if you’re a good salesperson and you need a side hustle that plays to your skillset, this is it. It's one of the uncommon side gigs that permits you to be flexible.
Another good thing about dropshipping is that you can sell anything. Just find whatever interests you and/or is profitable to begin your business.
Skills: Marketing, communication, and interpersonal skills are important.
As mentioned earlier, technology has not only made side hustling easier to find and do, but its invention has brought about the birth of new, profitable side hustles.
One of them is social media copywriting. It involves crafting short, compelling copy to sell products and/or educate and engage consumers.
Given the high number of social media users, there are, social media copywriters are in high demand. It isn’t time-consuming. All you need do is come up with creative, straightforward ideas on schedule.
What makes it a great side hustle is that it can be done anywhere and at any time.
Skills: Creativity, writing skills, and dexterity with social media applications.
Freelance writing jobs are a dime dozen these days. Do you know what else makes it a catch? It is fully remote. People contracting the gigs out don’t care if you’re in Antarctica or down in Accra. All they want is for the agreed-upon writing arrangement to be met and mailed in as at when due.
Also, unlike drop shipping which may fluctuate, freelance writing is pretty much fixed. That is, you know if you write a certain amount of articles, you’d earn a fixed amount of money. And all these can become available at your fingertips, literally. With platforms such as Fiverr and UpWork, landing a freelance writing gig is easy.
You need to charge your clients depending on the worth you'll bring. Do not fall into the trap of undercharging, which is very common in the industry and usually brings about quick burnout with little result.
Skills: Obviously, your writing skills must be well-sharpened. Your research and creativity skills must also be employed if you want a thriving career in this field.
As a result of many businesses now using social media, the need for branding has risen. Businesses want to set themselves apart from others by owning a brand and staying true to it.
That’s why logo/font designing is highly attractive as a side hustle. If you are a good designer, this can be a good way to create an extra source of income.
Skills: Creativity and experience in the use of designing software such as Adobe Sketch and Photoshop.
Affiliate marketing allows you to earn income (usually in the form of commission) by promoting a company’s products.
That is, you select a product that catches your eye and you market it to potential customers. If they purchase you, you’ll be given a percentage.
Note that affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that can either make you a great deal of cash or nothing. It's not just about finding the correct item to sell, you are also tasked with finding the correct brand to get into business with.
If you do become an affiliate marketer for internet business stores, your bonus will probably be a ton lower than if you were to simply outsource them yourself.
Notwithstanding, some organizations pay well that pay their affiliate marketers well, provided they keep bringing them, new clients.
Skills: Marketing, analytical, communication, and cooperation skills are essential.
Virtual assisting is arguably one of modern technology’s best creations. It is fully remote. All you need do is perform various administrative duties from wherever is most convenient for you to a person or a business.
As a virtual assistant, your duties would include managing your client’s calendar, bookkeeping, conducting online research, and creating presentations.
Basically, you’d perform the duties of a regular assistant; just from the comfort of your home and with more flexibility than a traditional assistant enjoys.
Skills: Organization, communication, research, collaboration, and computer skills are relevant to this side hustle.
You can browse virtual assisstant jobs in Nigeria on MyJobMag.
Seriously, those who argue that the internet is man’s greatest invention make a very good case. Virtual teaching is one of the byproducts of this humanity’s breakthrough.
Virtual tutoring entails everything traditional tutoring does but instead of being in-person, it puts the communication on the web. Fundamentally, where a traditional coaching meeting would occur face to face, virtual tutoring happens on the web.
So, if you’re knowledgeable in a field – be it English, Mathematics, Physics, or History- you can easily become a virtual tutor on the side.
You can either scout for students using the traditional method, or you can register on any website for virtual tutoring to begin. Remember to pick an age group you’re most comfortable teaching. And not to take on too much load, as teaching is pretty intensive – virtual or otherwise.
Skills: Expertise in the field you’re lecturing in. Certification and experience do sell you better as does great communication since the interaction would be solely through the internet.
Now is probably the best time to sign up for that language learning class. We go on and on about the world being a global village, but humans are still hindered by language differences.
But that’s where speakers of multiple languages (polyglots, anyone?) come in. Your job is to interpret written or spoken material into at least one language with guaranteed retention of meaning and context.
You may also do be required to make glossaries or word references. Whichever duty you’re assigned, be rest assured that you’ll be well remunerated as translators are highly sought after.
To prevent stories that touch, do not forget to negotiate your pay package before you begin working!
Skills: Fluency in more than one language and communication skills are top of the list.
How can we compile a list about modern-day side hustles and then leave out the mother of them all, social media influencing? Guess we were saving the best for last, or in this case, second-to-the-last.
Anyway, the cool thing about social media influencing is that all you need is to build a sizable internet audience. You can build a personal brand on the web-based on who you are or what you can do. Are you stylish? Is your lifestyle camera-worthy? Do you have a cool fashion sense? Can you cook well or bake impressive cakes? If so, influencing may be your calling,
No, you do not need a large audience size, micro, Advocates, Referrers, Loyalists are all small level influencers cadres that still earn well.
Skills: Organization, creativity, knowledge of social media applications, communication skills are key to unlocking this side hustle.
Do you have a flair for typing? Well, this side hustle might be for you. As a data entry specialist, you will be charged with converting paper records from various sources into digital firms. This may incorporate anything from reports to bills to checks.
After electronically entering data for capacity, information section experts audit the work for check purposes, guaranteeing that it's both precise and open.
While data entry specialists commonly use personal computers to enter data, they likewise utilize other devices, for example, scanners and photograph-forming perforators, contingent upon the idea of the printed version and the capacity framework being used.
Skills: Experience with data applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Spreadsheet, and so on.
It’s easy and real. You sign up for global survey sites like YouGov, Swagbucks, Triaba, or Toluna that accept Nigerians. You get paid to share your opinion. Just honest feedback.
Skills: Basic English, attention to instructions, patience (and a working email).
This hustle is underrated. With platforms like VTU.ng or Aimtoget, you buy airtime/data in bulk and sell to friends, small businesses, or neighbours for a small profit. All you need is a phone.
Skills: Mobile literacy, basic math, reliability.
If you’ve got strong contacts and know how to grab attention, you can run a mini media empire on WhatsApp promoting other people's products or services for a fee.
Skills: Content creativity, engagement, digital hustle.
This is very popular in Nigeria, especially in areas with poor banking access. You register with a fintech (like Opay, Moniepoint, or Palmpay), get a POS device, and start earning on transactions.
Skills: Trustworthiness, basic cash handling, good customer service.
Importing items from China via platforms like 1688 or Alibaba in small quantities and reselling them. Mini importation of fashion accessories, electronics, or beauty items is still a booming hustle. It is a side hustle you can try your hands on.
Skills: Product sourcing, pricing, online ordering, marketing.
University students in Nigeria are often looking for help with assignments or term papers. If you’re academically strong in any subject, this side hustle can bring quick cash during school season.
Skills: Research, formatting, fast writing.
You don’t need to own a store. Just curate nice thrift (okirika) pieces, post them creatively on IG or Facebook Marketplace, and take orders. You can even do it on preorder.
Skills: Style, photography, social media marketing.
You don’t need to be a graphic designer or video editor yourself. Just find clients who need work done, outsource it to cheaper freelancers, and keep a margin. It’s legit hustle economics.
Skills: Communication, networking, deal-making.
Use apps like CheetahPay or RechargeAndGetPaid to print recharge cards and resell in your area. It's low-risk and in constant demand, especially in offline communities.
Skills: Mobile-savviness, small capital management.
Join their affiliate programs, post product links, and earn commissions. It works especially well if you run a blog, WhatsApp TV, or Instagram page.
Skills: Online posting, local consumer understanding, content creation.
Plenty of students, authors, and SMEs want scanned or handwritten docs typed into soft copy. You can charge per page. You can even find these gigs via Twitter DMs or student groups.
Skills: Typing speed, formatting, delivery discipline.
If you’re in school, you can run errands for people from food delivery to market runs or package pickup and earn service fees.
Skills: Punctuality, mobility, and coordination.
Use your voice to do simple adverts, TikTok narrations, or podcast intros. Start with your phone mic and editing app like CapCut and scale as you grow.
Skills: Clear diction, tone control, basic audio editing.
Make chinchin, zobo, parfait, or pastries and take orders strictly online. No shop rent needed. Many Nigerians just want fast, affordable home delivery.
Skills: Food prep, hygiene, Instagram/WhatsApp marketing.
If you can grow a Telegram group around crypto, giveaways, job alerts, or even gossip/news, brands will pay to advertise there. You don’t need a face just value and consistent posting.
Skills: Content curation, consistency, audience building.
Got extra airtime from promos or gifts? Use platforms like Recharge2Cash to convert it into real money. You can offer this as a paid service to others.
Skills: Mobile familiarity, basic math, honesty.
Compile guides on hot topics like visa applications, fashion, or even cooking hacks and sell via WhatsApp, Selar, or Paystack storefronts. Nigerians love useful info, especially if it's affordable.
Skills: Writing, packaging info, basic Canva design, digital sales setup.
Even if you’re not a full-blown event host, you can MC birthdays, bridal showers, campus events, or small launches. If you're extroverted and know how to move a crowd, this hustle is golden.
Skills: Charisma, confidence, event vibe control, humor.
Beads, bracelets, or waist chains don’t cost much to make and sell well, especially on Instagram or in local areas.
Skills: Creativity, patience, hands-on crafting, trend spotting.
This is one hustle that pays provided you stay consistent at it. You don’t have to show your face. You repurpose content that people are highly interested in and upload on either YouTube or TikTok and start making money off the views.
Skills: Consistency and basic editing skills using CapCut or any video editing app.
Know someone with a viewing center? Offer to help them boost attendance or monetize better via small paid promos, weekly match predictions, or mini-tournaments with an entry fee.
Skills: Organization, hype, local network, football knowledge.
You don’t even need to teach just connect parents with teachers, take a cut from each successful setup, and follow up for satisfaction.
Skills: Networking, negotiation, parent engagement.
Offer to buy foodstuff in bulk like rice, beans, palm oil and resell in small quantities to your area, especially for students, busy workers, or bachelors.
Skills: Sourcing, small capital planning, logistics.
This is a hustle for those who can spot price hikes, and market shortages before they hit. Here’s how it works. You buy goods in bulk when prices are low then hold on to them for a few weeks or months and resell when prices go up. It sounds simple, but it requires timing and local market knowledge.
Skills: Clear speech, phone mic use, time management.
This one is for the fast movers. Dispatch riding is booming in cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt and you don’t always need a motorbike. Apps like Glovo now use bicycle riders to deliver food, parcels, and documents quickly.
You can apply directly through their apps or join as a subcontractor under existing dispatch companies. It’s a great way to earn per delivery, especially if you already move around a lot or love being on the road.
Skills: Good physical stamina, smartphone use, basic traffic knowledge, polite customer service.
Do you get a strange sense of joy from spotting typos? If a missing comma or a misused "your" makes your eye twitch, then welcome. You might just be born for this. Proofreaders and editors are behind polished blogs, eBooks, and online content.
Skills: A solid grip on grammar rules, eagle-eyed attention to detail, and a good understanding of style guides like AP or MLA.
Ever listened to a podcast that sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel? That is because it lacked a professional podcast editor. As a podcast editor, your job is to clean up raw audio, trim awkward pauses, balance sound levels, and basically make hosts sound like pros even if they’re recording from their closets.
Skills: Patience, precision, and know-how with tools like Audacity or Adobe Audition.
As a sound designer, you’ll create music, effects, or entire soundscapes for videos, games, and podcasts. If your ears perk up at a great transition or you spend hours tweaking audio layers, this one’s your calling.
Skills: Mastery of Logic Pro or Ableton, creativity with sound, and a good mix of technical and musical instincts.
Lights, camera, upload! Being a YouTuber is a legit hustle. If you can create content that informs, entertains, or inspires, then the algorithm (and your audience) will reward you. Just remember: consistency is key, cringe is inevitable, and editing is your secret weapon.
Skills: Comfort with video editing software, storytelling flair, on-camera confidence (or voiceover finesse).
Got a skill people constantly ask you about? Package it! Creating a course is your chance to teach the internet what you know. You record once and (hopefully) get paid forever. Passive income alert!
Skills: Instructional design, presentation skills, and some knowledge of course platforms like Teachable or Udemy.
Always dreamt of writing a book? Thanks to the internet, you don’t need a publisher’s permission. Just an idea and a keyboard, and you are good to go.
Skills: Storytelling sense, editing, and knowledge of digital publishing platforms like Selar or Amazon KDP.
Most internet users subscribe to at least one newsletter we secretly enjoy more than the news itself. If you can write short, punchy, valuable content around a topic you love, you can grow a list and monetize it.
Skills: Strong writing, content curation, a sense of what your audience wants, and tools like Substack or Mailchimp.
You know that tiny text at the bottom of your Netflix screen? Someone wrote that. And if you’re quick with words and detail-oriented, that someone could be you. Captioning makes videos more accessible and yes, it’s a paid gig that’s great for remote work.
Skills: Fast, accurate typing, good grammar, and software like Aegisub, Rev, or even apps like CapCut.
Do you know those short messages in apps that tell you exactly what to do like “Swipe to delete” or “Oops! Something went wrong”? UX writers wrote those. It’s a subtle craft that makes using tech feel human and intuitive. If you’re a minimalist with words, you’ll thrive.
Skills: Crisp writing, user empathy, collaboration with designers, and basic UX knowledge.
If you can slip into different voices and styles while writing, then ghostwriting is probably for you. You'll write articles, blogs, or even books for people who don’t have the time (or skill) to do it themselves. You stay anonymous. They get the credit. You get paid.
Skills: Versatile writing, great research, confidentiality, and client communication.
As a social media manager, you’ll create content, manage posts, engage followers, and help brands grow their digital presence without sounding like a bot.
Skills: Content creation, platform expertise (think Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn), scheduling tools like Buffer, and an eye for analytics.
This can be a side hustle where you help businesses leverage Pinterest for marketing, promoting content, products, and services to increase traffic, engagement, and sales.
If you know how to design good pins using the right keywords, you would most likely excel in this role.
Skills: Canva skills, Pinterest SEO, trend spotting, and understanding of user behavior.
You know that feeling when content just clicks? That’s usually a content strategist’s doing. You’d be mapping out what to post, when to post, and how it aligns with a brand’s goals.
Skills: Planning, SEO, marketing awareness, and tools like Trello or Airtable to keep things organized.
If you know what people type into Google at 2am, this hustle is for you. SEO specialists help websites rank higher by finding the right keywords, fixing backend issues, and making sure content doesn’t get lost in the void.
Skills: Keyword research, tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, on-page optimization, and a little bit of tech savvy.
That email you actually opened this morning? Someone wrote and optimized it. As an email marketer, you craft persuasive emails, grow mailing lists, and figure out what makes people click. It’s like sales and storytelling combined.
Skills: Copywriting, email platforms (Mailchimp, ConvertKit), A/B testing, and segmentation strategy.
If you’ve got an eye for aesthetics and a knack for strategy, brand consulting might be for you. You will help businesses figure out their voice and the things that make them stand out in a crowded market.
Skills: Storytelling, market research, visual direction, and client communication.
You know those sponsored posts that somehow actually get your attention? Digital ad managers are the ones running those ads, targeting the right audience, testing creatives, and tweaking budgets. That someone could be you.
Skills: Ad platforms, analytics reading, budget optimization, and testing different strategies until it clicks.
If you try this as a side hustle, you will essentially be finding creators who align with a brand, negotiate partnerships, and track how well those campaigns perform. If you love networking and have a keen eye for influence, this one is for you.
Skills: Communication, research, influencer databases, and campaign coordination.
If you have ever wondered how brands get featured in magazines or on popular media sites? That’s PR. It involves writing pitches, reaching out to journalists, and landing media placements that build credibility.
Skills: Pitch writing, media list building, relationship, and follow-up skills.
Do you know those online trainings you attend and somehow it didn’t put you to sleep? That is because of the training designer. This one is all about designing interactive, real-world learning experiences that don’t feel like reading a manual.
Skills: Learning design, empathy, scenario writing, and tools like Articulate or Moodle.
As a UX tester, you get paid to explore websites or apps and give honest feedback on how easy (or frustrating) they are to use. Your job is to think like the everyday user and call out what works and what doesn’t.
Skills: Attention to detail, critical thinking, user empathy, and clear communication when giving feedback.
If you're the type who finds bugs in new apps before anyone else, welcome to QA testing. You’ll be testing software, flagging issues, and making sure updates don’t break things. It’s like quality control but for code.
Skills: Testing tools like JIRA, systematic workflows, bug reporting, and patience to test the same thing twice or five times.
It doesn’t matter if it’s book covers, character art, or merch designs, if you can create visuals that pop then this one is for you. You can sell your art or work on commissions.
Skills: Digital tools (Procreate, Adobe Fresco), art fundamentals, creativity, and niche style appeal.
Got a camera or even a phone with a killer lens? You can shoot and upload high-quality images to stock photo sites and earn passive income every time someone licenses your work.
Skills: Photography basics, composition, photo editing, and an eye for marketable images.
As a photo retoucher, you clean up and enhance photos for photographers, e-commerce sites, or social media influencers.
Skills: Photoshop, attention to detail, skin retouching, lighting correction, and color grading.
Create cool shirt designs, tote bags, mugs, or wall art and upload them to sites that print and ship for you. No inventory, no shipping, just royalties rolling in when people buy.
Skills: Design sense, trend awareness, platform knowledge (Redbubble, Teespring), and niche targeting.
If you have a friendly voice or good customer relations skills then this one could be for you. As a remote support agent, you help customers get answers and keep things smooth for companies all from your home.
Skills: Clear communication, empathy, problem-solving, multitasking, and CRM tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk.
Every thriving online brand or group needs someone who nurtures, moderates, and grows the tribe. If you love keeping conversations alive and handling online vibes, this one’s calling your name.
Skills: Engagement strategy, moderation, social media savvy, conflict resolution, and analytics tracking.
If you are naturally good at keeping things organized and on track, you should consider this. Remote teams, especially, need project managers to manage tasks, deadlines, and people.
Skills: Communication, time management, Trello/Asana/Jira mastery, leadership, and attention to detail.
As a bookkeeper, you’ll track expenses, send invoices, and balance digital ledgers all while staying organized and precise.
Skills: Bookkeeping software (QuickBooks, Xero), financial literacy, Excel, and record-keeping accuracy.
Hiring managers are busy and they need help. As a recruitment assistant, you’ll screen CVs, manage job listings, coordinate interviews, and help find the right talent for the job.
Skills: Resume review, scheduling, people skills, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and follow-up precision.
Once someone’s hired, you’ll help new employees settle in, send documentation, explain benefits, and make the remote onboarding experience smooth and professional.
Skills: HR process knowledge, documentation, onboarding tools, communication, and training coordination.
Companies need documented systems. You create step-by-step instructions for internal tasks like onboarding, social media, admin processes and make teams run smoother.
Skills: Process analysis, clear writing, documentation tools, and structure.
Freelancers and small agencies often need help writing clean, persuasive proposals to win clients and they’ll pay you to handle it. Think of it like copywriting for business deals.
Skills: Sales copywriting, client psychology, formatting, clarity, and deadline management.
You help businesses put together policy manuals, privacy terms, or HR docs — not legal advice, but clean, professional documentation that shows they’ve got their act together.
Skills: Policy writing, template editing, regulatory awareness (basic), and strong structure.
Having a remote side hustle is no longer business as usual. It’s practically a necessity now especially considering Nigeria’s inflation rate. With so many flexible and innovative opportunities discussed in this piece, there’s absolutely no excuse not to tap into an extra income stream.
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