If you have been on Nigerian Twitter lately, you must have heard the sound warning from the young and old alike urging everyone to get a second source of income. It’s not because it is an easy thing to do, but it has become a necessity. The COVID-19 pandemic opened our eyes to see that white-collar jobs are not as sustainable as we all thought. Does a white-collar job guarantee salaries at the end of the month? Yes, it does, but can it sustain you long-term? It’s time for a bit of introspection into our finances as a people. It’s time to break free from the shackles of dependence on only one source of income because what happens when it runs dry, as we saw after the pandemic when people asked to leave their jobs?
With the inflation rising in Nigeria with little or no hope of what to expect tomorrow, it is only smart that we devise an alternative means to earn more money that would match the inflated prices. This is where online businesses come in.
What are online businesses?
Online businesses can also be called remote jobs or even freelance. It is a sort of employment that requires the employee to work from a location other than the confines of the office operated by the employer. So when you hear people say, “I work remotely” or “I freelance,” This is basically what they mean. Online businesses do not require you to show up at the office every day, but daily tasks might be assigned to you to be completed and turned in by the end of the day. It is fun because you can decide to complete these tasks in the middle of the day or at night, and nobody will query you. Online businesses give you the opportunity to exploit the internet and earn from it.
In this article, we will expose you to everything you need to start an online business and the best five online businesses in Nigeria.
Basic requirements for Starting an online business in Nigeria
The exciting thing about online businesses in Nigeria is that it doesn’t require much from you. It doesn’t have an age limit, either. It doesn’t have all baggage that comes with office jobs like waking up early to beat traffic or dressing up. Online businesses are so convenient that you can do them in your pajamas.
To start an online business, it is essential to rediscover that skill you may have suppressed for a while because you found a white-collar job. It may be that you used to be a good writer or a content creator; whatever the skill, once you can package it for your audience, it becomes marketable. After finding out your skills, you’ll need these three things to
Top five online businesses in Nigeria at the moment
If you want to earn from online businesses in Nigeria, here are five online businesses that are currently making waves in the country.
Blogging and Content Writing
Blogging and content writing are not for the weak; the money is always worth it. Blogging is highly lucrative in Nigeria, and you can get paid daily if you know your way around. To start blogging, you have to get a domain name, good hosting, and a PC, and you’re good to go!
Content writing, on the other hand, involves creating text content for companies and getting paid. Getting jobs as a content creator is relatively easy, especially if you are passionate about it.
Dropshipping
You must have heard about dropshipping on various social media channels. Dropshipping involves purchasing items from companies on behalf of your customers and selling them online. In a way, dropshippers are mini distributors without physical shops.
Social media marketing
If you’re the type that can keep up with social media trends and whatnot, social media marketing might be your calling. Instead of spending hours on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nothing, why not earn as you scroll? All you have to do is search for companies that need social media marketers and apply for the job. Try to develop an excellent social media campaign for the company, and they’ll definitely hire you. The pay is usually good if negotiated well, and it might just become your ticket out of the trenches.
Selling digital products
Another great way of making money in Nigeria is to create and sell digital products. As long as you are knowledgeable in a field, you can make products for people in that field, and they’ll love it. It is good to be a how-to ebook, video, or course; whichever you create will earn you a lot if marketed through the appropriate channels.
Gift cards and crypto merchants
To become a crypto and gift card merchant, you might do a little bit of socializing. This means you have to communicate your status as a merchant to people that might want to sell their gift cards and cryptocurrency. Crypto and gift card businesses are very lucrative, and it is one that has been serving as a side hustle for many youths in Nigeria. You can learn how to become a crypto or gift card merchant by reading the Astro Africa knowledge-based blog. It contains everything you need to know and understand before becoming a merchant. Astro Africa and Dart Africa are two gift card and crypto exchange platforms that are worth emulating in terms of the exceptional trading services that they offer.
