Many students in Nigeria are looking for ways to make money while in school, and fortunately, there are options available that don’t require extensive experience or skills. Balancing academics and work can be challenging, so it’s important to find ways to earn money on campus without sacrificing your studies.
This article will provide you with ideas on how to make money as a student with minimal experience or skills. The opportunities mentioned in this post are relatively easy to get started with, often requiring just a day or less to adapt to.
Different Ways You Can Make Money As A Nigerian Student
1. Content Writing
Most bloggers are no strangers to this side gig. It’s one of the ways they boost their earnings in the beginning. For years, new bloggers have relied on it because there are times when money isn’t rolling in.
Your education isn’t something that begins and ends in a classroom; it’s a journey that unfolds as you move through life. Take a moment to reflect on your experiences and see how you can transform them into words. Many bloggers are willing to pay for your knowledge.
You can set up a profile on Fiverr, where you’ll earn in foreign currency. Build relationships with bloggers, showcase your skills, and you could make up to $10 per article if you have a way with words.
2. Selling products
As a student, you can easily sell items you no longer need. OLX, which has recently been acquired by Jiji.ng, used to be my preferred classified ads platform.
OLX was quite popular among students because it offered good support and was user-friendly, unlike Jiji.ng, which I wasn’t a big fan of. I can recall using Jiji.ng only about 4 to 5 times.
Another option is to create your own online e-commerce store if you have the funds to start one. With as little as N5000, you can begin your journey towards building authority in the e-commerce space.
3. Tutorials
Do you excel in a particular course or subject? Don’t let that knowledge go to waste. Offer your expertise to students who are preparing for entrance exams, and you’ll be amazed at how much you can earn.
Tutoring is not only financially rewarding but also beneficial for you. It helps keep your mind sharp, regardless of your own course of study. Even your wealthier classmates won’t hesitate to pay you for helping them with their studies.
4. Typing documents or notes
Learning to type on Microsoft Word isn’t very difficult. I intentionally avoided graphic design because it can take a while to master. However, if you’re patient, it can be more lucrative than typing.
Typing documents can earn you as much as N200 per page, and for more complex documents, you can earn up to N150 per page. Learning to use Microsoft Word is easier compared to the versatile and complex Corel Draw and Adobe Photoshop.
Speaking as a graphic designer myself, I can tell you that you can make more than N7000 in less than 3 hours. A client might ask you to format text in a book. Once you’ve set and designed your page, all you need to do is copy the typed words into the pre-designed page and do some formatting.
But let’s not stray from the main point: typing documents is one of the quickest ways for students to make money. Many students in tertiary institutions use this as a source of income because funds from family and friends are often insufficient
5. Internet Services
If you’ve been using an internet-enabled smartphone for 3 months, you likely have basic internet knowledge. Here are some ways you can make money on campus using your internet skills:
- Registering prospective students online for exams.
- Assisting with school fees payments.
- Checking admission status.
- Providing relevant information from school websites.
- Assisting with result checking.
- Helping with course form printouts.
In the campus environment, most computer operators charge at least N500 for their services. The service fee could even go up to N1500 for tasks like school fee payment and semester registration.
6. Laundry & Drycleaning business
Starting a laundry and dry cleaning business can be an exciting venture for students, and it doesn’t require a significant investment.
Most dry cleaners rely on washing machines, but there are clothes or materials that the machine can’t handle due to their thickness or size. Dry cleaning involves the use of chemicals to remove stains, which is a more complicated process.
On the other hand, laundering simply involves washing with water and then ironing. If you’re just starting out, you can begin with laundering, which doesn’t require a chemical composition for stubborn dirt. You don’t need a large budget for this, and you can always expand your services later if needed.
7. Photocopying
Starting a photocopying business in college can be a profitable venture. You can purchase an A4 photocopying machine for less than NGN30,000 at a store and begin offering photocopying services.
Most students prefer A4-sized copies because they are easier to handle and fit in a backpack. A typical charge for photocopies in a school environment is around N20 per copy, while print-outs, which are neater, can go for about N50 per copy. Learning how to operate the machine is straightforward and takes less than 15 minutes.
I’ve seen many students who owned photocopy machines during my time in college, and they made good money providing this service. If you have access to a machine, it’s a great way to earn some extra cash.
8. Photography
While smartphones may have changed the landscape of photography, there’s still a demand for photographers in various situations. In schools, during registration, and at events like parties, NYSC gatherings, and sports events, there’s a consistent need for photographers to capture important moments.
Learning how to use a camera can take as little as 3 hours, especially if you’re already familiar with smartphone photography. A professional can show you a few tricks to get started.
For example, passport photographs are often required during school registration. You can sell a set of four passport-sized photos for N500, and it typically costs less than N100 to produce them. If you’re printing in bulk at a photo lab, your expenses may be even lower.
9. Project work
Many students in higher education institutions choose not to write their own projects and prefer to hire experts to do it for a fee. If you’ve gone through a National Diploma program at a Nigerian Polytechnic, you’ll have some insights into how school projects work. As an HND or Degree student, you can capitalize on this by helping those who lack the experience.
In Nigeria, some computer operators and data analysts charge over N40,000 for complete project work. If you’re not proficient in data analysis, you can collaborate with statisticians or individuals with the necessary expertise to complete the projects.
That way, you will able to earn some money even while in school. what better way to prepare for the outside world, if not from the school environment?
10. Sell past question papers & course materials
There’s about an 80 percent chance that past questions and course materials will end up as waste. So why not take the initiative to make money from them?
You can photocopy these materials and sell them to students who are preparing for post-UTME exams, entrance exams, or even to students who have already been admitted to universities and polytechnics.
Almost every student would welcome the opportunity to buy these materials at a more reasonable price than what lecturers often charge.
My classmates in school used to sell printouts to students, and I can assure you they never ran out of cash.
11. Start A Football Viewing Centre
Does it take much to start one? Well, it does require some initial investment, but the benefits far outweigh the startup cost. I’ve never seen a viewing center without a huge crowd, especially in a school environment.
Most male students hate missing out on the action; no one wants to hear from someone else how it all went down. In most football viewing centers, they charge no less than N150 per match. Just imagine how much you can make in a day when you have a large crowd, say 300 people. You can do the math.
Another benefit is that you won’t miss your favorite sports events and will become more knowledgeable about the game. Even the sports bettors know where to visit when they want to select their games.
12. Take a crucial role in your school
If you have the qualities of a leader, there are several positions you can hold in your school’s student government, most notably as the Student Union Government (SUG) President. There are also other roles you can fill, such as Assistant SUG Leader, SUG Sports Director, Financial Secretary, and Social Director.
It was during my time in school that I realized there was money available to share among the student government executives. This is one of the ways the executives maintain their comfortable lifestyles in the school environment.
13. Sales of Airtime & Data
Almost every student with a smartphone dreads not having data and airtime.
Around 90% of university and polytechnic students would rather go hungry than be without data on their smartphones. Airtime is still somewhat of a luxury they can do without, especially for male students who tend to spend more on it. Data is essential and is the most consumed.
You can make money by selling airtime and data to your fellow students. With little or no experience, you can start earning from airtime and data sales.
14. Start a game center
Setting up indoor and outdoor games is relatively easy if you have enough space.
Table tennis, board games, chess, snooker, and PlayStation are some of the most popular games, especially in Africa. If you’re starting this kind of business, make sure it doesn’t interfere with your studies as it can be time-consuming.
Students looking to unwind after a stressful day will appreciate your game center as a relaxing place to hang out.
15. Offer services you are already good at
If you have a skill you learned before starting university, there’s no need to stop now, even if your needs are met. Keep honing your skills by offering them to your lecturers, school staff, neighbors, fellow students, and people in your community.
You don’t even need to rent a space for most skills. For example, if you’re a graphic designer or a photo editor, all you need is your laptop and electricity to get the job done. Renting a shop is often unnecessary since you won’t always be there to attend to customers unless you hire someone.
Skills like hairdressing, tailoring, creating PayPal accounts, and making soap are just a few of the many ways students make money on campus. With freelancing, you can be available to get a job and work in your spare time without disrupting your studies. Your room can even become your office.
Conclusion
No more excuses to go broke again. Put on your thinking cap and brainstorm how you can help yourself in the school environment.
Don’t just read this; prepare yourself to start. In the first month or two, customers might not come as you expected. Don’t give up. Every business has gone through this phase, but with good and standard service, you can win some customers over to you.
