In this post, I’ll introduce you to 40 business ideas/services that can help you earn a living in Nigeria.
There are tons of opportunities out there. As a matter of fact, the Nigerian marketplace is a goldmine for smart entrepreneurs. However, making a decision on the business to start is usually a daunting task.
Over the years, we have witnessed a great rise in the number of SMEs (Small Medium Enterprise) owners in Nigeria.
So many people are already taking advantage of the vast business opportunities present in Nigerian societies.
Although there are numerous business opportunities, a lot of them are location dependent. Some businesses are most suitable for cities while others do well only in rural environments.
Bearing that in mind, you must be extremely careful when deciding on the business to start.
Note: Some of the opportunities in our list aren’t businesses but, rather, services you can render and get paid for.
In any case, we believe the opportunities listed in our guide can help you achieve a boss-free life.
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Business Ideas for Nigerian Cities
Makeup Studio
Owning a makeup studio is right at the top of my list. The ladies just love to look good and many of them can’t do it all by themselves. The good thing is… the makeup fades away after just one day. So, they have to keep coming for more.
However, this service requires skills and in-depth knowledge. You have to make good first-time impressions. If people like what you do, you are sure to succeed at this.
Hair Salon
After good Makeup, what next? The ladies need to complement their good looks with a good hairstyle. This is another very lucrative small business. And guess what, it’s not very expensive to start up a hair salon. You can startup small and then expand later.
Spa
A place where people can come for a manicure, pedicure, etc. You may also include massage services. In the cities, getting such services is a bit expensive. So the monetary benefits involved can never be underestimated.
Fitness Center (Gym)
It is another very lucrative business for small startups. People subscribe monthly or annually to use your fitness center. A fitness center is however not so easy to start. It requires that you have good knowledge of body fitness and general well-being. This is something you can work on and develop along the line though.
A fitness center may require a lot of capital – depending on how big you are trying to startup.
Event Planning
To render this service requires that you are connected to the right people and that you are a certified event planner. You can launch your career as an event planner by proving your quality with small events.
Rentals Services (Suits, Wedding gowns, cars, halls, etc.)
When events take place, people need to make use of such services. If you start a business aimed at taking advantage of this opportunity, you are sure to benefit substantially from it.
The items listed above are targeted at wedding events. If you want to aim for the best qualities, then you may be needing a lot of capital. However, you can always start with a few items.
Maybe 3-5 suits and wedding gowns instead of like a dozen. One car instead of several. With time, you are bound to grow bigger if your business is well managed.
Entertainment (MC, DJ, Comedian)
Also, because of the regular events in the cities, the need for the MCs, DJs, Comedians is also very high. The good thing is that rendering those services require zero capital. Only your talent and the right connection.
Photography
Who captures the important moments in these big events ever present in the cities? photographers of course… and they get to make good money doing this.
Photography is actually not location dependent. You can become a freelance photographer. There are many websites that buy Stock Photos. Also, you can start a blog, display your stock photos and monetize with AdSense or any other ad company.
Video Coverage
A video coverage man or will also enjoy his fair share of the money being spent on the frequent events in the cities. But this is not something just anybody can venture into. You may have to undergo training and become a specialist at it.
Horticulture services
If you are a specialist at beautifying places with flowers, then you must not underestimate the height you can attain rendering that service. In the cities, many company and houses need people who have good knowledge about horticulture and can help them maintain a beautiful surrounding.
Other business and services most suitable for Nigerian cities are:
- Coffee or Tea shop
- Fast food
- Fashion Designing
- Model Stylists Business
- Pets Sales.
- Barber Shop
- Boutique
- Supermarket (mini-mall)
- Laundry Services
- Catering Services
- Daycare/creche Services
Business Ideas for Nigerian Suburbs
Building Materials (Aluminum, PVC, Roofing Sheets, etc.):
Because of the constant building activities, selling these building materials are of high demand in these areas. Selling them there will be highly lucrative.
Transport services
Taxi, bus, Keke Napep, etc. If you can’t drive it yourself, buy and give to someone who brings in a return based on your arrangement. This business can thrive in both cities and potential cities alike.
Musical Studio
So many upcoming singers are common in these areas, you can start up a music studio if you have good knowledge about music
Business Ideas for those living in Rural Areas in Nigeria
- Rearing of livestock.
- Crop production
Work from home Opportunities in Nigeria
Now, this is my favorite part. I always love to save the best for the last.
The internet provides a wide range of opportunities for anyone looking to work from home. Business are now making more sales and more purchases online. So it’s one important business opportunities we can’t forget to mention.
Freelance Writing
You can become a freelance writer, work from home and get paid anywhere in the world. See some of the best freelance companies you can join and get paid writing.
SEO consultancy
So many people are looking to improve the search presence of their website or blog on Google and other search engines. As a result of this, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialists are in high demand. If you are an SEO expert, you can offer your services as a consultant. If you find it difficult getting clients, freelance sites can also come in handy.
Affiliate Marketing
This is one of the best business opportunities for most bloggers. If you don’t have products of your own to sell, you can easily add the products of affiliate companies to your blog and make a lot of money from them.
So many people make a living as an affiliate marketer. There are many companies you can get products, list them on your sites and make sales. Amazon is the biggest there is. You can also sign up with CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, etc.
Blogging
Now, this is my thing… Blogging is the way I express myself. It’s my passion. I earn from AdSense ads placed on my site and affiliate sales made. The amount of money you can make as a blogger has no limits. I have a complete step-by-step guide to help to start a WordPress blog.
Other business opportunities that are in high demand on the internet or require computers are:
- App development
- Web design
- Social Media Manager
- Bulk SMS business
- Graphics Design
- Domain Flipping business
- Transcription Services
- Virtual Assistant Services
- Data Entry work
- App testing
- YouTube publishing
After deciding upon which business to start, check out some basic principles guiding the start of a business.
- Don’t start a business because everybody is doing it; only start up a business that you have good knowledge about. If you don’t have knowledge about a business, you can always make researches.
- Even if you have all the knowledge about a business, if you don’t have enough capital to start that business, the knowledge becomes useless. So here’s the thing, start up a business your capital can handle for the moment. When you get enough capital, upgrade.
- Not every location is suitable for your intended business.
- You must invest enough time in order to get a new business up and running. The startup is always the hardest part and that’s the part that needs your time and attention most.
After reading this article, I believe you must have some business ideas now… if you think there are other very lucrative business ideas I’m leaving out, kindly let me know by leaving a comment below. Or you could just share your views… your comments are highly welcome.
Also, do well to share this great business ideas with your friends and loved ones… I’m sure they’ll be glad you did.