To live a soft life in Nigeria as a young person, you need at least four income streams. And that's not exaggerating. It's the harsh reality. As an undergrad or young person doing a traditional 9-to-5, to afford all your bills and still afford the lifestyle you desire, a side hustle might be what you need.

There's no need to feel pressured if finding a good side hustle is hard. There are a lot of scams out there that target desperate youths trying to earn an extra income. Some side hustles require lots of work with low reward, while some require less work and a bigger reward.

Considering how tough the Nigerian economy is, surviving is no joke, and you need to dabble in more than one hustle. Many Nigerians have adopted the culture of having side hustles to provide extra income. It has become the norm, but if you're new to having side hustles and struggling to choose one that suits you, or a profitable one, buckle up. We have helpful tea on high-paying side hustles you can start today.&nbsp;

Have you ever come across popular items like bags, clothes, skincare, and phone accessories flooding your social media feed? You'll be surprised how much money these people make, and you can earn just like them by doing mini importation.

Mini importation is one of the most profitable side hustles currently, and as a Nigerian youth, you can earn well from it. What is mini importation, and how does it work? It's self-explanatory, but the idea is you buy cheap quality products from China, for example, and sell them at a higher price in Nigeria. To kickstart a mini importation side hustle, you need as little as 50k, and you can start importing products from Chinese platforms like AliExpress, Alibaba, and 1688.

Do your research on best-selling or trending products before you order in bulk, then sell at a profitable price on any platform of your choice.&nbsp;

The skills you have can fetch you more money than you can imagine. Whatever skill you have, writing, design, or coding, you can connect with people who need your skills and are willing to pay good money. Businesses need talented designers to scale their business and writers for quality content, so if you have any of these skills, harness them and market them properly.&nbsp;

You don't need to be a professional to start freelancing. So don't panic and think you're not good enough. You can still do freelancing as a newbie as long as you're willing to learn and grow. To find clients, you can join platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, or LinkedIn and market yourself as best as you can.

If you've always wanted to start your own business but don't have the capital to start one, you'll love drop shipping. Drop shipping is a low-risk side hustle. You can simply create an online store without buying any products or having an inventory and make profits by selling to consumers.&nbsp;

How does it work? Drop shipping is an online business model where you get to set up your online store, list products from a third-party store that produces and ships the products to your customers. Without lifting a finger or touching the listed products you're selling, you get profits. While the third-party supplier focuses on the delivery fulfillment of your orders, all you have to do is market your products to customers and drive sales.&nbsp;

Do you know you can earn money without owning any product? And I don't mean those types that promise you'll earn 100k in a day or make you pay a subscription fee to promote the products and make sales. Affiliate marketing is a side hustle that allows you to promote people's products, and you'll earn a commission per sale. The amount of commission can differ depending on the product price you're selling.&nbsp;

If you have lots of contacts or a steady following on social media, affiliate marketing is a good option to earn extra income. Simply share your unique affiliate link as you promote the product to potential buyers and earn when they make a purchase. To start this side hustle, you can sign up on platforms like Jumia Affiliate, Konga Affiliate, or Amazon Associates and cash out when people buy through your link.

One thing about young Nigerians? We love food. And we're ready to pay for the convenience of it. Gone are the days when we craved smoky Jollof rice and asun, but the thought of going to the market and then preparing the meal makes us lose our appetite. This problem right here is something you can fix with a food business. If you enjoy cooking and have the knack for making delicious meals, you will love this side hustle.&nbsp;

A food business is one of many that can never go out of style, and you get to join the bandwagon by catering to the generation that loves ordering food online. You can decide to stick to the classics of Jollof rice and fried rice, or cook local dishes like amala, pounded yam, starch, and even create a variety of soups from different tribes. As long as you have a specialty in a food business, nothing is stopping you. From home-cooked meals to small chops and snacks, you can cook and package them and sell them online to customers.&nbsp;

To get the full potential of running a food business, you should register with a third-party food delivery service like Glovo, Chowdeck, Jumia Foods, Uber Eats, or Bolt Food and see how fast you make profits. There are no limitations to starting this side hustle. Choose your specialty, set your prices, and deliver comfort to customers.

Ways to make money in Nigeria are endless. Legit ways, of course. You just need to start. No more excuses, and don't sell yourself short. Simply choose a side hustle that suits you, stay consistent, and watch how the extra income rolls in. Gone are the days of relying on one paycheck.&nbsp;

To live a soft life in Nigeria as a young person, you need at least four income streams. And that's not exaggerating. It's the harsh reality.

read more