10 Legitimate Ways to Make Extra Money Outside of a 9-5 Job in Nigeria

So the need to make more money has never been a stranger to anyone in this world.  It is then no wonder that it was believed that getting a job was the surest way to financial freedom. Well, let's consider these legitimate ways to make extra money outside your 9 – 5 job in Nigeria.

Growing up as an African, I can fully attest to this because that was the story we were told by our parents and grandparents.

And for most of us, growing up under such conditions did not prepare us financially at all for what life could throw at us when you least expect it! 

In today's economy, where everything goes up and employment is ever so hard to get, here are some amazing ways one could follow in order to raise his income base without leaving his current job or investing a fortune into ventures he knows nothing about.

And if you are lucky, they could actually serve as an extra income source for your family.  So make sure to read through them and see how many you can actually apply in reality!

As a final note, let me just say that the internet is one of the best ways to generate extra money because 90% of these opportunities below require very little capital to start buttons of hard work and persistence.

And if you do not believe this then I will forever blame those educational institutions that taught us otherwise! Let's now get to it…

The 10 Legitimate Ways to Make Extra Money

1. Freelance Writing

This offers a great opportunity for anyone looking to make some cash on the side from home. Currently, there is a huge demand for websites, blogs, etc be it local or international.

So if you are a writer, why not try and start a portfolio of your works and sell this to anyone looking for content writing for their websites.

The best part about being a freelance writer is that one does not really need any capital at all to getting started.

You can get started by creating an online profile on networked blogs such as Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, etc where companies post jobs they need someone to handle in exchange for cash rewards.

So if you think you can write well enough be sure not to miss out on these opportunities especially when they come knocking at your door.

2. Affiliate Marketing

This simply means promoting other people's products or services and earning commissions from the sales made via your referral links or banners!

This is one of the easiest ways to make money online. The most difficult part about affiliate marketing is choosing a good and reputable company or product to promote.

Today, there are countless affiliate marketing networks to choose from.

You can do a good background check on them by going through their websites and see how they operate. A great place to start is ShareASale, and if you are in Nigeria, then you should try out Expertnaire.

However, you should never expect to earn a shitton of cash in this business because it is very crucial that you do your research well so as not be wasting time on things that will not yield results.

Get this course to learn how to start Affiliate Marketing and earn in 3 Months with ease

3. Blogging

This is another way you can make money from home without really moving an inch (apart from typing on your keyboard, obviously).

Blogs are created for all kinds of purposes like politics, technology, and sports among others running by individual people with their own views.

In addition to this, there are also websites set up solely for bloggers that pay their writers varying amounts depending on traffic levels and quality content.

For instance, one of the most famous blogging websites is  The Huffington Post which pays anything between $100 and $200 per blog post depending on traffic levels, quality, etc.

This training will show you how to start your blogging journey

4. Selling Products online

This is one of the easiest ways to make money online and it does not require too much technical know-how.

Simply sign up for sites like eBay, Amazon among many others, put in your products or services you have for sale, and then wait till they start selling!

You can also join their affiliate programs which usually come with a hefty commission so you could end up earning more from each item sold.

Well, it is not as easy as that as there are processes to follow before you start selling.

5. Selling Your Photos/Videos

Another way to make money online is through your photos/videos. You can sell them on a site like smutmug, shutterstock, etc.

The great thing about this idea is that once you've created the collage, there are no costs associated with selling it…making it VERY profitable for you! 

Unlike writing where one cannot really charge a lot because his words are basically worthless without content, photos on the other hand sell like hot cakes especially if taken from interesting angles.

So anyone who has an eye for good photography should definitely try this out since it will only cost him/her some time and effort. 

6. Freelance Programming

This is one of the best ways to make money online and this type of business does not require much capital at all as such but will definitely need a great deal of technical expertise.

First, you must be able to program. If you can't make a simple website from scratch or write even the simplest program – simply forget about it!

Programming is the most tedious and monotonous job. It's a fact that programmers are paid more than anyone else in IT companies because they have to do all the nasty work.

But programming also has its advantages, you're your own boss and you determine what jobs you want to take up and for how much. If you can't find a programming job, it doesn't mean that there aren't any out there; it means only one thing: You're doing something wrong!

There are a lot of small companies that hire developers from home based on their skills set, so for those who can code apps, websites, or even write programs be sure to check out oDesk, Elance among many others where you can hire someone to handle any project you have in mind!  

7. Selling Your Expertise

Are you an expert in some field?

Well, then take advantage of your skills and talents by selling them in exchange for cash rewards!

You could do photography if you're good, teach if you're knowledgeable enough about a certain subject matter (music lessons are becoming very much sought after these days), or maybe even become a consultant so people can take advantage of your network and recommendations.

These are just a few ideas though, you could also try out translation services, being an expert cook or baker, becoming a business coach, or even just providing general administration assistance to small businesses!

8. Sell Your Unused Items

If you have anything lying around that is no longer needed then there are plenty of sites where you can sell them without too much trouble (Craigslist among many others) so why not make some cash from things that are taking up space? You won't believe how much people will buy some items at till you see it for yourself so go ahead and try new ways to make money online!

9. Selling Insurance

This one might seem like it's not the most exciting of options but it has its benefits and anyone who can act as an expert in the field could do very well from his knowledge. As such, if you have any prior experience or education in this area then why not head over to sites like Elance which offer insurance services to individuals. Even if you don't know too much about insurance, there's a training course for that!

This is the single most important step that will help you learn how to make money online…

10. Starting Your Own Business

If none of the above work out for your new business idea then try starting up your own company related to what interests you!

This would require some technical expertise (which many already mentioned require) and some capital saving, but once things are going well then why not hire some staff and expand?

There are a lot of small home businesses on the market so look into what could work out for you!

These are some of the best ways to make money online and all of them are fun, interesting, and even profitable in their own right!  

So do you have a favorite method to make money online? Leave your answers below and be sure to let us know if there are any other methods that we might not have covered yet!

And that's it! I hope these 10 ways will help you learn how to make money online as they have helped me. If you know different ways of making money online, then be sure to comment below so others can take advantage of your knowledge too! 

Hope this article helps you.