In an economy troubled with inflation and rising costs, it’s not strange that the average Nigerian juggles a 9-5 with a side hustle to maximise cash flow. But what happens when the side gig becomes the main squeeze? What does it take to make the leap?
We spoke with young Nigerian entrepreneurs who’ve successfully turned their passions into full-time ventures. They shared their stories, struggles, and how the switch has impacted their finances.
Emmanuel, 29. Business Consultant
Last income at 9-5: ₦450k
Current average income: ₦600k – ₦1m
I started my career during NYSC as an account executive at an experiential marketing agency in 2018, where I earned ₦50k/month. In the same year, I began a mini side hustle building pitch decks and company profiles for older colleagues and friends. They had seen the quality of my work and trusted me with these projects.
Over time, my consulting gigs became a steady income, and I started an agency to consult for SMEs. In 2020, COVID hit and experiential agencies started struggling, so I made a move to go full-time.
An ex-boss sent me consistent freelance gigs, and I made between ₦100k – ₦350k on each one. I didn’t even have a registered business name yet. Those jobs kept me going for the rest of the year. I returned to corporate work the following year, but the seed had been planted—I could make money from this.
In January 2022, I took the final plunge and became a full-time consultant. I realised I preferred working with multiple clients and projects rather than being tied to one office or sector. Business wasn’t great at some points, and my bills took a hit. I had a social media and content manager who I owed salaries because we didn’t get clients. But that was all part of the journey. Over time, I built a team of ten full-time staff and contractors. We now help businesses with process optimisation, pitch decks, business plans, and, more recently, websites and mobile apps.
The agency generates about ₦2m – ₦2.5m in monthly revenue, sometimes more. 60% of that goes into operations, staff, contractors, reinvestment, and some savings. Then, I pay myself.
I can confidently say my decision to go full-time with my side hustle is paying off — not just financially, but in growth and purpose. I have become a better operator. I own my time, and I’ve figured out how I work best. I can show up for things that matter. I have flexibility, even if the work itself can get intense.
It does get intense. There is no guaranteed salary unless I bring in clients. I’m the CEO, marketer, salesperson and people manager. If I hire the wrong person, the business takes the hit. They will leave and get another job, but I will bear the cost.
Also, dealing with rising costs is a challenge. Many of the tools I use are priced in USD, and the exchange rates affect everything. Contractors sometimes ask for rates I cannot afford. It is a lot to manage at once.
But I’m better off for it. I understand what it really takes to run a business, and the mindset shift helps me treat my clients’ businesses with the same level of care. I pay close attention to the economy, the cost of tools, and currency fluctuations because they all directly affect my work. These things matter when you are trying to build something sustainable.
That said, the real upside has been the relationships. Some clients have grown with me and seen how we have evolved over time. That kind of loyalty, not just from me to them but from them back to me, has been rewarding. It shows that people believe in what we are building together.
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Pearl, 36. Entrepreneur and Instagram Ads Specialist
Last income at 9-5: ₦90k
Current average income: ₦1m – ₦2.5m
Two years into my job at an accounting and auditing firm, I noticed I was good at selling and marketing any product. This was in 2016, and since then, I’ve been selling anything I could on Instagram: sneakers, shoes, fabrics—everything. Then, I took it further by charging people to set up sales pages online.
My first client paid me ₦30k and referred me to others. Between 2016 and 2018, I juggled my 9-5 and side hustle as a social media manager and Instagram ads specialist. Sometimes, I got up to 4 clients in a month.
In 2018, I decided to leave my corporate job and focus on my side hustle. I’d just given birth to my first child and had to resume work after three months. Plus, the creche close to my office cost over ₦200k. It was too expensive, so I took the risk and resigned. I set up a social media agency and added TikTok as another channel to sell my goods.
Today, my agency manages the social media presence of six clients, and I have three remote assistants to help me. My agency makes around ₦500k monthly: ₦300k returns to the business to pay my staff, and I pay myself ₦200k. The sales from my online stores on Instagram and TikTok typically amount to ₦1m/month. It can get as high as ₦2.5m in a good month.
Entrepreneurship hasn’t been all rosy. It’s a round-the-clock job, which can be overwhelming. Then there’s the risk — I almost lost everything between 2020 and 2021 when I sold thrift clothes. I got a bad batch of clothes, which totally destroyed my capital. But I’ve learned from that experience and moved on.
Leaving my 9-5 was the best decision for me. I have two kids now, and I have the time for them and my craft. I recently added video editing to my skills and service offerings. Things can only get better.
Eleojonigwu, 25. Ghostwriter
Last income at 9-5: ₦30k
Current average income: ₦350k – ₦450k
Between 2015 and 2021, I jumped from one secretarial job to another, earning peanuts until I realised I could earn more with a skill I’ve always had: writing.
In 2021, I started getting ghostwriting gigs and making far more than my ₦30k salary. One time, I made ₦75k from a gig. When another gig paid me ₦150k in one month in 2022, I decided it was time to pack my bags. Plus, I didn’t fancy going out, and a physical job didn’t match my personality. Realising I could make more money without leaving my house was all the push I needed.
But going full-time was challenging. My income was inconsistent for about two years, and I was always broke. It was so bad I couldn’t even afford sanitary towels. Also, I’d go hungry sometimes.
I lived with a friend and her family who were from an entirely different tribe, and they had traditional meals that I didn’t exactly fancy. So, they’d make these meals, and being a picky eater, who doesn’t like food adventures due to allergies, I’d stylishly go hungry without my friend’s mum’s knowledge on some days. Because person wey no get money no suppose get choice.
However, I began to hit stability in 2024. I grew confident in my skills and started charging what I’m worth. Now, I earn more than 10 times my previous salary, and I work from home on my own terms, albeit with deadlines sometimes.
The disadvantage of doing my own thing is that I tend to be a workaholic, so work spills into my sleep time. And sometimes, I feel sick from not stepping out for a while. I can’t explain it. So, I’m looking to enrol in a gym soon.
I also function properly when I take occasional breaks from social media, but I can’t do that because most of my gigs come from and require social media.
That said, quitting my job has been beneficial to me. I recently moved states, got my own place, and am settling in gradually. I’ll choose it over and over again.
Sharon, 24. CEO, Personal Branding Agency
Last income at 9-5: ₦83k
Current average income: ₦1m
I started my side hustle before landing a proper 9-5. In October 2023, I began offering LinkedIn optimisation services, which extended to CV writing and social media management after people kept asking for those services.
A month later, I went for NYSC and worked as a social media manager for a management consulting company. The company paid ₦50k/month, in addition to my ₦33k allawee, but the job was stressful. My life flashed before my eyes many times, and I often considered absconding because it wasn’t good for my health. I’m just a baby girl.
So, after my service year in 2024, I didn’t look for another job. Instead, I decided to treat my side hustle like my 9-5. I set up a personal branding agency and slowly built a remote team of social media strategists, writers and graphic designers to offer services ranging from LinkedIn optimisation to social media management.
The income trajectory was like a bullet. I’d spent a lot of time building my personal brand while working 9-5, so people trusted me to help them. In no time, I was making almost 20x my former salary.
Now, the agency makes between ₦1.5m and ₦2m in monthly revenue, and ₦500k goes into settling operational costs. The naira devaluation keeps reducing the value of the money I make, so even though I earn more now, the value just isn’t the same. I can only hope things get better.
My brand is still growing; I know we’ll keep improving. The best thing about entrepreneurship for me has been growing my team. I mostly hired interns, so I’ve trained them, and we’re all still constantly learning from each other and growing. I’m presently plotting how to get us to $4k in monthly revenue.
Ronke, 24. Fashion Designer
Last income at 9-5: ₦60k
Current average income: ₦300k – ₦450k
In 2020, I learnt tailoring and fashion design to pass the time. The pandemic had affected my ₦50k/month waitressing job, so I decided to learn a skill since I was unemployed. My teacher was a family member, so I didn’t have to pay anything to learn.
I didn’t start making money from tailoring immediately. I had no sewing machine, so I couldn’t practice sewing or get clients. I still survived by jumping from one job to another. Then, in 2023, while working as a personal assistant, I decided to take tailoring seriously. My boss was toxic, and I didn’t want to quit without a backup plan.
I was earning ₦60k/month, and I saved for two months to buy a sewing machine. I started by making designs for my sister and myself, and posting them on social media. I’m quite creative, so I usually have a mental picture of what to create. I even started amateur sketching and improved my skills by watching YouTube videos.
Two months after I started posting my designs online, people started placing orders. By the end of 2023, I was making an additional ₦100k/month from my side hustle. So, on New Year’s Day 2024, I texted my boss and told her to hold her job.
That’s how I became a full-time fashion designer, and it’s only been an upward journey since then. The income isn’t always consistent, especially with how expensive materials become every day, and it’s literally back-breaking work, but I’m at peace.
I still work from my balcony, but I plan to get a studio space later in the year. A studio will allow me to hire apprentices, reduce my stress, and increase my earning potential because I’ll be able to accommodate more orders.
Entrepreneurship has already helped me achieve dreams I didn’t think possible, so I’m certain the studio will happen soon. Look at me, I have almost ₦1m in my savings, and I’m largely financially independent. I never believed I’d be at this level before 25.
*The responses have been slightly edited for clarity.
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