Making money online is now a real option for Nigerians looking to earn extra income or work from home. There are platforms that let you use your skills, creativity, or free time to earn, whether through freelancing, selling products, creating content, or completing small tasks.
In this guide, we highlight 10 websites Nigerians can use to make money online, explaining how each works, how to get started, and how payments are handled.
Quick Navigations
The 10 best website to make money online in Nigeria
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Jumia
- YouTube
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
- Udemy
- Printful
- Shutterstock
- Timebucks
- Swagbucks
1. Upwork
Upwork is a global freelance marketplace where Nigerians can offer skills in writing, design, development, marketing, and more. You browse available jobs, send proposals, and work directly with clients once hired. Many Nigerians use it to earn in USD, which can be more profitable than local work.
Getting started is simple: create a free account, complete your profile with your skills, portfolio, and experience, then apply for jobs that fit your expertise. Once a client approves your proposal, you start work on either an hourly or fixed-price contract.
Payments are released after work is completed. Hourly jobs are billed weekly, while fixed-price jobs are paid after client approval. Nigerians can withdraw earnings via local bank transfer using Payoneer, making it easy to access USD payments in Nigeria.
Pros:
- Global reach — connects freelancers to clients around the world.
- Secure payment protection: Upwork uses escrow for fixed‑price jobs, reducing risk.
- Wide variety of job categories — from writing to tech to marketing.
- Possibility of long-term client relationships and steady income once you build reputation.
Cons:
- High competition — many freelancers vying for same jobs.
- Upwork service/commission fees eat into earnings.
- It can take time and effort to build a good profile and get first jobs.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is an online gig‑marketplace where freelancers offer services (gigs) — like writing, design, editing or digital tasks — to clients worldwide. As a Nigerian, you sign up, create a gig listing describing what you offer, set your price and wait for clients to order your service.
To get started, register for free on Fiverr and build your profile. Then create one or more gigs under categories matching your skills. After a client orders and approves your delivery, your earnings are credited to your Fiverr account.
Payment becomes available after the project clears Fiverr’s processing period (often 14 days for new sellers). Nigerians mainly withdraw earnings via Payoneer (since PayPal may not work fully for receiving in Nigeria). Once funds reach Payoneer, you can send them to your local bank account — converting to Naira if needed.
Pros:
- Easy and fast to get started — no complex bidding needed initially.
- Wide range of services possible — you can market many different skills.
- Flexible pricing: you can set your own “gig” price and increase as you grow.
- Built‑in review/reputation system — good reviews help you get more clients over time.
Cons:
- 20% commission fee on every order reduces take‑home pay.
- Very high competition — many freelancers offer similar services, making it hard for beginners.
- Lower pricing expectations: many buyers expect services at low prices, pushing down value.
- Inconsistent work flow — income may be unpredictable unless you build a steady reputation.
3. Jumia
Jumia is one of Nigeria’s biggest e‑commerce marketplaces where you can make money either by selling products or by promoting items through affiliate marketing. It connects sellers and buyers across Nigeria, letting you list products and reach customers anywhere in the country.
To get started, you can register as a seller on the Jumia Seller Center and upload your products for sale. Alternatively — if you don’t have your own goods — you can sign up for the Jumia Affiliate Program. With the affiliate option, you promote Jumia products on your social media, blog, or web page using a unique link. When someone uses your link to buy, you earn a commission.
Earnings depend on what you do: as an affiliate, you typically earn a commission of about 4% to 11% per sale, depending on the product category. As a seller, Jumia deducts a commission fee (often between 5%–15%, depending on the product category) before sending you the rest — meaning your profit depends on setting competitive prices.
Pros:
- Large local demand: as one of Nigeria’s top e‑commerce sites, Jumia offers access to many buyers.
- With affiliate program: no need to hold stock — you earn commission by promoting products.
- Good for local users: payments and logistics are built around Nigerian market — easier than international shipping for many.
- Low barrier to enter as affiliate — minimal cost, mainly marketing and referral efforts.
Cons:
- Income depends heavily on sales volume — if you don’t sell or refer buyers, you won’t earn.
- High competition — many sellers, which can make it hard to stand out.
- Commissions / fees are often taken by Jumia — reducing profit margin compared to sale price.
4. YouTube
YouTube is a global video‑sharing platform where Nigerians can publish videos — vlogs, tutorials, skits, music, talks — and reach audiences worldwide, turning views into income through ads and other monetization methods.
To get started, open a YouTube channel, upload content regularly, and once you reach at least 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months (or meet the alternate Shorts‑view threshold), you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Then link a valid Google AdSense account to begin earning.
Payments come through AdSense. Once your AdSense is approved and you meet the payout threshold (typically US $100), earnings are sent by wire transfer to your Nigerian bank account (or via other supported payout methods), making it feasible for Nigerians to earn real income from YouTube.
Pros:
- Huge reach — videos can be watched globally, offering potential for large audiences.
- Multiple monetization routes — ads revenue, sponsorships, affiliate links, etc., not only ad‑money.
- Work from anywhere — once content is created and uploaded, income can be passive.
- Scalable — as channel grows, so does earning potential; good content can generate long‑term income.
Cons:
- Needs time to build audience (subscribers + watch hours) before monetization — can be slow at start.
- Earnings fluctuate depending on views, ads, seasonality — not always stable.
- Competition is intense — many creators vying for attention.
5. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon KDP is a self‑publishing platform that lets authors publish eBooks and paperbacks for free and sell them globally. As a Nigerian, you can upload your manuscript, set book details and pricing, and make your work available to readers worldwide — giving you access to international buyers instead of only local market.
Getting started involves creating an Amazon KDP account, uploading your book (formatted properly), choosing your royalty plan, then publishing. For eBooks priced between US $2.99 and US $9.99, you are eligible for up to 70% royalty on each sale; otherwise royalty might drop to 35%. After your book is live, promote it to reach readers worldwide.
Payment works such that royalties accumulate per month and are sent about two months after the end of the sales month for eligible payouts. Because Amazon doesn’t support direct deposit to Naira‑only bank accounts, most Nigerian authors link a virtual USD (or supported) bank account via services like Payoneer to receive funds — then withdraw to their Nigerian bank or domiciliary account.
Pros:
- Global distribution — books sell worldwide, not only in Nigeria.
- Low entry cost — you can self-publish without printing costs, just upload digital/e‑book.
- Passive income potential — once published, book can continue to earn royalties over time.
- Flexibility — write on any topic, target niche audiences, update/republish as needed.
Cons:
- Competition — many self‑publishers globally, harder to stand out and get sales.
- Earnings may be low initially; success often depends on marketing and book quality.
- Requires time and effort — writing, editing, cover design, marketing — not guaranteed success.
6. Udemy
Udemy is an online learning marketplace where you can create and sell courses to students worldwide. As a Nigerian, you can use your skills or knowledge — anything from coding to design to language lessons — build a course, and make it available globally. There’s no upfront fee to become an instructor.
To get started, sign up for a free instructor account, verify your identity, and upload course content (video‑based, with at least 30 minutes total and several lectures/modules). Once your course meets Udemy’s quality requirements and is published, learners can enroll and pay.
Earnings come through a revenue‑share model: if a student buys your course via your own promo link or coupon, you earn about 97% of the net revenue. If the sale is through Udemy’s regular marketplace/promotion, you earn around 37% of the net sale price. Payments to instructors can be set up using PayPal or Payoneer — suitable for Nigerians.
Pros:
- Easy entry — you can create courses and publish with minimal upfront costs.
- Access to global students — you can reach buyers worldwide, not just Nigeria.
- Scalable income — once course is live, revenue can come in continuously as people enroll over time.
- Flexible: you teach what you know — variety of topics possible, from tech to arts to business skills.
Cons:
- Income depends on course popularity — if no learners enroll, little or no return.
- Competition — many courses on same topics, harder to stand out.
- Requires effort: you must produce quality content.
7. Printful
Printful is a “print‑on‑demand” service that lets you design custom products (like T‑shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters, etc.) and sell them online — without needing stock or upfront funds. Once a customer orders, Printful handles printing, packaging and shipping directly to them, so you don’t touch the goods yourself.
To get started, sign up for a free Printful account, upload your designs or create them using their design tools, and connect Printful to an online store or marketplace (Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, etc.). Add your products, set your prices, and when someone buys — Printful only charges you the base cost at fulfilment time.
Profit depends on your pricing and sales volume. For example, many custom T‑shirts sold via Printful deliver profit margins around 30% to 50%, provided you price your items right. Because there’s no upfront stock cost — you pay only when a sale happens — this model is low‑risk and can work for Nigerians willing to market their designs.
Pros:
- No need to hold inventory — Printful prints and ships on demand, reducing risk/cost.
- Low startup cost — you only pay when a customer orders, no upfront investments needed.
- Flexibility — you create designs and set prices, giving creative control and potential profit margins.
- Scalable — you can list many designs/products and potentially reach global customers if integrated with international stores.
Cons:
- Profit margins can be thin — base cost + shipping + fees may reduce earnings, especially if pricing poorly.
- Depends heavily on your marketing and sales effort — without buyers, you earn nothing.
- Delivery and shipping delays — customers outside major markets may wait long; could harm reputation.
8. Shutterstock
Shutterstock lets you earn money by uploading original photos, illustrations or videos which global buyers can license — every time someone downloads your work, you get paid.
To start, you register for a free contributor account on Shutterstock, upload your work (must be original and meet their quality standards), and once approved, your content becomes available globally for licensing.
You earn royalties each time your work is licensed. As a new contributor your royalty rate starts low, but as your content gets more downloads your share increases — up to ~40%. Payments are issued monthly once you reach the minimum payout threshold (from providers like PayPal, Payoneer or Skrill).
Pros:
- Passive income potential — upload photos/illustrations once, earn royalties whenever someone licenses them.
- Global marketplace — buyers worldwide may license your work, expanding reach.
- Flexibility — you decide what to upload; ideal for photographers/designers with creative ideas.
- No need for physical product or shipping — purely digital content sale/licensing.
Cons:
- High competition — many contributors, so your work may get lost if not high-quality or niche.
- Royalty rates start low — you may need many downloads before significant income.
- Earnings unpredictable — depending on demand, seasonality, trends; not reliable for steady income.
9. TimeBucks
TimeBucks is a “get‑paid‑to” (GPT) platform that lets people do small online tasks — like watching videos, taking surveys, clicking ads or doing simple micro‑tasks — to earn money. It claims to pay users worldwide, so Nigerians can join and try earning.
Starting on TimeBucks is free. You simply sign up, fill in profile/payment info, then pick from available tasks: surveys, watching videos, offer‑wall tasks, referrals, etc. Once you complete a task and meet payout requirements, you become eligible for withdrawal.
Earnings are modest — you might get paid small amounts per task. Many users say Task payouts are low and you need lots of time to accumulate enough. Payment methods often include crypto, e‑wallets or other non‑PayPal options, which Nigerians can use (but this can mean extra steps to convert to Naira).
Pros:
- Easy tasks — simple surveys, offers, small tasks that don’t require special skills.
- Low barrier to entry — no need for high skill, inventory, or investment.
- Good for spare time — you can earn a little extra while studying or doing other work.
- Flexibility — tasks often take a few minutes; you choose when and how much time to invest.
Cons:
- Very low pay per task — you need many tasks to make meaningful income.
- Time‑consuming for small reward — repetitive tasks and small payout make return on time often poor.
- Income is unreliable — tasks may not always be available, making earnings inconsistent.
10. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is an online “get‑paid‑to” and rewards platform where you can earn points (SB) by doing simple tasks: filling surveys, watching videos, using the Swagbucks search engine, shopping through its portal, or doing offers and micro‑tasks — all from home.
To begin, sign up free, register your account, then pick from the list of available tasks that fit your time — small surveys, video watching, online search or cashback shopping. Review adverts before accepting offers, and complete tasks honestly to qualify.
You earn SB points which you can redeem for cash or gift cards once you hit the minimum threshold. For many Nigerians, gift cards (e.g. Amazon) are often more viable than direct PayPal cashout.
Pros:
- Simple tasks — surveys, watching videos, small online tasks; easy to do without special skills.
- Low entry barrier — no investment or experience needed, suited for beginners or those with spare time.
- Flexible schedule — you can do tasks anytime (after school, spare hours), non‑restrictive.
- Redeemable rewards — points converted to gift cards or cash (via payout options) depending on platform rules.
Cons:
- Earnings are small — not enough to replace full‑time income; better for supplementary cash.
- Tasks can be repetitive and time‑consuming for minimal pay — not efficient for people valuing hourly rate.
- Payment thresholds / payout delays — you may need many points/tasks before you can cash out.
How to Maximize Your Earnings Online
Making money online requires more than just signing up for platforms — Nigerians can earn more by focusing on skills, consistency, and smart strategies. Understanding how each platform works and presenting yourself professionally helps increase opportunities and income. Key tips include:
- Optimize your profile: Showcase past work, upload portfolios, and write clear service descriptions.
- Diversify platforms: Use multiple sites like Upwork, Fiverr, Swagbucks, or TimeBucks to increase opportunities.
- Stay consistent: Apply regularly, complete tasks promptly, and engage with clients professionally.
- Use referrals: Take advantage of referral programs to earn extra income where available.
Payment Options and Receiving Money in Nigeria
Getting paid safely is an essential part of making money online. Nigerians need reliable methods to receive international earnings and convert them to Naira efficiently. Choosing the right payment option ensures your hard work is rewarded without delays or unnecessary fees:
- Payoneer: Directly withdraw USD to local bank accounts or domiciliary accounts, often faster than other methods.
- PayPal: Receive payments internationally, then convert to Naira before withdrawal.
- Bank transfer: Available on some platforms for local currency withdrawals.
Always check fees and processing times to ensure you access your earnings securely and quickly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Money Online
While online earning offers great opportunities, many Nigerians make mistakes that reduce their income or put them at risk. Awareness and caution are key to staying safe and maximizing earnings:
- Avoid platforms that ask for upfront fees or “guaranteed jobs.”
- Never share sensitive personal information with unknown sources.
- Complete profile verification on freelancing sites to access more opportunities.
- Focus on reputable sites and genuine tasks to avoid scams and low-paying offers.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Can Nigerians earn in USD on these platforms?
Yes, platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Shutterstock allow Nigerians to earn in USD, which can be withdrawn to local bank accounts via Payoneer or PayPal, making online work more profitable than local currency gigs.
2. How do I receive my earnings in Nigeria?
Most platforms support international payment methods such as Payoneer, PayPal, or direct bank transfers. Always check the platform’s payout options and processing times before starting.
3. Are these online platforms safe for Nigerians?
Yes, the platforms listed are reputable and widely used. However, always verify profiles, avoid upfront fees, and stick to genuine job postings to stay secure.
4. Do I need any special skills to start making money online?
Some platforms like Swagbucks or Timebucks require minimal skills, while freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr require specific skills in writing, design, coding, or digital marketing. It depends on the platform you choose.
5. How much can I realistically earn online from these platforms?
Earnings vary by platform, skill level, and time invested. Freelancers on Upwork or Fiverr can earn hundreds of dollars monthly, while completing surveys or tasks on Swagbucks or Timebucks may bring in smaller amounts, suitable as supplementary income.
Conclusion
Making money online in Nigeria has never been more accessible, thanks to platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Jumia, YouTube, and others. By choosing the right sites, presenting your skills professionally, and staying consistent, you can create a steady income stream.
Understanding payment options, avoiding common mistakes, and maximizing opportunities across multiple platforms will help you earn safely and efficiently. Whether you are freelancing, selling products, or completing online tasks, these opportunities provide a flexible way to supplement your income or even build a full-time online career in Nigeria.
