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Freelancing
You can become a freelancer (one who offers his or her services on a contractual basis), do work for international clients, and get paid by them in dollars. There’s a host of things you can do as a freelancer: you may become a freelance writer, graphic designer, software developer, virtual assistant, etc. You’re better off specializing in an area that you love, are skilled at, or have a background in. You have at least two paths to follow; you either begin by joining a freelancing platform (e.g. Upwork, Freelancer or Fiverr) or reach out to prospects outside any platforms by cold-pitching them.Sell Digital Products
Digital products are items that take a digital form (they’re non-tangible) and are made to be used by consumers. They include ebooks, guides, templates, photography and digital art, and audio files. You can earn dollars by selling these to a global audience. If you’d like to sell ebooks (whether that’s fiction or non-fiction) you may do so on platforms like Selar, Amazon Kindle Publishing, or Smashwords. And if you’re a photographer, you could sell your works on Shutterstock, iStockPhotos, and 123RF.Host Online Classes
The web presents us with new ways to learn, and people all across the globe are taking advantage of them. One such way is through e-classes, i.e. classes held online. These learning sessions could either be pre-created or live. If you know that people are willing to pay for it, online courses might be another of the many ways to earn dollars in Nigeria that you should explore. Platforms on which you can sell your courses include Thinkific, Kajabi, and Udemy.E-Commerce
How about opening an online store in which you can sell products to an international market? That’s what e-commerce is. You may set up a website that functions as a virtual store, and display your wares on it by uploading photos of them along with their prices and basic information. You could also partner with transnational logistics services to deliver orders to customers abroad. Getting paid shouldn’t be difficult; there are several Nigerian payment gateways (e.g. Flutterwave and Paystack) that allow you to collect payment in foreign currency.Dive into Content Creation
A growing number of people are choosing to get their information and entertainment from online sources. This demand for content is being met by digital content creators on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Those platforms thrive on content; so it’s no surprise that they have devised systems to reward the most popular content creators (i.e. those with a large number of views). Creators can earn by allowing adverts on their channels, taking on sponsorships, or marketing their products.Sign up for the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Affiliate Marketing
Here’s how affiliate marketing works, in 4 steps:- You register to become an affiliate marketer with a company or platform
- You promote that company’s product to your online or social media audience and ask them to purchase the product through a link you provide
- People in your audience visit the link to the product and purchase it there
- The company whose product has been purchased gives you a share (commission) of the amount that the buyer who used your link has paid for the purchase
Export
This is one of the oldest and most trusted ways to earn dollars in Nigeria. Admittedly, starting up an export business can be cumbersome, considering the registrations, documentation and partnerships you’ll need to begin. To make things easier for you, we’ve written an article that addresses the steps you should take if you want to begin exporting from Nigeria. It’s here: How to Start an Export Business in Nigeria.Invest in International Real Estate
Until recently, access to foreign real estate markets was exclusively reserved for the rich. These days, anyone with a little above $10 or its naira equivalent can invest in those markets from wherever they are. One platform that’s making this possible is Risevest. The company pools funds from investors in Nigeria—many of whom contribute small amounts –and invests them in real estate assets in the United States. Investors are paid interest monthly, in dollars.Invest in Foreign Stocks
Just as is the case with real estate, foreign stock markets were off-limits to the regular Nigerian until a few years ago. Now, thanks to apps like Chaka, Bamboo and Trove, we can invest in our favourite global stocks—especially those domiciled in the USA –and reap profit denominated in dollars when those stocks pay dividends or appreciate. We talk about these apps in our article, 6 Dollar Investment Apps to Protect Your Funds from Inflation in 2024.Trade and Hold Cryptocurrency
Crypto trading remains popular among young Nigerians. That’s because it offers them a route to earning handsome profit within relatively short periods. Besides buying and selling the big cryptocurrencies—Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. –you can also preserve the value of your money by holding it in stablecoins with values that are tied to the US dollar. One such stablecoin is Tether, also called USDT. This way, you get the benefits of keeping dollars without actually doing so.Register to attend the CN Business Mixer
Final Words
It’s certainly a good idea to earn your income in a currency in which a majority of global reserves are denominated. We have shown you how in this article. Now, it’s up to you to exploit the various ways to earn in dollars in Nigeria which we’ve discussed here.Featured Image Source: Medium
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