Are you a teacher looking for side hustles for teachers in Nigeria? You’re not alone. If this is you, then you need to read this post to the end.
I have a friend who teaches in a public secondary school in Rivers State. She loves her job and genuinely loves standing in front of students and watching them understand something they didn’t understand before.
But she cried one evening when she told me her salary had not been paid in two months. And even when it came, it was not enough, rent, feeding, transport to school, data, and Personal needs. Expenses are higher than her income.
I know she is not alone; most Nigerian teachers I know are in the same situation. Dedicated to their work, underpaid for it, and quietly looking for ways to earn more without abandoning the profession they love.
If that is you, this post is for you. I’m going to show you 10 real side hustles that work for Nigerian teachers.
These are things you can use the skills you already have to earn online; you can do them in the evenings, on weekends, and during school holidays without burning out.
And you what? These side hustles are what other Nigerian teachers are doing right now to earn extra income every month. You can join them to earn in dollars, too.
Let’s get started….
Why Nigerian Teachers Need Side Hustles?
Teachers in Nigeria have skills that are more valuable than most people realize. They can explain difficult subjects simply, manage a room full of people, organize, and understand how people learn.
These are not ordinary skills; they are skills that businesses, abroad parents, students, and organizations pay good money for.
And right now, these skills can earn you extra income. Instead of focusing only on the traditional classroom teaching, why not use these skills to make lots of money online? The only thing separating most Nigerian teachers from earning this extra income is knowing which skills are needed.
And this list below reveals those side hustles for teachers in Nigeria to earn extra income.
10 Best Side Hustles for Teachers in Nigeria to Earn Extra Income
Here are 10 real ways Nigerian teachers are earning extra income outside the classroom without quitting their jobs:
1. Private Home Tutoring
Earning potential: ₦5,000 to ₦30,000 per student per month
When to do it: After school hours and on weekends
This is the best side hustle for teachers in Nigeria and also one of the most profitable when done right.
Parents across Nigeria are actively looking for qualified teachers to give their children extra lessons at home. From WAEC preparation, JAMB coaching, to University entrance tutorials.
Even primary school children whose parents want them ahead of the class pay teachers to give their kids extra knowledge. The demand is high, and it never stops.
I know a Lagos teacher who earns more from private lessons on weekends than from her full teaching salary.
She has six students, four of them pay ₦15,000 a month each, and the other two of them pay ₦20,000. That is ₦100,000 extra every month from weekend morning sessions alone.
And guess what? She didn’t pay any money to advertise on a big platform; she just told parents in her school and her church. And within two months, she had more requests than she could handle.
How to start:
- Tell parents of students in your school that you offer private lessons.
- Post on your WhatsApp status.
- Ask colleagues to refer students to you.
- Set a clear rate and stick to it.
Start with two or three students to manage your time well before taking on more.
Check Also: 15 Best Side Hustles You Can Start with Your Phone
2. Online Tutoring on International Platforms
Earning potential: $10 to $50 per hour
When to do it: Evenings and weekends
This is home tutoring, but your students are from other countries, and you earn in dollars.
As a teacher, you could start with platforms like Preply, Cambly, and iTalki to connect English teachers with students in China, Japan, South Korea, Europe, and Latin America.
These students want to improve their English, and they pay for one-on-one sessions with native or fluent English speakers.
Of course, Nigerian teachers are perfectly suited for this. Our English is clean, our teaching experience is top-notch, and Nigerian teachers are willing to work hours that suit students in different time zones, which often means early mornings or late evenings in Nigeria.
At $15 per hour for two hours a day, five days a week, that is $150 a week. At current exchange rates, that is around ₦225,000 extra per month.
From sessions you do before school in the morning or after school in the evening. Check out these websites that offer remote work to Nigerians.
How to start: Create a free profile on Cambly or Preply. Cambly is the easiest to get started on because it does not require a teaching certificate.
Record a short profile video introducing yourself and your teaching style. Set your teaching time for early morning or evening hours.
If you know your onions well, trust me, your first jobs will come within days of going live if your profile is complete and your video is clear.
3. Creating and Selling Study Materials
Earning potential: ₦50,000 to ₦500,000 per year from passive sales
When to do it: School holidays and weekends to create. Then it earns passively
Every year, millions of Nigerian students prepare for WAEC, NECO, JAMB, and common entrance exams.
They all need good study materials, Past question compilations with worked solutions, Topic-by-topic summary notes, Exam technique guides, and Mock test papers.
These are things you already know how to create as a teacher; the difference between what you know and what earns you money is just packaging and selling.
Guess the best part? You don’t need to get started. You just have to create your materials as clean PDF documents using Google Docs or Canva on your phone or laptop.
Upload them to Selar, share the link on WhatsApp, in parent groups, and on social media, and every time a student buys, money enters your Selar account.
This is one of the best side hustles for teachers in Nigeria to earn extra income. You create these materials once, but they’ll keep selling every exam season.
A teacher I know created a WAEC Mathematics past questions guide with worked solutions.
She priced it at ₦2,500. In the three months before WAEC, she sold over 200 copies. That was ₦500,000 from a document she spent two weekends making.
Here’s how she started: Pick the subject and exam you know best. Create a 20 to 50-page PDF guide over one weekend.
Upload it to Selar at selar.co and share the link everywhere you know parents and students are. Start marketing from the school you are currently teaching, your church, on your social handles, etc.
And keep repeating the process for a second subject on the next holiday.
Also Read: 10 Legit Online Opportunities for Nigerian Students to Earn Money
4. Starting a YouTube Channel
Earning potential: ₦50,000 to ₦500,000 or more per month once monetized
When to do it: Evenings and weekends for recording and editing
Nigerian education YouTube channels are growing fast. Students from SS1 to SS3 are on YouTube looking for teachers who can explain topics better than their school teachers.
If you can explain a topic clearly, you can teach it on YouTube. Your camera doesn’t need to be expensive.
Your phone camera is enough. Good natural lighting and a quiet room are all you need to start.
Although it takes time to build a YouTube channel, the first three to six months feel slow. But once your channel reaches 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, you can apply for monetization.
After that, ad revenue starts coming in every month. On top of that, you can earn from promoting your own study materials, affiliate links, and brand deals from educational companies.
From the data online right now, Nigerian education YouTube channels with 50,000 to 100,000 subscribers are earning very well.
And guess what? Most of these channels earn huge dollars now, once they started small.
Just start with one clean video on one topic and post consistently every week.
How You Can Start:
- Pick the subject you are most passionate about.
- Record a clear, simple explanation of one topic this weekend.
- Upload it to YouTube with a title that matches what students search.
For example: “How to Answer WAEC English Language Summary Questions” or “JAMB Mathematics Circle Theorem Explained.”
Post one video every week and do not stop until you start earning.
5. Curriculum and Lesson Plan Writing
Earning potential: $50 to $500 per project for international clients. ₦20,000 to ₦100,000 per project for Nigerian clients
When to do it: Evenings and weekends
This is one of the most overlooked opportunities for Nigerian teachers. International schools, online education platforms, e-learning startups, and educational NGOs all need curriculum developers and lesson plan writers.
And they pay well.
You have been writing lesson plans your entire career.
What some teachers don’t know is that companies, parents, and students abroad pay you to write lesson plans, curriculum outlines, and educational content for their platforms.
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork have consistent demand for curriculum writers and instructional designers.
I know a primary school teacher in Abuja who earns $300 to $600 per month writing lesson plans for a US-based online school on Upwork. She works two to three evenings a week.
Her Nigerian school does not know, but her bank account does.
How to start: Create a profile on Fiverr or Upwork.
List your service as lesson plan writing, curriculum development, or educational content creation.
Upload three sample lesson plans you have already written as portfolio pieces and start applying for jobs or wait for clients to find your gig.
See Also: 7 Grant Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs in Nigeria
6. School Subject Coaching via WhatsApp
Earning potential: ₦5,000 to ₦15,000 per student per month
When to do it: Any time. Messages can be replied to at your convenience
Here’s also one of the best side hustles for teachers in Nigeria and the most simple, flexible tutoring model I have seen Nigerian teachers use to make money from WhatsApp.
Instead of scheduling physical or video sessions, you teach through WhatsApp. You create a subject coaching group or offer one-on-one WhatsApp coaching.
Students send questions. You reply with voice notes, typed explanations, photos of worked solutions, or short video explanations.
You can reply during your lunch break at school, in the evening at home, or on your own time. There is no fixed time to reply, which makes it easy to manage alongside a full teaching job.
You can charge students a monthly fee for access to your WhatsApp coaching. ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 per student per month is fair and affordable for most Nigerian families.
Twenty students at ₦5,000 each is ₦100,000 extra income per month. The best part is that you can perfectly do all these things from your phone and on your own time.
How to start? Announce your WhatsApp coaching service on your status. Tell parents of your current students.
Create a simple one-page flyer using Canva that explains what you offer and your rates, post it in parent WhatsApp groups at your school, and share it everywhere.
7. Writing Educational Content for Nigerian Websites and Blogs
Earning potential: ₦5,000 to ₦50,000 per article for Nigerian sites. $30 to $150 per article for international education sites
When to do it: Evenings and weekends
Nigerian education websites, parenting blogs, and school management platforms need content written regularly. Articles about teaching methods, exam preparation tips, child development, study techniques, and educational policy.
As a teacher, you have direct experience and knowledge in all of these areas. That experience makes your writing more useful than anything a non-teacher could produce.
International platforms also pay Nigerian teachers to write about their classroom experiences, African education systems, and English language teaching.
This is not a skill most Nigerian teachers think to monetize, but it pays hugely once you build a few regular clients.
How to start: Write two to three sample articles on education topics you know well. Save them as your portfolio.
Search for Nigerian education websites and pitch to their editors. You can also create a Fiverr gig offering educational content writing or learn how to start your own blog.
Apply for writing jobs on ProBlogger and Upwork targeting education and parenting niches.
8. Selling Handmade or Printed Educational Resources
Earning potential: ₦30,000 to ₦200,000 per month depending on volume
When to do it: Evenings to create. Sales happen passively
Physical educational resources sell very well among Nigerian parents and teachers. From Flash cards, alphabet charts, number charts, phonics workbooks, coloring sheets with educational themes, and activity books for young children.
You can create the designs using Canva on your phone, print them at a local print shop, and sell them to parents, schools, and educational supply shops.
Or sell the digital files directly on Selar and let buyers print them themselves.
This works especially well for nursery and primary school teachers who already know exactly what resources parents want for their children.
One teacher I know in Enugu creates Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo alphabet charts for Nigerian parents who want their children to learn local languages.
She sells both printed versions through her WhatsApp and digital files on Selar and earns between ₦80,000 and ₦150,000 every month from this alone.
How to start: Design one resource this weekend using Canva. Print five copies as samples to show parents and schools.
Post a photo of the finished product on your WhatsApp status.
Take orders and collect payment before printing to avoid spending money on unsold stock.
9. School Holiday Lesson Programmes
Earning potential: ₦50,000 to ₦300,000 per holiday period
When to do it: School holidays
Every school holiday in Nigeria, parents panic about their children losing momentum or forgetting the things they have learned. They want their children to review what they have learned and prepare for the next term.
Holiday lesson programmes fill that need directly. You can rent a small hall or use your home.
You invite students from your school and neighbourhood, run a planned daily programme for two to four weeks, and charge a fee per student per week.
At ₦5,000 per student per week with twenty students, you earn ₦100,000 in a single week of holiday lessons. Run it for three weeks of a holiday, and that is ₦300,000.
I have spoken to teachers in Ibadan, Kano, and Lagos who have been running holiday lesson programmes for years. Some of them now earn more from three weeks of holiday lessons than from three months of regular salary.
How to start: Plan your first holiday programme at least four weeks before the holiday starts.
Choose a venue that is accessible and safe, set your subjects, timetable, and fee structure, send flyers to parents of students in your class and school, or use WhatsApp status to promote it.
10. Educational Consulting for Private Schools
Earning potential: ₦50,000 to ₦300,000 per contract
When to do it: Weekends and school holidays
The last on this list of side hustles for teachers in Nigeria is doing educational consultation for private schools. Private schools in Nigeria are always looking for experienced teachers to help them improve.
It could be for Curriculum review, teacher training workshops, Exam preparation strategy, and School assessment design.
These are things that experienced Nigerian teachers know inside out. And private schools that want to improve their students’ results will pay for that knowledge.
This is not a hustle for brand new teachers; it’s for teachers with five or more years of classroom experience who understand what works and what does not.
If that is you, your expertise is more valuable than you think.
Meet small private schools in your area and offer to run a one-day teacher training workshop or review their exam papers and suggest improvements.
Charge a clear fee for your time and knowledge. One consulting contract per term is enough to add extra money to your income.
How to start: Write a one-page document explaining what you offer and who it is for.
Visit two or three private schools near you and ask to speak with the proprietor or school director.
Most small private school owners are looking for experienced help. Hence, present what you do clearly and let your teaching experience speak for itself.
Check Also: 15 Remote Jobs for Nigerians without Experience
How to Manage a Side Hustle Alongside a Full Teaching Job?
The biggest challenge for Nigerian teachers is not finding a side hustle; it’s managing one without burning out.
Here is what works best:
Start with just one side hustle. Pick the one on this list that fits your schedule and skills best. Get it running smoothly before you even think about adding another.
Protect your evenings. Most Nigerian teachers are exhausted by the time school ends. Make sure you choose a time for your side hustle.
I could be two evenings a week, Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoons.
Never start a side hustle without a plan because a set schedule stops the side hustle from taking away your rest and your school preparation time.
Use school holidays to build. Nigerian school holidays are longer than in most countries. You can use holiday time to create digital products, run holiday lessons, or build platforms like YouTube that then earn for you during term time.
Set an income target. Know exactly what extra income you are working toward, as a clear goal keeps you motivated when progress feels slow.
₦50,000 extra per month. ₦100,000 per month. Whatever the number is for you, just write it down and work toward it.
How to Receive Payment for Your Side Hustle?
For parents and local clients, receive payment through your regular bank account, Opay, or Palmpay. Ensure you always take payment before you deliver any service or product.
For digital products on Selar, payment goes directly to your Nigerian bank account.
For international clients on Fiverr, Upwork, Preply, and Cambly, set up a free Payoneer account. Your Payoneer earnings are withdrawn directly to your Nigerian bank account in naira.
Also Read: Top 10 Skills to Learn to Earn Money Online in Nigeria
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can a Nigerian teacher really earn extra income without leaving their teaching job?
Yes, without a doubt. Every side hustle on this list is designed to work around a full teaching schedule.
Private tutoring, WhatsApp coaching, selling study materials, and holiday lesson programmes are all things Nigerian teachers are doing right now alongside their regular jobs.
The key is starting with one that fits your available time and building it gradually.
Q2. Which side hustle is the easiest for a Nigerian teacher to start this week?
From the list above, Private home tutoring and WhatsApp subject coaching are the fastest to start.
Both require no upfront investment, both use skills you already have, and both can produce income within the first two weeks through your existing network of parents and students.
Q3. Do I need a laptop or special equipment to start these side hustles?
For most of these side hustles for teachers in Nigeria, a phone is enough to start. WhatsApp coaching, selling study materials on Selar, online tutoring on Cambly, and selling educational resources can all be managed from your phone.
A laptop helps for creating more polished content and for Fiverr and Upwork profiles, but it’s not required on day one. See side hustles to start with Your Phone.
Q4. Is it okay to run a side hustle while still employed as a teacher?
Yes, running a side hustle in your personal time outside school hours is completely within your rights as an individual.
What you should avoid is using school resources, school time, or school materials for your personal business.
Keep your side hustle separate from your school responsibilities, and there is no conflict.
Q5. How much can a Nigerian teacher earn from side hustles per month?
A teacher with two private lesson students earns an extra ₦60,000 to ₦150,000 per month, and some even earn more.
Add WhatsApp coaching for ten students at ₦5,000 each, and that is another ₦50,000.
Add one digital study guide selling consistently on Selar, and you have passive income on top.
A Nigerian teacher who builds two or three of these income streams over 12 months can earn as much from side hustles as from their teaching salary.
Final Words
Teaching in Nigeria is one of the most important and undervalued jobs in the country. The salary doesn’t worth the value most teachers bring, but you don’t have to wait for the system to change before your finances improve.
You already have the skills, the knowledge, and the trust of parents and students in your community. And trust me, every one of these skills is an asset you can build income from.
All you have to do is pick one side hustle from this list today. The one that fits in for where you are right now.
Start this week. Even one private lesson for a student or one study guide uploaded to Selar is a start, and a year from now you will look back and wish you had started earlier.
Good Luck! And don’t forget to share this post with others to learn.
My name is Gloria. I am an SEO content writer, blogger, and digital entrepreneur with over 3 years of blogging experience and more than 10,000 articles written on blogging, digital marketing, online business, and personal finance topics. I am the founder of learnandearn.com.ng, a blog dedicated to helping people build sustainable income online through practical, easy-to-follow strategies and high-income digital skills.
My content focuses on learning online skills, freelancing, affiliate marketing, online business opportunities, and proven ways to make money online. With extensive experience in search engine optimization and content marketing, I specialize in creating content that helps people learn in-demand skills and start making money online easily and at no cost.
I am passionate about simplifying complex topics and turning them into actionable steps that beginners can implement immediately. Through Learn and Earn, my mission is to help beginners earn their first income online while supporting new entrepreneurs in learning and scaling profitable online skills.
And when I am not writing, I research emerging online opportunities, SEO trends, content strategies, and digital marketing techniques to ensure my readers receive practical and up-to-date information they can trust and apply. Learn more!
