Looking for business ideas in Nigeria to start with low capital? Discover the best list of untapped opportunities you can start today.
Let’s get it straight! No matter how much you are earning in Nigeria, you need a business that serves as an extra source of income.
While you may find it challenging in the start one, the reward is everlasting.
Because having a business of your own will give you the freedom and hope your job will never give you.
But I know the following questions are popping into your mind right now.
- What business ideas do is best for me?
- How do I start with any of this business?
- Does it need much or low capital to start?
Don’t worry! You will get answers to all these questions while reading.
And if you prefer the web, I have prepared a guide for the best online business that pays daily in Nigeria.
In it, I shared legit internet opportunities that make you money while doing less.
Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. Which means I earn a commission when you buy via the links at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
I present you the best list of untapped business ideas in Nigeria to start with low capital.
40 Hot Business Ideas In Nigeria To Start With Low Capital
Advertising/Media Agency
One of the untapped businesses in Nigeria for editors and writers.
With more businesses wanting more visibility, the need for ad agencies increases.
You have seen those ad spots (Big banner and TV screens) by the roadside. Those are works of an advertising agency.
The ad agency idea is a profitable business if you have the experience it requires.
What will set you apart in this type of business is your creativity and ad spot location.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Have a good understanding of your clients’ business and their message styles.
- Be creative with your design, that you could pass a message with only pictures.
- Offer graphics, photoshopping, and video editing as extra services.
- Hire the service of a good copywriter to write catchy headlines and ad copy.
Business/Financial Consultant
One of the untapped business opportunities in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Financial consultants are in need, especially as people get closer to retirement.
Individuals want to know where they can spend their money for the largest return.
Businesses want to know ho they can reduce cost and maximize profit.
Investors believe it is much easier to profit from an existing business than to start a new one.
So, they hunt for succeeding businesses to buy. Hence, the need for a financial consultant.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria:
- You need to inspire confidence in the heart of your clients.
- Be creative in helping people plan their money and achieve their financial goals.
- Own a website where you blog about investment opportunities for clients.
- Your listening skills and the ability to negotiate to victory will take you far.
- Attend business events so you can network with business owners.
Book Publishing
One of the hot business ideas in Nigeria for students that you can start with low capital.
Everyone has a book in them – a book they wish to write someday.
Your work is to turn people’s dreams into reality by helping them publish their books.
Your service may also include transcribing those words to audio formats.
Or translating to an unfamiliar language in total.
You can start with eBooks and with time move on to publishing physical books.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Design a website where you blog about writing and helping authors publish their books.
- Promote yourself and reach more customers online using digital marketing services.
- Partner with top publishers abroad to print their books in local languages.
- Sign up with publiseer to publish your book to over 50 publishers worldwide.
Freelance Writing
One of the best business opportunities in Nigeria you can start with no money.
Yesterday, I received an email from someone needing a business plan. In less than 24 hours, we closed the deal.
That tells you how profitable this idea can be if you are passionate and have the skills it needs.
You should be open to work on for individuals and small businesses.
Because entrepreneurs need business plan to pitch their products to investors.
And if you are a copywriter, you work with businesses on writing persuasive sales copy.
Where you will write to make customers perform an action–buy, sign up, and more.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You need high communication and persuasive skills to win and engage readers.
- Publish excerpt of your works on your blog and link to the original article. You will need them for reference someday.
- Freelance writing is best as a side business, so get something else to do as an addition.
- As you progress, I recommend that you also learn the art of copywriting – it pays more.
Coaching/Counselling Business
One of the best business opportunities for professionals who love helping people.
While there are many self-help guides, none can replace the feelings of having someone to talk to.
People want to share the intimate part of their life with someone they can trust.
These areas include health, relationship, career, mindset and more
As a counselor, it is best when you niche down to a specific area.
This way you know more about the subject and marketing becomes easy.
So, get ready to help clients deal with the challenges of everyday life.
What To Know About Coaching Business In Nigeria
- Work on your focus level, as most clients you will work with lack clarity on what is best for them.
- Verify if a candidate is ideal for you before the meeting. It helps you filter who you accept to avoid wasting time.
- Listen to clients’ problems enough to avoid assumptions before giving advice.
- Respect your client’s privacy by keeping their identities and problems a secret.
- Be mature enough to handle matters of emotions.
Learn how to start a coaching business and become successful in a quick time.
Catering Services
One of the best home-based business ideas in Nigeria.
Do you know how to cook well? I mean the finger-licking kind of food.
Almost all caterers I know operate this idea as a side business, working from home.
Instead of waiting for people booking you for events, you can deliver lunches for offices.
With time, the manager may ask you to cook for their next regional meetings.
And some staff members will even book you for their church and personal events.
Also, you can enrol students who pay you to teach them how to cook certain food.
Or sell courses of your videos showing how to cook a particular food.
What You Should Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Show yourself to be neat at all times because no one likes a dirty caterer.
- You must be ready to work, sometimes late into the night, so you can deliver early the next morning.
- Buying ingredients in large quantities saves you from the market fluctuation of prices.
Cleaning Services
One of the best small business ideas in Nigeria, you can start with low capital.
Either in homes or offices, there will always be a need for a cleaning services.
People are busy that they don’t have the time for sweeping, mopping, trimming flowers, dusting and more.
Thus, the need for cleaning services,
For me, I prefer the cleaning service to a full-time house help.
Some month ago, I recommended a lady to an engineer who needs help with someone to assist his wife.
The agreement is that she (the lady) will only come on Saturdays by 6 am and leave by 9 am.
This way, she can finish with chores and leave for her shop as she is a hair stylist.
Last week Saturday, the engineer reached told me the lady has never failed in her duties.
That she comes early and keeps to what brought her to the house.
If you are good at cleaning, then this business will earn you extra money in your spare time.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Start with nearby houses where you can walk into. It saves you transport fare and guarantees your security.
- Make yourself happy and care for your personal being the same way you care for your clients.
- Ensure clients sign your service policy so they don’t abuse your time and efforts.
- As you grow, you can hire people to do the job, while you pay them per work completed.
Computer Repair
One of the top 10 business ideas in Nigeria for ICT lovers.
In today’s digital world, it becomes of necessity to have a computer.
If you don’t use it for business, you will for a school project or personal purpose.
This makes everyone your potential client for training or repairs.
As a tutor, you need a wide range of skills such as Microsoft Office, Corel Draw, Photoshop, and more.
As a repairer, you need an excellent knowledge of both the hardware and software components of a computer.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Communicate problems to your clients in non-techie words.
- An excellent presentations skills will set you apart in your training.
- Have training materials to avoid repeating the basics with every student.
Delivery Business
One of the most profitable business ideas in Nigeria with with so much opportunities.
Want to deliver important documents to another state or city?
You need a courier service with a reliable transportation system to avoid delays.
Also, you can group a few items together to deliver at the same time, which helps in saving costs.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria:
- You need to be extra careful not to misplace or rough-handle customers’ documents.
- When you deliver the parcels, notify clients of your delivery.
- Expert knowledge of this business will profit you in a quick time.
Digital Marketing Specialist
No.1 on the list of online business ideas to make money in Nigeria.
Businesses want customers, so marketing becomes a must for them.
Your duty involves promoting brands on the internet via an electronic device.
These electronic devices include smartphones, tablets and computers.
As an online marketer, your client expects you to deliver more than the conventional.
While media agency may use billboard and flyers, you run online ads.
You must be creative enough to create marketing copies that sell.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Ensure you have a clear backing of your work scope with clients before you start.
- Always stay updated about the marketing industry to keep learning.
- Know your clients’ customers and what makes them buy before executing strategies
- Educate small business owners on the need for your service for their business to attract in a quick time.
Day Care / Nanny Services
One of the best business ideas for ladies in Nigeria.
With more women choosing the career path, the daycare business has been growing so fast.
These women need someone they can entrust their children without fear of molestation.
The same applies to those who have elders at home needing help with bathing and feeding.
Both want your professional service.
If you will package yourself and look responsible, you won’t struggle to get clients.
As the care service is one of the small business ideas you can start from home with little to no cash.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria :
- Have a love to be around the extreme ends of age–the little children and adults.
- Be friendly in-person and of moral character, so you win your clients’ trust.
- Do have a legal contract to avoid any unethical expectations from parents.
- Ask your clients to refer you to their fellow workers at the office.
Disc Jockey (DJ) Services
A unique small business idea for entertainment lovers
There are no doubt live bands cost a lot more than DJ service.
Hence, many party owners prefer to hire DJs to handle the entertainment of their party.
DJs have been around playing as far back as the availability of playing equipment.
To start as a DJ, you need to have your speakers.
But if you don’t, you can always rent one when you have a show.
As a DJ, your best days are weekends, since this is when most events take place.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Understand your audience and know their style of music.
- Have a wide selection of music from old school to the latest.
- Be in touch with key figures in the entertainment industry for show slots.
Electrical Wiring
One of the lucrative business ideas in Nigeria, you can start with low capital.
If you can work with landlord and contractors, you will always be in demand as an electrician.
Very few know about electricity; this makes your skill valuable.
Sometimes, you don’t have to wait for damage before someone calls you for repair.
You can meet to discuss potential damage to their current wiring and appliances.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You will need to be good at the cost of materials for a proper quotation.
- Work with builders to install wires in new houses.
- Meeting deadlines and having neat work culture will help you earn your client’s good side.
Event Management
One of the best business ideas in Nigeria with lots of opportunities.
Any event needs lots of planning to make it successful whether big or small, corporate or casual, religious or circular.
So, it is your duty as an event planner to plan, organize resources and make supplies for events.
If you have no previous knowledge, I recommend you sign for an event management training.
After, you should work for an events’ planner, so you can understand the business more.
What You Need To Know This Business In Nigeria:
- You need to partner with manufacturers to ensure you are getting the best deals in equipment.
- Invest in getting wonderful pictures of your events to show potential clients.
- Partner with DJs, caterers, and more to make your event a success.
- You can also rent clothing materials, but will be best to have yours.
Graphics Design
One of the unique business opportunities in Nigeria for the creatives.
While there seems to be a lot of competition in this field, your creativity will stand you out.
As a graphic designer, you can work for companies part-time so you have time for other things important to you.
Also, you can set up yourself as an independent designer.
A lot of organizations need your service. They include publishers, churches, small businesses, and more.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You need to have marketing knowledge to pitch your works to potential clients.
- Be able to communicate an idea with images and few words.
- Take good care of your mental health so you can operate in the best of your creativity.
Hair Stylist
One of the best business ideas in Nigeria for both men and women.
Are you a stay-at-home mom who needs something doing, then hairdressing is for you?
Hairstyling is one of the ancient’s small business ideas our ancestors started at home.
You can set yourself apart with your style of service and speed of delivery.
Also, offer a home service for career women on weekends. These women will pay more for your time and transportation.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Make your clients look their best to get referrals from them.
- Ensure you set up your own working hours and days.
- You can include add-ons services such as professional nail and makeup services.
Sell Insurance Or Investment Plans
One of the top service business ideas in Nigeria with low investment
A fast way to succeed with this idea is dealing more with businesses than individuals.
To go deeper, you can niche down to a certain type of business.
In this business, your approach is more important than your sales skills.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria:
- You need to offer dedicated service to your clients.
- Help potential clients see reasons they need your insurance service.
- Be ready to accept rejections on phones.
Interior Designing
One of the uncommon business ideas in Nigeria, with less competition.
As people rent and build houses, they will need to make them beautiful.
If you like helping people get closer to their dream house, you can start this business in Nigeria.
As an interior designer, you will spend much in the early part of your business on marketing.
But once you have your first client base, they will keep calling for repeat work.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You need to be current about the latest home fashions and accessories.
- Work with builders, contractors, and event planners for referrals.
Jewelleries Making
One of the lucrative business ideas In Nigeria on this list.
When you hear, small but mighty, it is jewellery.
People will spend thousands and millions of Naira to buy jewellery.
The jewellery-making business requires you to work using beads and precious stones.
If you are starting, you can go for training.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Attend trade and open fair events.
- Promote your ready-made products on social media.
- Be available to make a custom design for clients who request them.
Start A Laundry Service
One of the daily income business ideas in Nigeria for students.
Starting a laundry business needs low or no capital.
All you need is soap, starch, and iron.
As time goes on, you can consider getting a washing machine.
In your marketing activities, target working men. They don’t have time to do laundry themselves.
Give out business cards to strangers. You never can tell – they may call you to pick some clothes.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You either love laundry or hate it.
- Accept the blame when customers complain.
- Ask existing customers to refer you to their friends.
Open A Law Firm
One of the business ideas in Nigeria unique to law students.
There is a high level of unemployment in the country for law graduates.
The best you can do with your license is to start a law firm business with it.
Set yourself, create your client base, charge your price, and head for success.
As an independent lawyer, people will need you in matters of negotiations and divorce.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Make friends with top profiles in your community, telling them what you do and how you can be of help.
- Get down payments before you begin work with a client.
- You can decide to consult real estate agents where they pay you 5% of the transaction fee.
MakeUp Artist
One of the best home business ideas in Nigeria for both ladies and men.
Are you good at covering facial flaws? Do you know how to bring out the beauty on someone’s face?
If yes. Then, this business is good for you.
As a makeup artist, be ready to work on weekends – mostly Saturdays.
Your clients’ base (the people you work with) has no limit.
This ranges from brides to new moms to working class to college students.
Your understanding of types of faces is will set you as a professional.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- You need some makeup kits.
- Be ready to offer home service.
- Seek to offer your service to groups rather than individuals.
Music Training
One of the cheapest businesses to start in Nigeria.
Do you understand music and are ready to pass on your knowledge to beginners?
Then, you can become a music instructor, as you will have lots of students wanting to learn from you.
Your job is to teach the art of singing and playing instruments.
You can increase your income by selling and renting musical instruments to churches and your students.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Promote your live recording on social media and ask friends to share.
- Play at church programs, public gatherings, birthdays, and more for visibility.
Sell Products Online
An eCommerce business with many opportunities in Nigeria.
If you have tried all and it seems nothing is working, try this.
What is the eCommerce business about and how does it work in Nigeria?
It is a business where you sell physical or digital products or services online.
Whatever it you sell does not have to be your own.
Look for someone who wants to sell his or laptop, price it to the lowest point.
Take pictures of the laptop and upload on Jiji. In days, someone will see your post and contact you via your phone number on the website.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- It’s best you focus on selling physical products as they are easy to sell even with no experience.
- Promote your products if it is a high-priced products like cars, machines and more.
- Learn more on how to sell online in Nigeria.
Personal Assistant
One of the business ideas in Nigeria unique to people who love managing tasks.
Consider the personal assisting business if you have proper organizing skills.
A personal assistant needs the will to help busy people.
A lot of working professionals are looking for someone they can send on errands.
They need someone to remind them of their meetings and more.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Become good with goal setting and time management.
- Rest a lot to preserve your mental energy for good decision-making.
- This is a glorious business if you have high-paying clients.
Train And Sell Pets
One of the uncommon business ideas in Nigeria
Pets like dogs and cats need training based on the job they are to perform.
While their owners can do some home training with their pets, those are on a basic level.
A pet trainer can help with specialized training for the exact owner’s purpose.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Present your service to owners, helping them see why their pets need your training.
- Have a good relationship with vet doctors as they meet with potential clients often.
- Sell pets and their feeds as an add-on service to your clients.
Photography
One of the easiest and lucrative business ideas in Nigeria
No matter how good a phone camera is, people will always have this unexplained respect for standard cameras.
One wonderful thing about this business idea is you can start without having your camera.
I have a friend, who as of 2019, rents a camera whenever he needs to work in events.
To let you know, photography is one of the profitable business ideas in Nigeria.
By 2021, he has built his own studio filled with all equipment you can ever think.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Get or rent good cameras and laptops for editing. Knowledge of Photoshop is vital.
- Be active on social media and display your work often so potential clients tend to spot you.
- When you are not working, go into the street and snap creative random pictures to sell online.
Savings and Contributions
One of the untapped business opportunities in Nigeria.
By contributions, I mean Osusu or Ajo (Yoruba).
Helping people save their money while you also make money without stress.
Convince ten people to save with you–at least N10,000 per month.
Invest the money with reputable companies like PiggyVest or Cowrywise for at least 10% per annual return.
If you collect 10K from 10 persons per month, that makes 100K.
100K times 10-month gives us N1 million naira.
By year-end, return their money while you keep the interest in it.
What To Know About This Business In Nigeria
- Be in control of your life and content with what you have.
- Lock the money in a one-year investment plan, where you don’t have access until maturity.
- Never disclose the investment company you are using.
- Ask for 1% of their savings with you at the end of the year.
- Keep your mind open to prosperity.
How to Start These Untapped Business Ideas in Nigeria
1. Validate Your Business Idea
One thing is to choose from the list of the best business ideas in Nigeria; another is to have an existing market for it.
Conducting market research before starting is very crucial to your business’s success.
Please, be sure you don’t become attached to any idea, so you can carry out proper vetting.
2. Write Down Your Plans and Goals
Get a business plan while you write down your goals.
The best business idea without actionable goals leads nowhere.
So, take your time to write:
- Why you want to start with this idea – very important.
- What problems do you want to solve and for whom?
- How you plan to achieve your business goals in the next 3 to 12 months.
3. Get Names for Business Ideas
You may discover there are two to three ideas you can combine.
Whether you choose only one or more than, you will need a business name to house these ideas.
The business name becomes the legal identity used to identify and summarize what you do.
But then remember, your business name is not yet legal until you register it with CAC.
If you need help registering your business, contact me here
My advice on choosing a business name:
- Avoid a keyword business name.
- Avoid a catchy or trending name.
- Check the availability of your name online before settling down with registration.
4. Start Production
By production, I mean, to start, the core function of your business.
This could be buying materials to make products or creating and publishing content.
Don’t fall into the trap of getting busy and not getting productive.
If your vehicle (business idea) is taking you nowhere, come down (pivot) and take another.
Promote Your Business Online
Online marketing strategy increases your chance of success with any business idea.
But how do you reach new customers and get more sales with online marketing?
- Start with a Facebook group, then a page.
- Design a website educating your audience about the industry.
- Have a shop on the website where a visitor can order your products or services.
- Publish quality content that meets with users’ search intentions.
- Perform on-page and off-page SEO on your website to rank top in your local.
Conclusion On Hot Business Ideas In Nigeria
The majority of the best businesses in Nigeria mentioned are untapped, and you can start with low capital.
If you desire entrepreneurship, I recommend that you start now.
Is there anything I am missing? Let me know.
