AI is constantly reshaping how students learn, research, and interact with the academic environment. Many Nigerians have already begun experimenting with AI for exam preparation, and studies indicate that students utilising AI tools can reduce their study time by up to 30% while enhancing comprehension and retention.
For many Nigerian students, juggling lectures, assignments, exams, and side hustles can feel like a chaotic experience. Imagine having an AI tool that can summarise lecture notes, generate practice quizzes, help brainstorm assignments, and even organise your study materials.
Among the growing number of AI tools, Google Gemini stands out for its advanced research capabilities and academic support, offering a more innovative and faster way to tackle university life. Here, we explore 10 practical ways Nigerian students can use Gemini to study smarter and level up their academic game.
1. Turn Confusing Lectures Into Clear Notes
Sitting through a lecture only to leave feeling confused? Google Gemini can help you summarise key points instantly, turning dense slides and lecture notes into digestible summaries. You can even highlight essential sections or create bullet-point versions for quicker revision. No more staring at a 50-slide deck and wondering where to start. Gemini makes your notes crisp, clear, and easy to revise, saving you hours of rewrites and stress before exams.
2. Conduct In-Depth, Cited Research
With Deep Research, Gemini can generate detailed, cited summaries of academic topics. Need references for your essay or background for your project? Gemini pulls together information you can trust, helping you go beyond simple Google searches. Instead of spending hours piecing together articles and journals, you get the context and sources in minutes, letting you focus on analysis and critical thinking, and the skills lecturers actually value.
3. Generate Practice Quizzes for Revision
Exams don’t have to be terrifying. Gemini’s quiz generation tool lets you turn your notes into custom practice tests. Multiple-choice questions, short answers, or scenario-based prompts, all created instantly. This makes revising interactive and much more effective. By testing yourself with quizzes generated by Gemini, you identify weak points and retain information faster, so exam prep feels strategic rather than stressful.
4. Brainstorm and Draft Assignments Quickly
Gemini helps you brainstorm ideas, draft essays, or structure reports in minutes. Whether it’s a business plan for class, a history essay, or a science project, Gemini helps you iterate faster and more efficiently. You’re not outsourcing your thinking, but using AI to organise thoughts, explore angles, and kickstart your writing so deadlines don’t feel impossible.
5. Create Visuals and Infographics Easily
Some assignments require visuals, such as charts, diagrams, or illustrations. Gemini’s image upload and creation features enable you to turn data into visual content instantly. From biology diagrams to presentation slides, you can generate images that make your work more engaging and easier to understand. Gemini handles the heavy lifting, making your assignments look polished and professional.
6. Build a Digital CV While You Study
Uni isn’t just about studying for exams; you also need to prepare for the future. Gemini can help you document achievements, projects, and skills, creating a ready-to-go digital CV. From summarising internships to highlighting extracurricular work, you can showcase your academic and professional growth while still in school. By building this portfolio early, you’re setting yourself up to stand out in internships, applications, and future job opportunities.
7. Store and Organise Study Materials With 2TB Storage
Nothing is worse than losing essential files the night before an assignment is due. With 2TB of storage, Gemini Pro serves as your digital filing cabinet, storing all your lecture notes, PDFs, presentations, and research in one secure location. Organisation matters as much as studying, and Gemini ensures everything is easy to access, search, and manage, saving you from the panic of lost work and last-minute scrambling.
8. Learn on the Go With Audio Overviews
For students who are always on the move, Gemini’s Audio Overviews enable you to convert notes and research into audio clips. You can listen while commuting, exercising, or even waiting for class to start. This is perfect for revision on the go, helping you internalise concepts without being tied to your laptop. Audio summaries turn downtime into productive study time, making learning flexible and stress-free.
9. Leverage Multiple AI Models for Different Tasks
Gemini Pro isn’t just one tool — it’s a suite of specialised AI models. You get access to Gemini 2.5 Pro for powerful summarisation and drafting, Nano Banana for next-level image generation, and Veo3 for high-quality video creation. Depending on your task: research, drafting, or creating presentations, Gemini provides specialised assistance, making complex projects feel manageable. You get AI support tailored to the type of work you’re doing, boosting both efficiency and output quality.
To access it, you’ll need to verify your student status using your valid student ID card. Once that’s done, you’re in.
By claiming it, you’re giving yourself a year-long advantage: unlimited AI chats, image uploads, quiz generation, 2TB storage, and advanced models that help you study smarter, innovate faster, and excel academically. Gemini isn’t just an AI tool — it’s a study partner and skill builder in one, preparing you for university success and the professional world beyond.
The topic of how young Nigerians navigate romantic relationships with their earnings is a minefield of hot takes. In Love Currency, we get into what relationships across income brackets look like in different cities.
Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, click here.
How long have you been with your partner?
It’ll be a year in September.
How did you meet?
Felicia and I are in the same department, so we’ve known each other since 100 level. We started talking consistently in 200 level because of a group project. Then I started liking her, but I wasn’t sure about approaching her because Felicia is reserved and gives everyone this “don’t come near me” vibe.
Another thing that held me back was my financial status. I’m a student who fully depends on pocket money from my parents and the occasional ₦10k from my brother. A relationship really wasn’t my priority.
But somehow, I found myself making efforts to get closer to Felicia. I eventually asked her out after half a semester of pretending I just wanted to be her friend. She said yes, and here we are today.
How come you went from “a relationship isn’t my priority?” to ending up in one?
Omo, I don’t even know. I guess the heart wants what it wants. I liked her and just decided to give it a try. Fortunately, a relationship hasn’t been as financially consuming as I thought it’d be.
My guys used to tell me ladies only wanted men who could spend on them, but Felicia isn’t like that. At least, she doesn’t bill me. She’s a freelance writer and gets gigs from time to time in addition to pocket money. So, it’s not like she needs money. I’m even the one spending money on her because I feel like I have to.
What does this spending typically look like?
It’s mostly food. Our uni provides meals for students, but I don’t always like the food. So, sometimes, I buy food and when I do, I buy for Felicia too. That’s about ₦5k – ₦10k weekly on feeding. The only other expense is sending her airtime, and that happens once in a while.
A few months ago, I bought a cake and paid for her photoshoot for her birthday. That cost me ₦55k, and I had to take out some of the emergency money I saved in my Piggyvest to pay for this. This was during semester break, and there was no pocket money, so I didn’t really have money like that.
We also went on a beach date/picnic with some of our friends during that period, and I paid the ₦5k per person fee for both of us. Our friends handled the food and snacks.
Join 1,000+ Nigerians, finance experts and industry leaders at The Naira Life Conference by Zikoko for a day of real, raw conversations about money and financial freedom. Click here to buy a ticket and secure your spot at the money event of the year, where you’ll get the practical tools to 10x your income, network with the biggest players in your industry, and level up in your career and business.
Does Felicia also give you gifts or money?
Money? Do girls give guys money? I don’t expect her to give me money. She gives me gifts, though. She got a gift set for my birthday: belt, cufflinks and body spray. She also gave me a card and body spray for Valentine’s Day.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I bought her flowers for Valentine’s Day. That cost me ₦25k.
What kind of money conversations do you both have?
Felicia is the financially savvy person in our relationship. She’s the saver, and I’m clearly the spender. It’s good we have that balance.
She introduced me to savings apps last year after I sold a phone my aunt sent me and had extra cash. I think I sold the phone for ₦250k. Felicia suggested I keep the money so I wouldn’t spend it unless in an emergency. That’s the money I eventually took from to settle her birthday bills.
Felicia also put me on to mutual funds sometime this year, and while I haven’t started investing in it, it’s definitely on my mind for when I start working.
Do you both have safety nets?
My safety nets are my parents and the ₦100k+ in my Piggyvest. I know Felicia has savings, but I’m not sure how much she has. She’s very prudent, though, so I guess it’ll be a reasonable amount. I can’t exactly ask. The last time I jokingly referred to her money, it almost caused an issue.
How so?
We were having a conversation about a movie. I’m not sure how we got to talking about money, but I said something like, “I don’t mind being a house husband. I know you have money to take care of me.”
She took offence at that, and we had a small fight. I was just joking, but she said, “So you’re the type of guy who will let a woman feed him?” I was just like, “As how?”
We shouted at each other a bit and didn’t talk for a day, but we eventually settled.
I later understood she reacted like that because of her family’s situation. Her mum is the breadwinner, and it causes issues at home. Felicia doesn’t want to be in her mum’s shoes, so my joke struck a nerve. That’s understandable. I don’t think any girl wants to feel like she’ll be the one spending money on a guy. I don’t even want that.
What’s your ideal financial future as a couple?
I want to learn a skill before I graduate from school next year. I’ve started learning to code and hope to start making money from it soon. Felicia has also been trying to get dollar-paying writing gigs, and I hope that happens for her soon. I just want both of us to be successful in our respective fields.
Interested in talking about how money moves in your relationship? If yes, click here.
*Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.
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Every week, Zikoko seeks to understand how people move the Naira in and out of their lives. Some stories will be struggle-ish, others will be bougie. All the time, it’ll be revealing.
When did you first realise the importance of money?
A memory that stands out is from my uni matriculation in 2019. My aunt gave me ₦4k, and I was so excited because it was the closest thing to pocket money I’d ever received.
Getting into uni made my financial standing clear. I met people who got pocket money and realised it was normal to get allowances. One guy told me he received ₦20k monthly and often called his parents for more money. I couldn’t relate to the money or the parents, so I felt different from others.
That’s why that ₦4k made me so excited. Suddenly, I had money and didn’t feel so left out — at least not at that moment.
You said you couldn’t relate to the parents bit. Why’s that?
My parents had passed away. My mum passed when I was 11, and my dad passed in my first year at uni. I didn’t even live with my dad when he was alive. He worked full-time in the ministry and wasn’t financially buoyant, so I mostly lived with relatives. At the time I entered uni, I was living with my uncle.
I’m sorry about your parents
Thank you.
Money-wise, things were much better for me and my siblings when my mum was alive. She was also in the ministry but had a better financial situation than my dad.
Also, my parents were separated, so we lived with her. We lacked nothing. When returning to boarding school, she would buy family-size packets of whatever provisions I needed.
Her death caused a change in our quality of life. We went from living in a four-bedroom apartment to staying with my aunt in a self-contained apartment. Then my dad moved us to my uncle’s in a village, and we had to change schools. It felt like a decline, but I had to adjust.
Living with relatives meant I couldn’t ask for money anyhow, so when I got into uni, I decided to explore options for making money.
What options did you explore?
I learnt several skills before and during COVID in 2020: web design with WordPress, coding and social media management. I even took a “fundamentals of digital marketing” course on Google. The idea was just to learn as much as I could. I didn’t have a clear sense of what I wanted to do, so I just kept trying different things.
I didn’t have a laptop, so I borrowed someone’s laptop to practice what I’d learned. Omo, I collected plenty of insults in the process. The person was younger than me, but always tried to boss me around because I needed their laptop. I endured it because of what I wanted to learn.
Eyes on the prize
In 2020, I landed a remote social media management internship with a media company. It was an unpaid gig — my employer gave me ₦1k for airtime monthly, which wasn’t enough for anything. I stayed because of the experience and worked there for six months.
During my time there, I applied all the new knowledge I gained to building my personal brand. I opened an Instagram account and started posting tips and talking about my work to attract clients.
How did that go?
I got a client pretty quickly. She paid ₦25k to manage her page for a month, and I remember being so surprised someone could cough up that amount to pay for my services. The money was big for me, and I couldn’t handle it.
Do you know what I did?
What did you do?
I took the money and gave it to my boss, with whom I was interning. I transferred the gig to him because I didn’t think I could do it. I still ended up being the one managing the page, and he didn’t pay me for it, but I didn’t mind it.
After the first month, the client ended the contract because we didn’t meet expectations. I wasn’t bothered because I knew I could get someone else. And I did.
I started getting a few gigs from small business owners on Instagram. My boss also worked with multiple clients, and I handled some of their pages. That didn’t bring extra income; I just did it for the love of the game and to gain experience.
One day, I made a post on my Instagram page and a big design brand reposted it. Then the post got 5k likes on that page, and people started following me. That’s how one woman abroad DM’ed me and said she wanted me to help with her page. When she asked how much I charged, I was about to type $30 when she said her budget was $250/month. I thought I was dreaming.
Love it for you. Was it also a social media management gig?
Yeah. I also had to do the designs and create all the content. The client lived in the US and could only pay through PayPal, so she had to pay me through my cousin who lived in the US. At first, my cousin thought I was into Yahoo. Who did I know that was sending me money from the US?
I’m screaming
I worked with her for six months — she even reduced the pay to $180/month after the first few months, but I didn’t mind. I used the money I made from her to buy my first laptop, an old giant Toshiba that cost ₦70k and didn’t fit inside any laptop bag.
After I stopped working with her, I took a course on social media management as a business. The course taught me to approach my skills like a business, not just as a creative, if I hoped to make money. I also learnt how to write proposals and grew more confident charging for my services.
I increased my fees to ₦50k – ₦70k and got a few clients who agreed to pay that amount. Around 2021, I landed a ₦90k gig, which only lasted two weeks because the client wasn’t happy with the work. She only paid ₦45k.
Thinking about it now, between 2020 and 2022, I had quite a number of clients with whom I stopped working because of one disagreement or another. I can trace some of the reasons to my laptop, which was always messing up. When I got the ₦90k gig, I took a ₦150k loan to replace the laptop, thinking I’d be able to repay it with my salary, but that gig went the way it did.
Fortunately, I got a social media management job with a fintech startup shortly after, so I wasn’t stranded for long. This was in 2022.
What was the pay like?
My salary was ₦120k/month, and I worked there until the startup pivoted in 2023 and laid off staff. I was also affected and was unemployed for about three months.
All this time, I was still in uni and living with my elder brother, so I had food to eat. I kept applying to jobs, and towards the end of 2023, I landed one with a startup that paid ₦130k/month.
I supplemented my income with a ₦40k/month video editing side gig and sold social media content calendar templates online at $5 each. I didn’t put much effort into marketing the templates and sold between 2 and 10 every month. I also occasionally made vox pop videos to create content for my page.
Then, in 2024, I got my big break. Someone DM’ed me on WhatsApp and offered me a $1k/month role.
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Wait. How did that happen?
A friend recommended me for the job. The company is an international crypto/blockchain brand that wanted someone to help with its social media and community management efforts in the region.
The offer came just as I was rounding up uni, and it was like the perfect time because there was no way I’d have managed the job while in school. It’s remote, but I have to work a minimum of six hours daily, and there’s software that monitors my work and takes screenshots every 10 minutes to ensure I’m actively on my laptop.
I still work there, and my salary is now $1200/month. I’m not even sure how much my salary is in naira because I haven’t converted the full amount yet. My employer pays in crypto, and I leave it in the exchange and withdraw only what I need using their P2P service.
I’ll do the conversion for you. That’s over ₦1.8m
It was a big jump from my last salary—about a 10x increase. My lifestyle has changed, too. I moved to Lagos after school and went from paying ₦80k/year for rent to ₦1.5m/year for a one-bedroom apartment. I spent about ₦4m on the total rent package and some furnishing.
Living in Lagos also means my monthly bills have vastly increased. I probably wouldn’t need to spend as much as I do if I’d stayed back around school, but it was a necessary change of environment for personal and professional growth.
What do these bills and expenses look like in a typical month?
My staff budget is for the contract assistants I work with when I shoot videos for content. The videos are gradually progressing from a passion project to an income source.
I have a manager who interfaces with potential clients, and we’ve had a couple of people pay us to shoot content for their events. One client paid ₦350k last year, and another paid just last month.
I’m not interested in profit sharing right now because I’m more focused on building a business presence and getting standard equipment. Once that’s done, I can consider trying to earn from it.
What does your savings portfolio look like right now?
$1500. I had to dip into my savings when I moved to Lagos and set up my apartment. I keep my rent savings in a savings app. The rest are in crypto.
I’m curious. How has your rapid income growth shaped how you see money?
My attitude to money has changed to, “This thing is for convenience.” I no longer worry about certain things because I can now afford them.
For instance, money has given me the ability to give, and I give a lot. I can afford to pay attention to people’s needs and keep in touch with them because I know if they need something, I can step in. I can just call my friends, ask how far and go, “Send your account, let’s do this thing.”
I couldn’t do all this before, even when I wanted to. Before, I often had to ignore people’s needs or even limit interactions because of financial concerns. That’s not my problem anymore.
Energy. Do you live above or below your means, though?
I live within my means. I don’t spend so much, except it’s absolutely necessary. Last month, I dropped ₦700k on a laptop because I needed it. This month, I’ll probably need to spend on a few more house furniture needs and set up a Starlink connection. These are basic things that I need. They’re expensive, but they aren’t exactly luxuries.
I get you. Out of curiosity again, do you ever worry about money?
I definitely worry about losing my job and not having money for the things I want. But I also feel like I’ll have money when I need it. If anything happens to my job, I’ll just find another one or focus on video production. My mum used to have a thing where her account balance could be zero today and money would enter the next day.
I’ve experienced that before, too. Several times, I was almost stranded, and money just came. I’m consciously trying to fix my money habits, so I don’t just rely on money coming in. I plan to read financial books, intentionally manage my money and achieve financial stability.
Is there anything you want right now you can’t afford?
Not right now, but a wedding. I know I’m just 22, but I believe I’ve met the person I want to spend my life with, and I hope to get married in the next two to three years. I want a small intimate wedding, but I’ll still need to get my money up, considering how expensive things get every day.
How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?
6. I don’t think I have a handle on my finances yet, so I still feel broke. I want to be able to manage my money strictly, figure out extra sources of income, and make better financial decisions.
If you’re interested in talking about your Naira Life story, this is a good place to start.
Join 1,000+ Nigerians, finance experts and industry leaders at The Naira Life Conference by Zikoko for a day of real, raw conversations about money and financial freedom. Click here to buy a ticket and secure your spot at the money event of the year, where you’ll get the practical tools to 10x your income, network with the biggest players in your industry, and level up in your career and business.
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There’s nothing funny about being a broke student. The endless “bro, abeg” texts, checking your account balance like money will suddenly appear, and doing mental maths to see if your last ₦5k can cover data, transport, food, and a little flex.
But students across Nigeria have also managed to escape this struggle. From managing social media pages to editing videos and even gaming, students like you have figured out legitimate ways to make money online.
We spoke to some of them, and here’s what you need to know about how to make money online as a student in Nigeria.
7 Real Ways Nigerian Students Are Making Money Online
Good news: you don’t have to be broke when the internet exists. Here are 7 online income streams every student should know:
1. Social Media Management
Remember when your parents said, “You’re always on that phone”? Jokes on them because some students are getting paid to do exactly that. Social media managers handle Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok pages for businesses, keeping them active, engaging, and growing.
This is how Ameen, a 20-year-old third-year engineering student, is making it work:
“I started doing Canva designs as a side hustle for extra cash in April 2024. I set up a Fiverr gig, and one day, a podcast brand in Manhattan reached out. At first, it was just small, one-off projects, but they kept coming back.
After a few months of back-and-forth projects, we took things off Fiverr and started communicating over email. That’s when they put me on a $200/month retainer to handle their Instagram designs and upload content on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. I have Zoom meetings with my client once a week, where we strategise different ways to expand the brand’s visibility and reach.
It’s not been difficult balancing it with my engineering degree. Once I schedule everything, I barely have to think about the workload.”
How to get started:
Build an online presence: Grow your audience and treat your social media account like a portfolio.
Get hands-on experience: Manage a friend’s business page, intern for a brand, or offer free services to a small business to build your portfolio.
Master the Right Tools: Learn Canva (designs), Meta Business Suite (scheduling Instagram and Facebook posts), and Hootsuite or Buffer to manage multiple platforms simultaneously.
Find Clients: Cold pitch your services to small businesses or professionals on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Upwork.
Everyone — from TikTok influencers to YouTubers — needs a good editor. If you can turn raw footage into a crisp, engaging video, you’re sitting on a skill that pays.
This is how Khaerat, a 19-year-old fourth-year law student, is making it work:
“I started creating video content on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok in my second year in uni, just for fun. But I was building a portfolio without realising it, and it landed me paying gigs.
I got my first gig in May 2024, about a year after I started editing videos for social media. I get paid according to my rate card. Right now, I have four video editing gigs: three pay me ₦50K each, and one pays ₦100K. I also juggle an ₦80K social media management job, all alongside my law degree.
Since I work best at night, I batch-edit my videos and designs to stay on top of everything. It’s also my way of unwinding from the demands of studying law.
I’ve landed all my jobs by simply tweeting about my work or commenting under posts to offer my services. It doesn’t feel overwhelming because I enjoy what I do, and with more experience, I’ve gained the confidence to charge higher and ditch toxic clients.
I use CapCut for editing, Canva for designs and Buffer to create and schedule content. After school, I plan to continue doing this alongside my legal career, especially since I’m going into corporate or business law—not litigation. I know my earning potential will grow when I have more time to take on bigger projects.”
How to get started:
Learn the basics: Start with free editing apps like CapCut, InShot or DaVinci Resolve before moving to more advanced software like Adobe Premiere Pro.
Offer free or discounted work: Edit videos for small content creators or friends for proof of work.
Create a portfolio: Showcase your best work on platforms like Google Drive, Behance, or a simple Instagram/Twitter thread.
Engage on social media: Post snippets of your work, engage with content creators and offer your services on these platforms.
Find paid gigs: Start freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork, and use Twitter and LinkedIn to network.
Charge your worth: Set competitive rates based on your skill level, but don’t undersell yourself. Increase your prices as you gain more experience.
Stay updated: Video trends change fast. Keep up with editing styles, effects, and platform-specific content demands.
Build client relationships: Deliver quality work, communicate clearly, and retain long-term clients by being reliable.
3. E-commerce
Some students aren’t waiting for jobs; they’re creating them. From selling thrift clothes to launching skincare brands, e-commerce is thriving.
This is how Hikmat, a 22-year-old final-year Botany student, is making it work:
“I sell skincare products and get customers through WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. My Whatsapp catalogue makes ordering easy, and most of my customers are students in my hostel, department, and across campus.
I stock up on sheet masks, lip and eye masks, pimple patches, and nose pore strips from a Chinese e-commerce website (1688) through an agent.
My first order cost ₦70k and included 160 sheet masks, 100 lip and eye masks plus shipping fee. Since I started in June 2024, I’ve made three times that amount in profit. In my first week alone, I pulled in ₦25k. I’ve restocked at least twice since then. However, I use sea shipping, which takes 2–3 months. I find that it’s best to order in bulk.
On an average month, I make ₦35k to ₦40k; on a bad month, ₦10k. But on a good month, I make ₦50k. Skincare is huge among students right now, so I knew I was tapping into the right market. My earnings fluctuate because I haven’t been consistent.
I started this business because my ₦20k monthly allowance wasn’t cutting it, and I didn’t want to burden my family.
I recommend starting this business if you have enough capital to buy in bulk. The competition is tough, and many sellers drop their prices just to attract customers. It only works if you’re buying at scale.”
How to get started:
Do your market research: Understand what sells and who your target audience is.
Choose a product with demand: Items like thrift clothes, skincare products, accessories, and gadgets are in high demand among students.
Source Smartly: Buy from local markets or platforms like 1688/Alibaba.
Choose the right channels: Sell on the right social media platforms (TikTok, Twitter, Instagram). By creating engaging content, you get free marketing.
Market your business: Build visibility and attract customers.
Manage your finances: Track earnings, reinvest and scale your business.
4. Graphic Design
Logos, flyers, business cards, social media graphics; if you can design them, someone will pay you.
This is how Korede, a 22-year-old final-year Computer Science student, is making it work:
Korede, 22 (400 level, Computer Science)
“I was in 200 level when I realised I could make money from design. We had a class assignment, and my lecturer singled out my work as one of the best. But since what I study is programming-heavy, that one design class wasn’t enough. I wanted more. So, I started practising and sharing my work on WhatsApp, and before I knew it, someone paid me ₦5K for a logo. That was shocking because I survived on a ₦3k weekly allowance at the time.
I grew curious, obsessed and hungry for knowledge, but I didn’t have a laptop. So, I borrowed from friends and installed Corel Draw on a flash drive. A coursemate taught me the basics in a week, and I spent hours sitting behind students who designed after lecture hours, watching them navigate the software. That’s how I found Photoshop. It was tough at first, but I found a mentor on YouTube.
Now, I don’t even have to post my work. Referrals keep me busy, and I make between ₦500k and ₦700k monthly. I design at least 15 graphics daily—party flyers, social media graphics, stickers, logos, banners, etc. I also work a design internship at a Nigerian EdTech company, earning ₦80K/month. On Fiverr, I do photo manipulation gigs and regular designs, making around $250–$300 monthly. Occasionally, I design branding assets for UK wedding and event brands. I won’t lie — I spend a lot of it on food because I never imagined making this much. But the workload is insane. My grades have dropped, and I have no social life. Sometimes, I skip class to meet deadlines. It’s draining, so I plan to cut down on party flyers and new recommendations and focus on my internship and Fiverr. The money is sweet, but I still need to graduate.
How to get started:
Learn a design tool: Start with Photoshop or Illustrator.
Build a portfolio: Offer free designs to small businesses and build a portfolio on Instagram and Behance.
Show your work: Post consistently on social media.
List your services: Sign up on Fiverr and Upwork.
Keep improving: Take online courses and study trends.
5. Ghostwriting
If you have a way with words, ghostwriting can be a lucrative hustle. Clients pay well for high-quality, anonymous content, from fiction to nonfiction and blog posts. You just need to know where to find them.
This is how Catherine, a 21-year-old final-year Human Physiology student, is making it work:
“I ghostwrite fiction for an international web novel company in the U.S., earning $300 per book. If a book performs well on the app, I get a bonus of $50 to $100, which pushes up my monthly earnings. It’s basically a 9-5, except I don’t leave my house.
I also take up side gigs on freelance platforms when I have time.
Before this, I earned ₦60k a month doing outsourced work for Nigerian writers who landed big gigs but paid me peanuts. Over time, I gained confidence and started charging my worth. Now, I source my own international clients on Upwork, Fiverr, and LinkedIn and get paid in dollars directly.
The company I currently write for is similar to Wattpad, and they even have a partner company that adapts books into short telenovela films and repurposes them into bite-sized paid ads for platforms like Snapchat.My Nigerian friend, who currently works as a senior editor at the company, recommended me, and it’s been a great experience since I started working there in July 2023.
I typically write one book a month, but sometimes I push for two. When I write a full-length novel, the word count is 150,000 per book, while novellas are about 100,000 words.
Writing romance may seem easy, but it’s brutal. Some clients make me edit the same document 10 times before they’re satisfied. I put in about 80 hours a week, balancing school and deadlines.
I primarily work between lectures and late at night, but on free days, I wake up, check pending tasks, and grind all day. The workload can be overwhelming — tasks pile up, my head feels full, and sometimes, I just completely shut down. Now that I’m in my final year, juggling my thesis and writing is even harder, so I’m trying to cut back before it burns me out completely.
Will I keep ghostwriting after school? Yes. Will I do it full-time forever? Hell no. If I could start over, I’d charge my worth from day one. I let people underpay and exploit me at first, but never again.”
How to get started:
Pick a niche: Specialise in a specific area to stand out and attract clients.
Create a portfolio: Start small. Write Twitter threads, Medium articles, or LinkedIn posts to showcase your writing style.
Find clients: List your services on Fiverr, Upwork, and LinkedIn platforms.
Set your rates: Research how much ghostwriters in your niche earn and charge accordingly. Don’t undersell your work.
Write your own work: Avoid relying on AI to generate content. Clients pay for originality and creativity. If you must use AI, limit it to best practices: research, brainstorming, or light editing.
Stay consistent: The more you write, the better you get. Deliver high-quality work on time, follow briefs carefully, and build relationships with clients for long-term success.
6. Crypto Jobs
The crypto space is more than buying Bitcoin — it’s a whole economy. Some students trade, some play games to earn, and others take Crypto jobs.
This is how Fehin, a 21-year-old third-year History & International Relations student, is making it work:
“I make between $200 and $500 monthly from crypto jobs, but my highest monthly earnings have been up to $1,000. I got into crypto out of curiosity; I wanted to know how to make money online in Nigeria.
I started by learning the basics, trading, and immersing myself in crypto communities. Now, I manage social media pages, primarily on Twitter and Discord, for big projects and communities and create content to drive engagement. I also take ambassador roles because I’ve grown my crypto Twitter following to 6000 plus.
Most of my gigs come from networking on Twitter. I got my current role because I was active in the community, engaging with projects and applying for ambassador programs. I dedicate 15–20 hours weekly to my crypto jobs, depending on my school workload.
The hardest part is managing time during exams. I schedule tasks in advance and focus on high-priority work. I plan to go into the crypto space full-time after school. If I had to start over, I’d prioritise networking and building a strong personal brand on Crypto Twitter earlier.
My advice? Learn valuable real-life skills: content creation, social media management, research, etc., be active in communities, and don’t be afraid to apply for roles. Networking and consistency are everything.”
How to get started:
Learn the basics: Use YouTube and online resources to understand the fundamentals of crypto.
Establish a social identity: Build your presence on Crypto Twitter and grow your reputation by engaging in discussions and sharing insights.
Penetrate communities: Look for active crypto communities to join on Telegram and Discord.
Look for job opportunities: Explore Telegram, Discord, Twitter and crypto job listing platforms for opportunities. (CryptoJobsList, SuperteamEarn, etc.)
Apply and Network Relentlessly: Engage with community members and build connections.
7. Virtual Assistance
If you’re good at handling tasks, replying to emails, or keeping things organised, you can make money as a Virtual Assistant (VA). Entrepreneurs, influencers, and busy professionals need help managing their workload and are willing to pay for it.
This is how Grace, a 21-year-old third-year Engineering Physics student, is making it work:
“I make an average of ₦120K monthly as a Virtual Assistant (VA).
I recently worked with a medical student, helping her source and compile data into readable files for her research. The contract lasted a month and paid well.
I got the job through a friend after consistently sharing my work and learning journey on social media. Building in public — documenting my training, progress, projects, and wins — helped me get noticed.
I started earning four months after completing my VA training on ALX Africa in 2024. My highest monthly earnings so far is ₦150K. Before this, I got ₦20K monthly from home — barely enough for transport, feeding, and study materials.
The job takes about 30 hours a week, which can be intense, but time management helps me balance it with school. I wake up early to complete tasks before class and structure my work hours around my school timetable. I also avoid taking on new projects during exams.
If you want to become a Virtual Assistant, get proper training, master tools like Trello, Calendly, Google Workspace, Notion, and Canva, and find a mentor. Most importantly, put yourself out there—opportunities come when you stay visible and consistent.”
How to Get Started:
Identify your skills: Stick to what you’re good at, whether it’s email management, data entry, research, customer service, or social media.
Learn the basics: Master tools like Google Workspace, Trello, Asana, and Notion with free courses on Coursera, ALX Africa, or YouTube.
Set your rates: VAs in Nigeria earn ₦80K₦468K/month (Glassdoor). Start low, gain experience, and charge what you’re worth.
Find your first client: If needed, skip Fiverr and Upwork, network on Twitter and LinkedIn, and ask around. Referrals work magic.
Create a simple portfolio: Show what you can do with sample emails, calendar schedules, or task management templates.
Sign a Contract First: Protect yourself with a contract covering payment terms, tasks, availability, and confidentiality. No contract? Big red flag.
Bottom Line
Making money online as a student in Nigeria isn’t rocket science. Pick one skill, start learning today, stay consistent and put yourself out there. Nobody will hand you money for free, but if you put in the work, urgent ₦2k will never be your portion again.
Academic activities at the University of Benin have been suspended indefinitely following an announcement from the school’s Public Relations Officer, Doctor Benedicta Ehanire.
Why did this happen?
On July 3, 2024, Uniben students seized the Benin -Ore highway to protest a power outage and lack of water in their hostels and campuses. The university has been struggling with power cuts, thanks to a new 200% increase in its monthly electricity bill — from 80 million to ₦200-280 million. This new energy cost came after the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) cut the university’s power supply over a ₦300 million debt, forcing the university to work with power generators.
The students say they took to the street because light now comes up for only an hour a day, compared to the 20 – 22 hours they usually got. As a result, studying without electricity has become unbearable for them.
Image source: ChannelsTV
The university statement, announcing the closure, states that the university’s senate considered the students’ demand for 24-hour electricity and stable water supply in their hostels and the two campuses unrealistic. It instructed all students to leave the school hostels immediately. Academic and non-academic staff on primary duties are unaffected.
Power outages aren’t limited to Uniben alone. In a report by Punch, rising energy costs are crushing Nigerian universities.
“Some of the institutions have been disconnected from the national grid owing to millions of unpaid electricity bills to DISCOS while others who are still connected are currently grappling with huge amounts of debts running into millions of naira.”
The College of Medicine, University of Lagos, is struggling with its migration to Band A, which has increased energy costs to ₦253 million. The University of Ilorin’s electricity bill jumped from ₦70 million to ₦230 million. Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) disconnected the power supply at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology due to a ₦248 million unpaid debt. The University of Jos has an electricity bill debt close to ₦126 million.
For Uniben, this isn’t the first time it’d shut down over students’ protests. In 2021, the university closed for 24 hours following a protest over a ₦20,000 late registration fee.
300 level is an important phase in the Nigerian university experience for anyone in a four-year undergraduate programme. Yes, the excitement of graduation is in the air, but it’s also time to write your final year project.
While writing the thesis itself is challenging, the first shege you’ll battle is choosing a topic that aligns with your course of study or future academic aspirations. From the fear of countless rejections to the anxiety of project supervisor reveals, every 300 level student will relate to this article.
The supervisor reveal
This part is crucial because it can make or mar the project writing experience for you. If it’s a lecturer you want, good for you. If the lecturer is the devil’s advocate, you’ll see premium shege.
Searching Google for research topics
Your supervisor has asked you to submit project topics, and you head straight to Google to find them. The good thing is, you’ll find a plethora of topics until your fellow course mates have the same topics, and then it’s back to square one.
When every topic has been written about
Google says there’s no new topic. The old projects in your school library say everything has been written about. But you know who wouldn’t believe this? Your supervisor. And most times they’re right because there’s still a ton of stuff to write about.
Rejection
The pressure doesn’t hit after the first and second rejections of your project topic. The real pressure starts when your course mates are submitting their chapter one drafts, and you still don’t have a project topic. God, abeg.
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When your supervisor is interested in your topic
This can mean a good thing or a bad thing. It’s good if you’re an academic badass because the supervisor will go the extra mile to make sure that project bangs. If you’re a struggling student, that supervisor will stress your life with corrections and rewrites.
“Go and write your proposal”
In your project writing journey, this is the first sentence that’ll sound like music to your ears because it means a project topic has been approved. Just make sure you write a killer proposal because things can still go south.
The big “Why?”
Consider this your first mini project defence. Your supervisor will want to know why you’ve chosen a particular topic, and if you stutter in your explanation, they’ll assume you’re paying someone to write the project. And this is bad for you.
Cool parties don’t just happen by chance. There are several experiences and boxes that need to be ticked — If it didn’t dey, it didn’t dey. That’s why this guide exists. If you don’t see these activities at your next campus party, feel free to head out.
But maybe there’s no need to ‘lurn’ the hard way; you can learn easily from University of Port Harcourt, University of Nigeria, Imo State University and University of Lagos students’ experience during the Sabinus campus tour that Malta Guinness refreshed recently. Nigerian Students no dey carry last, after all.
The coolest people
What’s a cool party without the cool kids? The cool kids are always down to have a good time, and you’ll always find them where the fun is.
Exciting artist line-up
The first box to tick has to be music. How else do you want to dance and forget that you have a million tests to read for and a gazillion assignments to turn in if the music performances aren’t epic?
Rap battles and dance contests
The chance to have the time of your life AND show your talent? Sign us up. Who knows if that’s where your entertainment career will take up from? Besides, there’s no easier way to become more popular on campus.
Stand-up comedian performances
Not every time, dance. Sometimes you just want to laugh till your ribs ache like the students who enjoyed the Malta Guinness X Sabinus Campus Tours. We have it in good standing that there was no dry moment. How could there be? Do you know how many stand-up comedians there were? And haven’t you watched a Sabinus video?
Drinks and mocktails
Who says you can’t have a good time without getting a headache the next day? As long as there are ice-cold cans of Malta Guinness and delightful Malta Guinness-infused mocktails for wholesome nourishment, you’re good to go.
Fire set-ups
Of course, you’d need cute backdrops for Instagrammable pictures. It’s the law.
Giveaways too
What do all campus parties have in common? Students going through one stage of sapa or the other. So they wouldn’t say no to giveaways. There were freebies and giveaways at the Sabinus Live in Concert Campus Tours sponsored by Malta Guinness. If I were you, I’d keep my eyes peeled for the next one. Just saying.
Malta Guinness remains committed to fostering a world of good, promising more vibrant experiences ahead! For further updates on how best to throw campus parties, follow Malta Guinness NG on Instagram and visit www.facebook.com/maltaguinness to learn more.
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I visited my aunt some months ago and saw my 14-year-old cousin loitering around a woodwork store a few blocks away. Naturally, I assumed he was on an errand and would join me in his house shortly.
One hour after I’d settled in, he didn’t return, and I was forced to tell my aunt I’d seen him loitering around. She laughed off my concern and told me he was at his training centre. Apparently, she’d discovered his love for woodwork from some DIY projects in school and decided to enroll him with a professional. They had an arrangement that saw him spending one to two hours at the workshop after closing from school. I was tempted to protest the idea, but I’d taken a mental note of the place earlier, and it would’ve passed for an IKEA showroom.
This reminded me of how I’d persuaded my mum to enroll me for a graphic design certification course in the second year after I’d completed secondary school without a university admission. These seven Nigerians share their own stories of how they spent life after graduating from secondary school or university.
Onyinye*, 32
I had some outstanding fees to pay after finishing 400 level, so I couldn’t graduate. Things were tough at home, so I had to take up a teaching job at a primary school to raise the remainder of my school fees. I worked for a year and about seven months. It was one of the toughest things I had to do, but no experience taught me more about patience.
Iyanu*, 33
I graduated with a third-class degree, so I wasn’t excited to be done with school. I knew my parents would want to see my results because they had friends and relatives who’d asked for my CV to be passed along once I graduated. I couldn’t let that happen, so I sought to start making money before I was posted for NYSC. That way, I’d already have something to do and they wouldn’t need to help me look for jobs when I graduated. I went to stay with a friend who promised to “Show me the way”. I’d spend most of the day watching him type letters on his system, and whenever I asked, “What’s up?” He’d tell me to observe the way he writes and responds. It didn’t take me long to figure out he was into internet fraud. I didn’t have a problem with it after watching him get paid in dollars. Twice, I tried my hands at it but failed. He was also always reading and learning how to write many different documents. And I knew I didn’t have the head for heavy reading or writing, especially when it’s to scam. So I ended up taking a factory job, and that was where I did my NYSC PPA. These days, I’m an Uber driver.
Tara* 17
I graduated from secondary school last year, and I’ve not started processing my admission because I didn’t pass all my WAEC subjects. I’m retaking the exam, but pending the time I’ll resume tutorial classes, my mum enrolled me at a makeup school. She doesn’t like the idea of leaving me at home doing nothing while everyone goes to work. I resume at 9 and close at 3 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays.
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Godfrey, 38*
I’m still mad at my parents for not making me learn something after I graduated from secondary school. I was at home for three years before I gained admission, and I spent all that time doing chores, watching movies and babysitting for aunties and uncles. If I’d learned something, I’d have been more buoyant in uni. I had coursemates who were hairdressers, barbers, electricians, shoemakers, and they were hardly ever dead broke because they had something bringing extra money. And then, there I was, relying on pocket money for the most part of my time in uni.
James 30
After graduating from uni in 2016, we had to wait for some months for clearance and NYSC. There was a lot of free time, but I didn’t want to go back home to do nothing. So this close pal, who was a first-class student, looped me in on something he was doing. I didn’t know it was a ponzi scheme at the time, I just knew it was money-doubling. Pay ₦10k, and recoup ₦20k, that sort of thing. Anyway, this friend got a lightbulb moment to run our own “honest” ponzi scheme. We formed a team of six, including a pastor who was big on “honest” ponzi. I was in charge of customer support, and we managed to build a level of trust you didn’t find with other ponzi websites at the time. We’d constantly keep people in the loop about when to expect their payment and such. But things went south when someone hacked our system and diverted the funds. We also got word from the pastor that the evil eye had been cast upon the entire project. The tipping point was when neighbours called the police on us on the hunch that we were yahoo boys. Thankfully, we’d taken an out-of-state trip at the time, and they could only get hold of my friend’s cousin. I honestly thought I was going to make my first and several millions from it. But that was the end of that episode. Months later, I went for NYSC in Lagos and resumed at a small e-commerce company as a content writer.
I studied History and couldn’t find a job after I completed NYSC. The school I served in was in the north. They offered to retain me, but I knew I didn’t want to live there, and I wasn’t really interested in teaching. It was stressful, and the salary wasn’t rewarding. After about three months of job hunting, I enrolled at a fashion design school, and that was how I became a tailor. I wonder why I went to university at all because I could’ve spent all that time at the fashion school. I’m always telling my kids to let me know if they want to learn anything. I don’t want them making the same mistakes I did.
Jumoke, 40
I baked snacks and cakes for friends during their birthdays in uni. I’d learned the basics from my mum and got better on my own. This made it easy for me to get something to do when I graduated. My parents were actually worried at some point because they thought I’d drop out or graduate with bad grades. To them, baking was a distraction. But I made 2:1, and three weeks after graduation, my parents gave me money to buy a professional mixer and industrial oven. I think they were so supportive because I took my business as seriously as my education. My kids are still young, but I know I’ll want them to have a clear path early on in life too. I’m always paying attention to their interests; my husband thinks I’m doing too much.
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Some months ago, I asked my WhatsApp contacts if they’d consider sending their kids to boarding school, and one of them said “No” because of the Madam Koi Koi and Bush Baby stories he’d heard. As someone who spent six years of my life in boarding school, I rolled my eyes so hard and had a good laugh.
While his concerns for safety hold water, they are nowhere near the scary things boarding school students experience in real life. I recently spoke with eight of my childhood friends who also attended boarding schools, and these are their stories.
“We were sure a wolf had invaded our school” — Biodun*, Lagos State Model College, Badore
One time, we were all convinced a wolf had gotten into the boys’ hostel. Our school wasn’t far from the Lekki Conservation Centre, and Ajah wasn’t fully developed then. We were surrounded by thick forests. We’d wake up in the morning to find footprints at the entrance to our hostel. It didn’t look like a cat or dog’s footprints. No one had a dog in school — not the academic staff or the non-academic staff. We knew we couldn’t catch it, but we were all determined to at least see the wolf. For about a week, we’d stay up late into the night and watch from the window, hoping to see the wolf. I never saw it, but some people swore it was white. One thing was sure though, we’d wake up the next morning and see the footprints.
“Two men in white tried to take me with them” — Tunji*, Lagos State Model College, Badore
Three days after I resumed as a JSS 1 student, a senior who was my family friend invited me over to her class during night prep. She gave me a good pep talk on how to survive in school. On my way back to my class, two strange people appeared to me, all in white. I didn’t see them approach; they just appeared. They told me to follow them to the toilet, but I insisted I wasn’t pressed. They tried to coerce me until I saw one of the teachers standing far away. I screamed, and they just disappeared. When I told my friends at the time, they didn’t take me serious.
“We saw a bush baby one night” — Tanwa*, Babcock University High School
While other classes had left for the long holiday after third term exams, us JSS 2 students had to stay back to prepare for our junior WAEC. Around midnight, my friend and I were gisting and laughing when we heard the sound of a child crying and pushing something that sounded like a cart behind our room window. The window faced a thick bush path that led to the general refuse pit. we sat in shock as the crying and pushing continued. The following morning, we found out everyone who was awake around that time also heard the strange cries. We all believed it was a bush baby we saw that night.
“I saw a growing shadow on the wall” — Lase*, Lagos State Model College, Igbogbo
I woke up one night in JSS 1 and wanted to take a shit. There was no light in the hostel, but to make it worse, none of my friends wanted to follow me to the toilet. We usually moved around in groups during the day. I grabbed my touch light and braced up. But just as I was about to get to the door, I saw this huge shadow on the wall moving weirdly and making a rickety sound. My first thought was to scream and run, but I calmed myself and started to tiptoe. The shadow got smaller as I got closer to the bunk. When I finally got to it, I saw it was two guys having sex. Up until that moment, I’d never heard of gay sex. They must’ve seen my torch because they stopped, and I just went about my business. However, the entire image — the big shadow, rickety sound and general darkness — manifested into a scary memory in my head. It haunted me until I got older and had a better understanding of sex and sexuality.
“A ghost that touched girls at night” — Anita*, Lagos State Model College, Badore
I can’t forget the two weeks of horror we once experienced in the girls’ hostel. First, it was strange sounds in the ceiling every midnight, but it didn’t stop at that. Some female students started to complain that someone kept touching them in the middle of the night, but no one ever saw the person behind the mischievous acts. In fact, we were convinced it was a ghost since we couldn’t catch anyone no matter how hard we tried to keep watch. Female students were so scared to go to bed, we started arming ourselves with sticks and “legelege” (cutlass). Eventually, some teachers and male students decided to set a trap for the perpetrator. The exact details are fuzzy now, but we found out it was a male kitchen staff who’d been sacked but was still hanging around the school premises.
“A dark figure inside our room” — Temi*, Babcock University High School
My bunkmate and I had just gotten back to the hostel after we were discharged from the school’s hospital. That night, a man in an all-black outfit and a black hat entered the girls’ hostel. For whatever reason, my bunk was his target. I remember seeing a tall figure in front of me. He smelt like an animal with a mix of grass and shit. I wanted to throw up, but there was no light, and I was too scared to leave my bed. The man pulled off his hat, dropped it beside my face and bent down to touch my bunkmate. By reflex, I vomited inside his hat, and this woke my bunkmate and some of my roommates up. My bunkmate screamed after seeing a dark figure bent over her, and he fled with his vomit-filled hat. Everyone woke up and started screaming too. The noise drew the attention of other rooms, and the whole hostel was in pandemonium, with people running to the courtyard. Some girls saw him try to escape from the hostel, some claimed to have met him on their way to the courtyard, but till I left the school, the person was never caught.
“The hall scatters itself overnight” — Gbemi* Mayflower School
When I was in JSS 1, my hostel was in front of the girls’ hall where the senior students had their night prep and other extra lessons. My window was quite close to this hall, and I was on the top bunk. After prep class, they clean the hall and lock it. But what I found strange was that around 1 a.m., the hall would start scattering itself. The benches and tables would smash against each other as though someone was there. It continued till I became a senior. We’d lock the hall, and the next morning everywhere would be scattered without any explanation.
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