Can I be my own boss while learning? Yes, you can.

Starting a business in school is a smart move and the easiest way to become your own boss. It gives you experience, cash, and skills you'll use forever. In Nigeria, where entrepreneurship thrives, students can be business owners too, even with little money.

This post explores 20 unique business ideas for students in Nigeria on a budget.

1. Tutoring: A unique business idea for students!

Being a student means you know stuff others need help with. Math, English, science, coding, design, languages — someone wants to learn it. Now's the time to share your knowledge and earn money.

To get started, find your strengths and create a plan. Put up flyers on campus, use social media, or join online platforms to reach potential customers — students. Set your prices based on your skills, subject, and length of each session.

2. Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services

Students are busy. There's class to attend, parties to show up to, and other one thousand and one things. Who has time to do laundry? Be their hero.

Offer laundry and dry cleaning services to save the day. Start small; wash and iron clothes at first. Then add more services if the demand goes up.

Team up with laundry places to get discounts for big student orders. You can package weekly, monthly, or per item depending on their need.

Spread the word and partner with student groups or dorms for deals. Tell everyone who cares to listen about your new business.

See Also: The Ultimate Guide To Finding Part-Time Jobs As An Undergraduate

3. Freelance Writing and Editing

Do you love writing? You can earn cash and get better at it as a freelance writer.

Freelance writers write for websites, blogs, magazines, and even filmmakers. Businesses and people need help writing; you can be their go-to person.

Search popular platforms for freelance work. Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com offer lots of jobs. However, keep in mind they have lots of competition too. Other writing platforms you can leverage include WritersGig, Freelancenaigeria, and Bulksms.com.ng.

Additionally, you can ask local businesses, blogs, or even school newspapers if they need help writing. Show off your writing skills. Make a portfolio for blog posts, samples, or schoolwork you've written.

For pricing, keep it low for a start and raise it as you get better and have more to show.

Finally, do great work on time and be polite. Talk to other freelance writers and make friends — so they can help you find more work.

4. Event Planning and Decoration

Campuses in Nigeria are full of fun events — parties, workshops, celebrations, and more. Students love them, and that's where you come in as the event planning and decoration whiz!

Birthdays, graduations, club events, themed parties – you can plan them all. Team up with other student groups or local businesses to reach even more people.

Start by offering to plan and decorate events on campus. Think about organizing things, managing budgets, finding venues, arranging entertainment, and making sure everything goes smoothly on the big day.

Show off your creativity to attract customers. Advertise on social media, student forums, and notice boards. Share pictures of past events you've done.

Meanwhile, be reliable and organized — plan schedules, manage money well, and talk clearly with clients.

You can offer different packages for different budgets and event sizes. Basic decorations, full planning, or "choose your own adventure" options.

Add special touches like custom invitations, photo booths, and themed music to make events unforgettable.

5. Graphic Design Services

Do you have an eye for design and love making things look awesome? Students need eye-catching designs. Think posters, flyers, and social media graphics — for their groups, events, and projects. And these can make you tons of money!

No need for fancy software. Simple tools like Canva, Pixlr, and Inkscape let you create cool designs without spending a fortune.

To improve your design skills, learn more online for free. You can watch tutorials, take courses, and join design communities to master your skills and learn new tricks.

We also recommend you offer extras like simple animations, video editing, or website design to attract more clients and earn more money.

6. Social Media Management

Businesses struggle to keep up with social media. But you, the social media rockstar, can help by offering your skills to manage their accounts and make them shine online.

For starters, begin by making a profile showing your social media expertise and what you offer.

Then, find businesses near campus or student groups needing help. Offer consultations, create content plans, post for them, and track results. Show them how you can boost their engagement and followers.

7. Personal Shopping and Styling

Do you want to help people dress their best? Be their personal stylist. Lots of people struggle with time or know-how to pick clothes that fit their style and life.

You can help them sharpen your fashion sense. Here’s how: Show off your skills on social media. Try to post cool outfits on your pages. Give style advice from time to time. Team up with local stores for discounts and referrals. Then charge a fee or earn a commission when people buy items you recommend.

You can even organize wardrobes, shop for special events, and style people for photoshoots.

8. Mobile Car Wash Services

People are busy, and their cars get dirty, but traditional car washes take too long. You can be the solution: a mobile car wash. Wash cars wherever people want – at home, work, wherever. Start small with just a few cleaning tools.

The basic cleaning tools include water tanks, pressure washers, and cleaning stuff. Charge fair prices (check what other car washes do). Advertise on social media and community boards, and tell everyone about your business.

9. Unique Business Ideas for Students: Homemade Snack Business

Homemade snacks are yet another unique business idea for students on a low budget. If you love baking cookies, cakes, or Nigerian classics, you can make a lot of money on campus. All you need is to start small in your kitchen and then grow big.

You must find and try popular recipes, new flavours, and new delicacies to perfect your skills. Next is to get cool packaging and labels for your yummy treats. Then, sell at markets, schools, and events.

Use social media to show off your creations and get more customers.

See Also: The Benefits Of Gaining Work Experience As An Undergraduate

10. Fitness Coaching and Training

Fitness Coaching is a unique business idea where you help others reach their fitness goals.

Begin by offering students workout plans, nutrition advice, or group classes. Be flexible and affordable — you know student life.

Get certified (bonus points, but not required). Team up with gyms and student groups, or offer outdoor training. Coach one-on-one, create custom workout plans, and lead group classes. Use online platforms to reach even more people with virtual training.

11. Language Translation Services

Nigeria is full of different languages, and people always need things translated: documents, websites, and even talks. Do you speak many languages well? You can help.

Tell everyone what languages you know and charge fair prices. Show off your skills by first translating short things for free or cheap. Then connect with translation agencies, language apps, or online marketplaces to get more clients.

12. Virtual Assistant Services

Virtual assistants help busy people with emails, appointments, data, social media, and customer service. You can do this too.

Find people who need help online or in your community. Offer packages for different needs: email help, social media scheduling, data entry, etc. Do it well, talk clearly, and be reliable — that's how you keep clients happy.

13. Unique Business Ideas for Students: Dropshipping

Imagine an online store where you don't store anything. That's dropshipping: you sell products, but suppliers handle storage, packing, and shipping. You focus on marketing and making customers happy.

Pick something you love (phone cases, student must-haves, etc.) and find products that sell well. Team up with suppliers and build your online store on platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce.

14. Copywriting Services for Small Businesses

Small businesses need catchy words to tell their story and sell their products: websites, ads, flyers, the whole works. You can be their copywriter.

Write headlines that grab attention, sales copy that convinces people, and calls to action that make them say "Yes!" Help businesses in Nigeria communicate their brand and find more customers.

15. Proofreading and Editing Academic Papers

More and more students in Nigeria are going to university, and they need help making their essays and assignments perfect. You can be their editor!

You'll help them check grammar, fix mistakes, and make sure everything's formatted right. Additionally, you can help students write better and get good grades by giving them clear feedback on their work.

16. Mobile App Development for Niche Markets

See a struggle in your community or student life? Fix it with an app. Build apps for things like campus events, local food delivery, or study groups. Make them cheap and easy to use — students love that.

Ask people what they think of your idea before you finish it. Make changes based on their feedback. Put your app in app stores and tell everyone about it: social media, campus events, and influencers. Make money with in-app purchases or subscriptions. Remember, people will use your app when you solve a real problem well!

17. Website Design and Development Services

Your design skills can help local businesses get online. You can make websites for them at student-friendly prices. You know what businesses need, so give them a website that's easy to use.

You can offer different types of websites: online stores, artist portfolios, blogs, and more. You can use special tools or learn some coding to build them. The bottom line is that people can find businesses and their products easily online.

18. Unique Business Ideas for Students: DJ Services for Small Parties

If you love music, you should be a party DJ. Consider playing awesome music for small parties, campus events, or student get-togethers. Play any kind of music people want, and make the party unforgettable without breaking the bank.

To get started, buy some DJ gear and build a huge music library for all kinds of parties. Practice mixing songs smoothly, read the crowd, and make sample mixes people will love.

19. Event Photography and Videography

Help people remember special moments forever with your photography skills. Take photos and videos at student events like graduations, club gatherings, or themed parties. You'll capture real, fun moments people will cherish.

Starting isn't hard. Get some camera gear and learn online by practicing. Partner with student groups, party planners, or event venues who need photos or videos. Offer different packages based on how long the event is, how much editing is needed, and what people get in the end. Finally, display your work on social media and event websites to find new clients.

20. Delivery Services for Food or Groceries

Students are super busy, so most can't wait for food. You can be their delivery guy. Your job is to deliver food or groceries right to them.

To make it a lot easier for you, you should team up with restaurants, shops, or street vendors to offer tons of options students love, all at student-friendly prices. Be fast, reliable, and deliver everywhere others can't.

Also, partner with businesses willing to work with you. Get special bags to keep food fresh. And use a bike, or public transport to deliver fast.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we've explored various unique business ideas for students in Nigeria with low budgets and entrepreneurial ambitions. From mobile car wash services to freelance writing and technology-based ventures, there are countless opportunities for students to start and grow successful businesses while pursuing their education.

At Student Upkeep Initiative, we provide students with resources in areas like scholarships, grants, money-making, skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship. With these resources, you’re well-equipped for now and the future.