21 Small Business Ideas in Nigeria You Can Start

Starting a business in Nigeria doesn’t always require a bag of money or one complex “big idea.” If you’ve considered owning a small business, the time to shine is now! The good thing is that there are loads of opportunities waiting to be tapped. 

Whether you want something on the side or diving in full-time, here are 10 small business ideas in Nigeria to get you started and earn that money sharply.

1. Foodstuff Delivery Service

Everybody eats! And let’s be honest, with how busy our cities can be, many people don’t have time to go to the market. You can start a foodstuff delivery business—just help people buy their daily food items like tomatoes, rice, and palm oil and deliver them to their doorsteps. Market women and customers will love you for this hustle.

2. Event Planning

Nigerians love to party—owambe is life! From weddings to birthdays, naming ceremonies, and corporate events, there’s always something happening. If you’re organised and have a knack for putting things together, event planning is a lucrative gig. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to pay someone else to take the stress off their shoulders.

3. Fashion Thrift Business

The popular thrift fashion market is thriving more than ever. As fashion trends constantly change, many people seek to look stylish while staying within budget. This presents a great opportunity to invest in high-quality thrift clothing and footwear. Creating a social media page or website allows you to easily promote your products and reach a wider audience.

Even better, you can manage this business from home, avoiding the costs of renting a shop or paying utility bills.

4. Digital Marketing Services

If you’re good at social media, Google ads, or even email marketing, then becoming a digital marketer could be your way to cash in. Many Nigerian businesses are moving online and need professionals to help them gain visibility. No wahala if you don’t know where to start—there are free courses online to help you sharpen your skills.

5. Freelance AI Content Writing

Even in the AI space, content is still king. Businesses are always looking for skilled writers to create engaging blog posts, articles, or social media content. If you have a way with words, videos and graphics, you can earn some serious bar (cash) creating content for businesses. Plus, you can work from anywhere—even from your bed.

By consistently delivering high-quality, valuable content, you can drive more traffic to your client’s website or yours. If you run a blog, you can monetize your platform through affiliate marketing and Google AdSense, all from the convenience of your computer.

6. Mini Importation Business

Want to start a business with little capital? Consider mini-importation. You can import items like electronics, fashion accessories, or household gadgets from places like China, Dubai, or Turkey.

Websites like Alibaba and AliExpress make it easy. All you need is a laptop or smartphone and a little capital, and you can start selling products to Nigerians.

7. Agribusiness

Agriculture is a big business in Nigeria. You can start small with something like poultry farming, fish farming, or even growing vegetables. With the rising demand for organic and fresh produce, this business can be quite lucrative. You don’t need acres of land—just start small and waka your way up.

8. Cake Baking and Catering Services

If you’ve got a sweet tooth and a love for cooking, then consider cake baking or catering services. People will always need cakes for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries. You can also offer catering services for events, and if your food is sweet to die, customers will keep coming back.

9. Beauty and Haircare Business

From makeup to braiding, barbing, and skincare, the beauty industry is forever thriving in Nigeria. If you have a passion for beautifying people or making them feel good, this is your zone.

You can set up a small shop or even work as a mobile beautician. Plus, the demand for organic beauty products is growing—if you can learn how to make natural skincare products, omo, your business goes blow!

10. Recharge Card Printing and VTU Business

This is one of those small businesses that still brings in steady cash flow. With virtually everyone using mobile phones and the internet, the demand for airtime and data is constant. You can start by printing recharge cards in bulk or becoming a VTU (Virtual Top-Up) vendor. It’s easy to start, requires very little capital, and you’ll always have customers.

Still on the lookout for more gbamest ideas to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey? No problem, we dey here for you. Whether you’re a fresh graduate or just looking for a side hustle, these 11 small business ideas in Nigeria will inspire you to start that dream business sharply.

11. Mobile Phone Accessories Sales

Everybody and their grandma owns a phone these days, and with that comes the need for accessories—chargers, earphones, power banks, screen protectors, phone cases, etc. You can start small by sourcing these items in bulk from China or Lagos markets and reselling at a profit. Even better, you don’t need a shop; you can sell online or set up a small roadside kiosk.

12. Laundry Services

Not everyone has time or energy to wash their clothes, especially in busy cities like Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt. Starting a laundry service, even with just an iron and detergent, can bring in cool cash.

You can begin in your neighbourhood by doing door-to-door marketing and taking laundry orders from family and friends. Or cater to professionals, students, or bachelors who need clean clothes but don’t have the time to wash them.

To get started you only need basic washing supplies like your detergent, soaps, and clean water supply, and you can buy a small washing machine as you scale.

13. Fitness and Personal Training

Fitness is trending like mad in Nigeria, especially in urban areas. If you’re passionate about fitness or have knowledge of exercise routines, you can start offering personal training services. You don’t need a gym to begin—just help people get fit in their homes or nearby parks. You can even expand into selling fitness gear or supplements.

14. Tutoring Services

Education is key, but sometimes kids and even adults need extra help. If you excel in a particular subject like maths, English, or even coding, you can start offering tutoring services. Parents are willing to pay good money for private lessons for their kids, and you can even take it a step further by offering online tutoring through Zoom or WhatsApp.

15. Photography and Videography

Nigerians love memories—abi, who doesn’t want sharp pictures at weddings, birthdays, or naming ceremonies? If you have a camera and an eye for capturing moments, photography or videography is a fantastic business idea. You can start small, cover events, or offer portrait sessions, and gradually scale up to owning your own studio.

16. Perfume Oil Business

Nigeria’s perfumery industry is huge, growing and super lucrative. It’s been attracting many small business owners and making them good money. You can start small by buying perfumes in small quantities from reliable wholesalers at a subsidised price and reselling them to customers.

However, first research your market to find out what type of customers you would approach, their budget, and what type of perfumes they would be interested in.

17. Car Wash Business

People love their cars in Nigeria, and keeping them clean is a top priority, especially with all the dust and mud we encounter. Setting up a car wash business doesn’t require too much investment. A small space, water supply, and some detergents are enough to get you started. Bonus point—this business can give you consistent daily cash flow.

18. Dropshipping Business

If you don’t have money to stock products but still want to sell, then dropshipping is for you. You can create an online store and partner with suppliers who will ship the products directly to your customers. You act as the middleman, and the best part? You don’t need to handle inventory. This one won’t stress you at all.

19. Soft Drinks and Water Supply

With the Nigerian heat, cold drinks and pure water are always in demand. Whether it’s at bus stops, offices, or events, people are constantly thirsty. You can start a small business supplying soft drinks, bottled water, or sachet water to stores or individuals. As you grow, you can even look into setting up a beverage distribution business.

20. Interior Decoration Services

If you’ve got an eye for design and can transform spaces, consider starting an interior decoration business. Nigerians love living in well-decorated homes and offices, but many don’t know how to achieve that aesthetic look. You can offer your expertise for home makeovers, office designs, or even event venue decorations. With time, you can venture into selling decor items too.

21. Online Course Creation

If you’re knowledgeable in any field, from cooking to digital marketing, photography, or even hair braiding, why not create an online course? With platforms like Udemy and Teachable, you can create a course once and keep earning passive income. Nigerians are always eager to learn new skills, and if your course is valuable, omo, you’ll be making money in your sleep.

With all these small business ideas in Nigeria, there’s no excuse to stay idle. Pick anyone that matches your skills and passion, start small, and with some gra gra and consistency, you’ll start seeing results. 

Remember, hustle won’t kill you—it’ll only make you smarter and richer.

Also, if you are tired of hustling alone and want to connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs serious about growing their businesses; join our free WhatsApp community, MyCEO Tribe, to network with other entrepreneurs learning from us! We share tips, events, and updates to help you maximise your marketing efforts, keep your customers coming back and grow your business. Join the community here.