It is obvious to the blind that white collar jobs in Nigeria are not easy to come by. Although there are conflicting figures and debate among economists about the exact figures, most Nigerians can agree that at least 5 out of 10 graduates will not get a white collar job within their first 3 years of graduation.
Most people soon realise this truth after graduating from school. A more pragmatic approach is learning valuable skills that can then be used to earn a decent income. These skills can be categorised as either digital skills or manual skills. The latter are also called handwork.
There are some handwork in Nigeria that people hate for different reasons but they are quite lucrative. If you are considering any of the following handwork already, this article is the confirmation you need that it is possible to cash out big time doing any of the following.
10 lucrative handwork that most people hate
These handwork can make you money in Nigeria but they may not make you millions overnight. It would still take significant effort and smarts to succeed. I would go over some manual skills that can make you some cool cash.
1. Tailoring
If you are interested in becoming a tailor, there is a good opportunity to make money in Nigeria. The Nigerian fashion industry is growing and opportunities for tailors to make money is growing as well.
Making big bucks as a tailor in Nigeria doesn’t happen overnight. There is a learning curve. You have to gain enough skill and knowledge to stand out as a tailor because there is competition in the fashion industry.
The first step to take after gaining proper training is to choose a niche. There are different aspects of tailoring. You can specialise in native, corporate wear, school uniform, female clothes or children clothes. Choosing a niche would help you connect with people in the fashion business who need your specific skills.
It is also important to choose the right tailoring materials and location for your business. If your shop is located in a busy area like a market where people want to modify clothes they have purchased you can get a lot of tailoring gigs and increase your earnings in the process.
2. Fish farming
Fish is a vital source of protein eaten everywhere in the world. In Nigeria fish is a part of some important dishes and can be eaten as part of several dishes like rice, soup, porridge.
Because of how vital this food is there seems to always be a market for fish in Nigeria making the fish business lucrative. However, this doesn’t mean that fish farming is a get-rich-quick scheme.
It takes about six months to grow a fry to a table size fish of about 500g. You need to invest in quality information to succeed in this business. An understanding of key issues like;
- The various niches in fish farming like Catfish, Tilapia etc
- How to set up your pond
- How to manage your water source
- The various specie of fish
- The types of fish feed to use
- How to market your fish
Just like any other business, fish farming requires capital and careful planning but once you acquire then you would be cashing out in no time.
3. Automobile electrician
One other lucrative handwork to learn in Nigeria is automobile electrician. This is a niche in car repairs that requires a lot of technical skills but can be very rewarding.
There are a lot of car owners in Nigeria. In fact, according to the National Bureau of Statistics the number of cars owned by Nigerians stands at over 11 million and the number will continue increasing as people acquire new cars over the years.
The starting point for profiting from this massive opportunity is to learn all you can about a particular niche of cars. Gain mastery of your chosen niche and position yourself to start your automobile electrician shop.
4. Commercial Driving
Whether you choose to drive an Uber or Danfo bus, driving skill can pay you good money in Nigeria. In each state of Nigeria, people commute to work everyday.
In fact, in busy cities like Lagos, Abuja or PortHarcourt, people are always waiting at bus stops and by the side of the road for commercial transport vehicles to move them to their desired location everyday. So, you would not likely run out of customers or cash.
Your journey into commercial driving should start with learning how to drive well. Go beyond driving school and gain practical driving experience on busy roads. One other thing you must do is choose a particular area of driving.
It is also important to understand how to navigate negativities on the road like thugs, bad policing and damaged roads common in Nigeria.
5. Painting and Paint Production
Painting is an important part of building projects. Building projects go on all year round across Nigeria. Skilled painters can work at new building projects, renovation projects or new home movers.so you would always have a fresh supply of talent.
If you also know how to produce paint, you can sell your paint while shopping for your next painting contract. The key to success is mastering the art of approaching clients with an airtight proposal that wins business.
6. Phone repair
Many people need the service of phone repairers. According to the NCC, in 2020, there were over 215 million phone users in Nigeria. This is a massive market with lots of room to specialise.
If you are technically inclined and interested in phones this might just be your thing.The key to having a huge payday here is choosing a great location and niche. For example, if you become extremely good at repairing the iPhone, you could make a significant amount of money working on a single phone.
If you also choose the right location such as a busy commercial area, you can have several customers in a week. Remember that being professional and delivering excellent services would build trust and encourage customers to both return and recommend you.
7. Heavy duty generator mechanic
Many companies in Nigeria use heavy duty diesel generators. Inevitably, such generators would always have issues. If you are skilled at handling big generators like Mikano, Caterpillar, Kohler you can hit it big in Nigeria. You can earn millions managing such generators for companies.
This should excite you because there is opportunity to work with companies on contract providing maintenance services. Some people also earn extra income by selling used generators.
I must warn that the market for this is now getting competitive so if you want to succeed in this niche you have to come up with an effective marketing strategy for your services.
What skills pay well abroad?
There are some handwork that would pay you very well if you relocate outside the country. I believe it is very important to talk about them as well.
8. Truck driving
Truck driving is one skill that can pay you well if you want to travel abroad but I must warn that it is not easy to learn. It can take anywhere from a few months to several years depending on who your teacher is and your own learning speed.
I would advise that you look for a structured training school if you have the funds instead of learning privately from a driver. Such schools have a clear timeline for their training and often come with certifications that can help you get good jobs which is a plus.
If you remain in Nigeria after learning to be a truck driver you may not earn a lot. Truck drivers earn anywhere from N40,000 to N150,000 depending on the company they work for. You can earn higher if you own your own truck. The story is totally different if you work abroad. You can make up to $100,000 in a single year in the U.S
9. Welding
Welding is all about using different tools to join metal. Welders often work at building construction sites, factories, ports, ships and even oil companies.
Some lucky welders can earn very well working for oil companies in Nigeria where they have massive facilities built with metal but not many welders are that lucky. You would have better luck working in more advanced countries like Canada and the Uk.
A welder in Canada earns as much as $45,000 in a year which is about $3750 but in Nigeria you might find yourself struggling to earn up to N100,000 per month.
10. Heavy equipment operator
Companies need people who can operate heavy equipment like excavators, bulldozers, forklifts and drills.Operating these machines requires special skills which anyone can learn.
The only challenge is that it might be difficult landing a job in Nigeria. Salary varies widely with the companies you work for but some people have been reported to earn as much as N350,000 per month. But this doesn’t mean most operators earn high salary in Nigeria.
It gets better if you relocate to a more advanced country like the United States. You can earn as much as $5000 in a month.
Conclusion
People actually hate these manual skills for different reasons such as;
- Some of them require a lot of physical effort.
- Some people associate these jobs with poor educational backgrounds.
- It takes time to make it big with any of these skills
If you have interest in any of these skills you need to consider planning how to maintain good health while doing your work since health is very vital to working manually.
One thing that can help you scale your business very fast is having a deep understanding of the various business applications of what you do. Good opportunities would come when you take the time to identify them.
Finally, if you consider the current realities in Nigeria, handwork is a means of survival of many graduates already. You can differentiate yourself by using your education and exposure to deliver your services in a decent and professional manner.
No look pesin face. Hussle o
Well, what do you think about these handwork. You can share your thoughts in the comment section
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