Before learning the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria, what comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “freelancing in Nigeria”?
You might be thinking a freelancer is a person waking up at 10 am, serves breakfast in bed, and makes a six-figure income. No. Freelancing in Nigeria goes way more than that. Some Nigerians quit their 9 to 5 jobs to become full-time freelancers without a good knowledge of the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria.
This article contains well-researched and real-time information about the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria. So, before you quit your full-time job and start freelancing as a Nigerian, do you have the right knowledge of the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria?
Below are some of the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria you should consider.
Table of Contents
Cons of freelancing in Nigeria
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Stable electricity
Every Nigerian knows the epileptic situation of electricity in Nigeria. Freelancing requires internet access and a device (computer or smartphones) to access the internet, which needs to stay powered on almost all the time. You don’t want to miss your deadline for a job because of the electricity situation in Nigeria. For this reason, you might want to find another source of electricity to keep your devices on.
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Digital skills
Nigeria’s Economy promotes physical jobs. So, before you think of starting freelancing in Nigeria, what digital skills do you have? Having a digital skill can be difficult if you come from a typical Nigerian background where hard work rather than smart work are promoted. If you are looking for a digital skill to learn for free, you can check out insight.ng internship program.
Read also: Top 10 high income freelancing skills for beginners
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Getting paid
This is one of the greatest cons of freelancing in Nigeria. The operations of financial institutions in Nigeria make a financial transaction between Nigeria and other countries difficult. As a freelancer in Nigeria, you might have clients outside of Nigeria, and getting paid might be a problem. One way of making sure your transaction is easy, fast, and secure is getting a verified PayPal account. With PayPal, you can also receive free PayPal money from anywhere easily.
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Peoples opinion
In Nigeria, we all know about internet scams. Deciding to start freelancing in Nigeria will always attract negative opinions; you will be discouraged by people close to you from becoming a freelancer. And because of the numerous internet fraud going on through the internet, this might make you want to rethink becoming a freelancer. Without having a solid decision, you might have a rethink about becoming a freelancer.
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Under-pricing
I really considered this when I wanted to become a freelancer. You will get the “aren’t you from Africa question. ” You are going to meet clients that will ask you, aren’t you from Africa? The cost of living is low in Africa, but why is your service rate this high. A client that does not know I have to save for emergencies, vacations, and even for luxuries. Don’t let this question affect the value you place on your services. Just give your service a good value, and price the right client for you will always come along.
Read also: How to monetize your Hobbies as a Nigerian
Pros of freelancing in Nigeria
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Financial freedom
This is the major reason I became a freelancer. According to Business World Africa, 60% of Nigerians are poor, 23% are in the middle class, and the remaining 17% are rich. An average Nigerian can’t afford to go on a summer vacation in the Caribbean. Freelancing in Nigeria comes with an opportunity of giving you financial freedom, and you get to be amongst the 17% of rich Nigerians and also go on that vacation you have always wanted.
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Being your own boss
The working environment in Nigeria is not friendly. Speaking from experience, many bosses in Nigeria can really be very inhuman and really get on your nerve. Becoming a freelancer gives you the opportunity of working at your convenience, even in your home. You also get to be your own boss, make decisions you are responsible for, and live a comfortable life.
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Time
As much as we don’t like to note how we spend our time, it is one of the most important things in life. One cannot regain time spent. Becoming a freelancer in Nigeria allows you to live your life out of 9 to 5 circles. Working at your own convenience, you get to spend time with your family and loved ones. As a freelancer, you have total control of your time, and you work when you want to work.
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Work wherever you want
Having my personal workspace has been one of my main goals in life, Freelancing made that possible. Working as a freelancer, you have the liberty of choosing where to work. You might decide to make it professional and have a workspace or work in the comfort of your bedroom. You decide to make it; either way, you get to work anywhere you want to work.
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Numerous job opportunities
One of the advantages of Freelancing in Nigeria is that you can’t find easily in the normal employment system is the numerous job offers you get being a freelancer. In freelancing, you can easily learn and be a digital skill, and it can be more than one. And you can offer any of the services you learn and get paid to do what you like to do, even it’s more than one.
Conclusion
Starting freelancing in Nigeria might be a great reason to quit your job now. But as you weigh the pros, don’t forget you still have to find a way to get past its cons before becoming successful as a freelancer in Nigeria.
Before you decide to become a freelancer, make sure you understand the pros and cons of freelancing in Nigeria. Have a well-drafted plan to go through the starting process, and always be disciplined.
Join insight whatsapp community to get updates on similar content to this. You can also connect with other freelancers like you that experience something similar to what you may be going through.
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