Upwork Tutorial – How to Make Money on Upwork As a Nigerian

Upwork is one of the sweetest ways to make money in Nigeria. If you have ever heard about freelancing on Upwork but have no idea how to go about it, this article is for you. After completing this article, I am sure you will know:

1. What is Upwork?
2. How to open an Upwork account
3. How You can start making money on Upwork as a freelancer.

What is Upwork?

Upwork is an online marketplace where people offer their digital skills in exchange for money. It is a freelance website where people around the world, including Nigerians, can register and work with clients from different parts of the world by marketing their digital skills and getting paid in US dollars.

Types of skills you can offer on Upwork as a Nigerian 

Skills you can offer on Upwork

There are thousands of digital skills you can offer on Upwork as a Nigerian. These include writing, translation, graphic design, video editing, bookkeeping and accounting, virtual assistance, and several others.

What do you need to register as a freelancer on Upwork?

Upwork is an international freelance platform, that accepts everyone across the world, including Nigerians. All you need are  

1. Digital skills: writing, graphic, translation, video editing, mention it! Check out some digital skills you can learn for free.
2. Nigerian phone Number: for number verification
3. Email address: Any email address, including Gmail and yahoo mail.
4. Nigerian ID card: Any government-issued identity card, including voters’ card, driver’s license, international passport, etc. 

How to open an Upwork account in Nigeria

After getting everything ready, the next thing is to register on the platform as a freelancer and start making money. 

Tip: Join me on WhatsApp to learn how to make money on Upwork as a Freelancer

1. Register

The first thing to do is to register on the platform. Visit www.upwork.com. Click on the signup button as seen at the top corner of the picture up there. After that, enter your email address and click on continue.

You would be taken to the page where you would be required to enter your name, phone number, and nationality. Also, you will be required to choose a username. Pick any username you love and continue. 

2. Fill in the details

After you must have fill in the previous page, Upwork will send you an email to confirm your email address. After that, click on continue. Upwork will take you to another page where you will fill in your professional credentials. Follow all the instructions and complete your account. 

3. Rebrand your account

After Upwork approves your account, the next thing to do is to rebrand your account. Why? Because you still need to submit many important documents and information. These include portfolio, testimony, special profile, and several others.  

4. Apply for jobs

After rebranding your accounting, the next thing is to start applying for jobs. Everyone can apply for jobs on Upwork. Craft a powerful and mind-blowing proposal and attach nice samples when bidding for jobs. Some clients ask questions in their job posts, make sure you answer them and click the submit button.

5. Get jobs and earn 

One thing is certain if you can craft great proposals that Upwork clients love, you will get jobs and make money. It is not fiction; it is a fact! Many of my friends use the Nigerian Upwork account, and they earn supper well. 

Read also: Be a successful freelancer in Nigeria

Why many Nigerians don’t get jobs on Upwork

Often time I hear people say Nigerian don’t get jobs on Upwork, the first thing I ask them is “have you tried a Nigerian account before but you didn’t get any sales?”

About 70% of them say No. How then are you recycling false information that Nigerians don’t get sales on Upwork? 

The truth is that joining Upwork does not automatically guarantee you regular sales. You must be ready to offer value to your clients through your proposal before the person considers you for the job.

For example, among 100% of people saying getting work on Upwork as a Nigerian is impossible, only 30% of them have tried out Nigerian accounts. 

And these are the people that spread misleading information that Nigerians don’t get work on Upwork. I often ask these very people if they have tried a foreign account and about 10 percent of them said yes. 

How well is it performing?

Just about 2 percent of them have gotten one or two sales. Only a percentage of them are actually doing well.

The whole point is simple if you cannot get jobs on Upwork just because you are a Nigerian, the probability that you will get jobs with a foreign account is less than 30%. 

The problem is not about the country but the way you brand yourself on the platform.

If you keep sending proposals and you do not get any reply or job, then you must be doing something wrong. 

You can get my comprehensive guide on how to earn over N200,000 per month on Fiverr and Upwork

7 ultimate guides to getting constant jobs and making money on Upwork as a Nigerian

1. Look professional

Ensure your Upwork profile looks professional. Use a nice and professional headshot picture. Enhance your profile description and make sure it stands out among others.

Avoid grammatical and spelling errors. You can use some writing tools to edit your details. Use the proper terms in your niche. Sound like you are a pro in the niche.  

2. Make your profile shine

Just creating an account on Upwork is not enough. It would be best if you learned how to make your profile shine. Take your time to fill in all the spaces in your account, including your work experience, portfolio, and several others. But make sure you make it as concise as possible. No one has 100 hours to read your life story. 

3. Take Upwork skills tests 

Upwork has skills proficiency tests to prove your knowledge to your clients. You should try and do as many as three relevant tests in your category. It helps you build more trust with Upwork clients. And the truth is all these exams are fundamental. 

4. Understand the job description

You must read and comprehend the client’s job description to confirm whether you are a good fit. It also helps you on how craft your proposal and tailor it to the client’s problem. 

5. Write a great proposal

Proposal writing is probably the primary factor of getting jobs on Upwork. Trust me, not all clients have the time to be browsing through your profile.

So far you can convince them in your proposal that you understand their work and prove your knowledge and experience in that niche, the work is already yours

6. Don’t sell yourself cheap

Charging low prices is not a guarantee you will write get the job. Often time, you make your client insecure and suspicious of the quality of the work you will deliver.

If you are sure of the quality of your work, you should be confident about it. And in cases where your clients want a discount, no qualms. So far you are comfortable with it.

7. Never give up

It is okay not to get orders on your first and second tryout. Even professionals on Upwork encounter this. Relax, and don’t give up. I bet you will get the job on your third proposal.

Just ensure you are offering value in your proposal, instead of to the story. So, don’t give up yet. Good luck!

Special: Connect with me on WhatsApp for more tips to making money on Upwork as a Freelancer

Upwork Glossary Terms

• Freelancer: A registered individual offering services on Upwork
• Agency: An agency is a body of people working together as an Agency on Upwork
• Client: Someone looking for a freelancer or Agency to handle his or her project.
• Connect: A compulsory ticket freelancers and agencies use to apply for work on Upwork.
• Fixed-contract: A short-term project whereby the client pays all the money for the task at once. 
• Milestone: A long-term project whereby the client pays the freelancer based on his progress on the assigned job. This is often based on an initial agreement before the commencement of the project.
• Job Feed: A specialized page where Clients post their Job requests and wait for freelancers to apply.
• Interview: This is the term Upwork uses when a client contacts a freelancer concerning a project.
• Cover letter: The proposal you send to clients when applying for work.

Conclusion and Tips to be a successful freelancer on Upwork

1. Don’t apply for jobs that require more than four connects
2. Go for jobs you are confident you can complete.
3. Ignore works that over ten people have applied for
4. Take your time to write a great proposal  
5. Avoid jobs that do not have a verified payment method.

About Author

Taiwo Sotikare

Taiwo Sotikare is passionate about helping small businesses grow through the power of effective content marketing. Via SEO, Taiwo helps small businesses generate more monthly income. He creates content that hit Google front page, where thousands of targeted customers can access your business swiftly.

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