So, you’re on your phone searching the best freelannce sites for remote jobs in Nigeria? The desire to be a freelancer means you want flexibility and want to be in total control of your life.
But is it that easy to start? Will you wake up from bed, open your laptop and have clients waiting for your replies? I wish it works that way.
Here’s the good part. There are a bunch of awesome freelance sites where you can get side gigs, and work with clients around the world. Now, you can make money in naira and dollars, work from home, and ditch the traffic or loud offices.
The internet makes it super easy to earn a stable income with your skills, whether you are into tech or maketing. All you need to do is know where to look. So, I made a list of the 10 best freelance sites in Nigeria where clients hire and pay for remote jobs.
Let’s check out some great platforms to kick off or boost your freelance work. When we’re done, you’ll know where to sign up, how to offer your skills, and how to make money from home.
Are you ready?
1. Oluboba Jobs
Oluboba Jobs is the home for the legitimate remote jobs in Nigeria
Unlike other freelance sites, Oluboba helps you find legit remote jobs in Nigeria. You can find work for writers, designers, VAs, marketers, devs, and more. And we make sure they’re legit so you don’t waste your energy.
Video: Watch list of the best freelance sites in Nigeria.
I like how simple Oluboba Jobs is. You don’t have to be a tech expert or a long-time freelancer; set up your profile, look for jobs, and apply.
Oluboba Jobs is the place to find remote work with employers eager to hire Nigerian talent. The best thing is… You don’t need a laptop. You can handle everything for your freelance gig right from your phone.
If you’re looking to work from home, now’s the time! Go to Oluboba Jobs and start working for yourself!
2. Fiverr Freelance Site
Perfect for Starting Your Freelance Journey.
Fiverr is a great place to freelance if you want something simple. If you’re in Nigeria and want to work from home, it’s simple to use and has great opportunities.
It’s simple: post “gigs” (brief summaries of what you offer), name your price, and then clients order them. If you’re a writer, designer, social media person, or voice artist, Fiverr’s the place for you.
The best part about Fiverr is that you’re in charge of your gigs, from start to finish. You don’t need to keep bugging clients. You can submit proposals without waiting for listings. This way, you set your own pay, unlike Upwork where the client is the boss.
You will start with “I Will…” template.
Example:
- I will edit your 5 videos and upload them all on YouTube.
- And many more.
Nigerians are succeeding on Fiverr, making money, and growing their experience. You only need to be consistent, get excellent reviews, and talk to your clients.
So, if you’re thinking about freelancing, Fiverr is a chill place with lots of opportunities.
3. Upwork Freelance Site
Where pros go to build their freelance careers.
Upwork is a top spot to find well-paying remote freelancing side gigs in Nigeria. Unlike Fiverr, where clients come to you, Upwork lets you apply to jobs posted by clients from all over the world.
You can show off your skills, name your price, and find steady work with excellent companies.
You can find work in writing, customer service, and more fields. Upwork is great because it has payment security, which makes everything feel professional.
On Upwork, clients post jobs with details and grades of freelancers they want. As a freelancer, you submit a proposal explaining why you are the best for the job. The platform takes payment from clients and releases it to you once the client approves of your work.
It’s gonna be a bit of a challenge at first, no lie. You might have to send out a few proposals before you get your first job. But after that, it’s a piece of cake, and you get rewarded with badges and more recognition when you do a good job.
But there are also downsides to using Upwork. The first is that they take a huge percentage of your payment. And if you decide to charge your clients more than standard, you might push them out.
Lots of Nigerians are still making good money freelancing on Upwork. If you’re patient, consistent, Upwork is a goldmine waiting for you to dig in.
4. Freelancer.com
It’s a great freelance site to compete, succeed, and grow your portfolio.
Freelancer.com could be perfect for you if you like a bit of a challenge. This is a huge freelance platform, and it welcomes Nigerians looking for real remote jobs.
It goes like this: clients need something; you offer to do it, and if they pick you, you’re in! It’s easy. Freelancer.com is cool because they have contests too. So you can still win money and show off your skills, even if you don’t get a job.
Freelancer provides an inbuilt chat feature that makes it easy to interact with a client on the platform. This way, you can provide project updates and keep the conversation going with clients.
This is a massive platform, so it’s competitive, but don’t let it intimidate you. Build a good profile, write amazing proposals, and stay professional. Once you get that first awesome review, things take off.
A downside of Freelancer is that it pushes you into the scarcity mindset – to win clients, you cut down your prices.
Yet, it’s a great platform if you’re serious about freelancing and want to find all kinds of jobs, big and small. Give it your all and be patient, and you’ll go far.
5. PeoplePerHour
One of the best freelance sites in Nigeria for creatives and tech professionals.
For flexible remote jobs in Nigeria, especially if you’re techy, PeoplePerHour is worth a look. This freelance site matches people like you with clients looking for quality work.
The cool thing about PeoplePerHour is they have jobs that pay by the hour and by the project. You can choose to charge hourly or by the project. You decide how to work and how much you make.
When you’re done setting up your profile, you can look through job listings for web design, social media, and more. And if clients like your portfolio, they’ll hit you up with job offers; no more annoying bidding or job searching.
If you’re a Nigerian freelancer looking to make money in dollars, check out PeoplePerHour. Make sure your profile looks good, shows off your skills, and then do great work when you get your first job.
It’s a platform where showing up works.
6. Toptal Freelance Site
A freelance platform where you meet the top 3% of Nigerian professionals.
Toptal is the place to be if you’re a pro and want to work with well-paying clients from all over the world. This isn’t your average freelance platform; it’s for the best of the best, like talented Nigerians.
To be honest, Toptal isn’t for newbies. They’re going to look at your communication skills, tech skills, and how you deal with problems. But, after you join, you can get high-paying remote jobs from leading global tech companies.
What’s the best thing? You don’t need to find clients on your own. Toptal links you up with businesses seeking people with your skills. You’ll get projects that match what you’re good at and when you’re available.
If you’re a professional in Nigeria looking for international jobs, Toptal is the place for you. Getting in is a pain, but it’s worth it in the end.
7. Remote OK
The Place for Remote Jobs Worldwide
If you want to work for companies abroad without leaving Nigeria, check out Remote OK. It’s one of the best websites for finding remote jobs across the world. From tech and marketing to writing, customer service, and design.
Remote OK is great because it’s so simple to use. You can look for jobs without even signing up. Go to the site, search for what you want, and you’ll see openings from companies all over the world. To find jobs that match, you can filter by time zone, salary, and experience.
Remote OK is perfect for Nigerians seeking to make money online in US dollars. You can have a stable career with these well-paying, long-term jobs, and work from anywhere.
If you’ve wanted to work for a US or European company from home, Remote OK is perfect for you. Your next big chance could be a click away.
8. LinkedIn Remote Jobs
LinkedIn is a networking website where professionals connect, interact and post remote, hybrid, and onsite jobs.
This platform is full of many opportunities that even the biggest of recruiters come to this platform to hire. At least, I am a living testimony. I got my first two full-time remote jobs on LinkedIn.
So, you can’t ignore LinkedIn because it is a good way to reach more prospects and build networks with fellow freelancers.
While it may take time to set up (especially your profile), you never can predict how much success it can bring you.
If you have not, please join LinkedIn here.
9. Email Platforms
A quiet but excellent means to get side gig and remote jobs in Nigeria.
While you see email as only a communication medium, I also see it as a way to win clients. Any medium that can get you paying clients becomes a freelance platform.
Even in this century, cold emails still work. I won series of clients by sending emails that resonate with them. While all didn’t respond, most did, and few worked with me.
When cold emailing, ensure you are contacting the right person and even more personalize the message. You don’t want to sound generic.
Also, make sure you do your research on the company’s website and social media pages to identify their challenges and provide workable solutions.
10. Your Portfolio Website
This is my best among the list of good freelance websites for side gig jobs.
I hold the belief that a working website is a greater asset than your social media accounts as a freelancer.
Social media lords can block your accounts accusing you of violating their policies. But with your website, you are in total control.
Other freelance platforms will limit what you can place on the proposal. But with your website, you can include anything you want and set your terms and conditions.
My biggest clients all cames through my website, not any of these freelance platforms.
The reason freelancers shy away from having their own website is that either of:
- Lack the technical experience.
- They are too busy working on clients’ projects and then neglecting theirs.
- Having a website is too expensive
Please, I don’t care how much you may get from social media. Having your own website functioning will do you more good in the long term.
Do you need a website service? Let’s discuss.
11. Pitching Freelance
Offline platform to get remote jobs in Nigeria.
Though offline, I decided to include on my list of the best freelance sites for remote jobs in Nigeria.
Another way of finding clients is by going out there, meeting with people, and pitching your services.
Sometimes, it means visiting an organization to explain what you can do to improve its digital strategy.
I had an organization called me 5 months after our first meeting for an open digital marketing position.
But by then, I had moved forward. All I did was recommend another freelancer, and he got the job with ease.
So, go out and talk to people, you never can tell where favour will meet you.
Before Joining Any Of These Freelance Sites
1) Research To Gain Clarity
Before taking any side gig jobs, it is important that you research the industry and existing freelancers. You need to know what they are doing.
And the best way to get this right is to study them and their processes. Trust me, it works.
Do they operate an eCommerce website or just a blog? What social media platforms are they active on?
Analyze their marketing and branding message, and apply the same to your business. The aim is to study them and then do better.
Also, you need to know what your motivation is. Why do you want to be a freelancer? To increase your income or for a better work/life balance?
While it is not possible to get it all right in the beginning, please do your homework.
2) Work With A Plan
As one who wants to start freelancing, you need a plan. And when I mean a business plan, I am not talking about 50-page documents with charts and tables.
Rather, I mean you need a one-page document that highlights your goals and actionable plans to achieve them.
Also, you need these apps to track your expenses: rent, utility bills, internet charges, and more.
This will help you know how best to charge your clients. You can always adjust and update as your business grows.
3) Create A Portfolio
A portfolio is a website that shows who you are and the elements of your work. We call it the digital version of a resume.
If you are going to be successful as a freelancer, you need a portfolio link. This link includes works completed and testimonials from previous clients.
But what if you are just starting and you don’t have any portfolio yet?
Lower your prices to the industry standard. Pick smaller side gig jobs from these freelance sites to gain more experience.
4) Place Value On Your Time
Some say, “Time is money”. But I say, “Time is life”.
Time management is essential to a successful freelance work. It affects your pricing and determines how many jobs you can take at a time.
You can’t be here and there and expect to be productive. So, you must work in a way you won’t burn out.
5) Stay Disciplined
Beyond work overload, one disease affecting most freelancers also is procrastination.
There is nothing bad with having dedicated hours off to refresh and regenerate. But having too much of it for no justifiable reason can be dangerous.
You know when you are most productive, so structure your working hours around it.
6) Scale Your Business
A bad interpretation of freelance jobs is that it is not an actual business. Listen, you are not the random laptop guy, you are a digital entrepreneur, a business owner.
Get a website so it becomes easy to project yourself as one. This way, you can arrange your services in ways that position as experts.
Below are some ways to scale your business.
1) Commit to a full-time freelance business and lifestyle.
2) Niche in your offering so the best clients can locate you quickly.
3) Identify your potential clients and targets them with relevant content.
4) Hire others and build a team of experts in different fields.
5) Brand yourself as an established business.
6) Add new and relevant services to increase your offering value.
7) Increase your price when the need arises.
FAQs on Best Freelance Sites for Remote Jobs in Nigeria
Which freelance sites are best for remote jobs in Nigeria?
For freelance work, check out sites like Oluboba Jobs, Upwork, Fiverr, and more. These sites have remote jobs open to Nigerians, including customer service roles.
Is it possible for me to earn money freelancing from Nigeria?
Definitely! Freelance platforms are a reliable source of income for many Nigerians. Any of the best virtual cards in Nigeria can receive payments for you.
Do you need a degree to work on those freelance websites?
Nope, you don’t. Clients care more about what you can do than where you went to school.
I want to freelance, but I have no experience, where do I start?
Begin with the basics. Showcase your skills, charge less at the start, do some quick projects, and then ask for reviews. You’ll get better and more sure of yourself as time goes on.
For beginners in Nigeria, what’s the best freelance site?
Fiverr and Upwork are good starting points. It’s a good place to start, with lots of undemanding jobs available.
What’s the best way to spot scams on freelance sites?
Use safe platforms, don’t take jobs that want you to go off site, and never pay money upfront to get a job. Freelance platforms with excellent reputations have payment security.
Is it possible to freelance with my phone?
Sure thing! Even though laptops are more flexible, some Nigerian freelancers use their phones.
Is starting a freelance business the best for me?
Only you can answer that. But to help, I would like you to consider your strengths. What can you do better? What skills do you need to improve? Because you will be most successful if you play to your strengths.
What jobs are available in Nigeria on these freelance websites?
You will find lots of services on these freelance websites that align with your skills and interests. Sign up on any of your choice to explore the available jobs.
How much money do I need to start on the freelance platforms?
While most of these freelance websites are free, there are some that request a fee to register. But in most cases, the fees are always little. It’s their own way to commit you to the platform. Other areas you will spend will be setting up your home office and getting devices.
Can I really be a successful freelancer?
Yes, you can be. It all depends on you. Starting and running a freelance business requires discipline and motivation. You don’t have a boss telling you what to do, so you must hold yourself to a high standard.
Conclusion On Remote Jobs in Nigeria.
Freelancing has been a game-changer for folks like us. You don’t need a perfect office job to earn. All you need to find clients are high income skills, hard work, and good freelance sites.
No matter your experience, you can find a remote job in Nigeria. The first gig might take a bit, but once you get it, it’s a game changer. Every freelancer you see now was once in your shoes.
With these freelance sites, you can work from anywhere with your laptop or phone. The world needs your skills; go for it!
It is easy to want to register on all the freelance sites. No! it’s not the best. As a freelancer, decide which aligns with your skills and values and go for it.
Monitor your progress and keep up to date with your industry. Most of all, enjoy your freelancing business.
