Teachers and other public servants in Nigeria are finding it difficult to cope with the surging cost of transportation, food and commodity on household items amid ravaging hyperinflation in the country.
In the face of surging cost of living without commensurate increases in salaries, many Nigerian teachers are de-motivated because of poor condition of service evident in meagre remuneration.
Recently, the price of bread and egg surged to a point where many families consider it a luxury to have on their meal table as the elevated inflation levels continue to erode citizens’ incomes.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), headline inflation increased to 32.70 percent in September 2024 from 32.15 percent in August 2024.
It said on Tuesday that the month-on-month inflation rate for September 2024 went up 0.30 percent to 2.52 percent in September.
The major driver of the headline inflation was the petrol price increases, which affected the general price level in the economy.
In September, Nigerians experienced an upward review of petrol prices from N597.00 to N855.00.
Some weeks ago, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company increased petrol prices from N950/litre to N998/litre in Lagos and as high as N1,003 in north-eastern states, the second increment in two months as petrol price deregulation took full effect.
Consequently, transport fares to and fro workplaces have risen along with food items, while salaries remain the same. A crate of eggs now sell for N6,000, as against N3,000 in 12-15 months ago.
Kayode Afolayan, a teacher speaking about the prevailing situation said, “It’s not easy coping with the high transport fees but with the side hustle of home lessons and registrations of external examination we are managing it.”
Ajiteru Oyebola, an educator said she combines her teaching work with an online job. “I work as a human resource personnel for a recruiting firm.”
Chibuike, Uwakwe, a teacher said he is into dropshipping as his side hustle.
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“I’m a drop shipper, I manage an online store where I buy and sell online. It is a means of advertising goods for someone, adding your little profit, and when you get a buyer just inform the seller he might deliver to your customer. You take your profit and send the seller’s money,” he explained.
However, Uwakwe said due to the current economic situation this has not been moving smoothly. People need to eat before they think of buying other things.
To survive this excruciating economic crunch many teachers are seeking alternative jobs or side hustles to augment their incomes.
A side hustle is more than just about earning extra cash. It’s about gaining skills, building your network, and opening doors to new opportunities.
Here are some side hustles teachers can engage in:
Home Lessons:
This is a very popular alternative source of income for many teachers in Nigeria.
Due to the need for improved learning outcomes and preparation for professional examinations, the demand for home lesson tutorship is on the increase.
Some teachers charge up to N5,000 per child, this multiplies according to the number of students in a month. While some charge in hours, N10,000 in two hours, and the teacher’s ability to cover many homes counts.
Content Creation:
A lot of people assume that you need experience to break into any industry, but that’s not always true, especially with content creation. Many well-known creators today got their start in completely unrelated fields before finding their voice online.
Whether it’s YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or blogging, you can begin building an audience and expressing your creativity with no formal background. This can fetch you up to N16,000 to N160,000 ($10 – $100) per 10,000 followers.
E-commerce business:
The working hours of the teaching profession is quite flexible unlike other 9-5 jobs, the teaching profession allows you to close by 2 pm and at most 3 pm, so if you are a teacher with a knack of business, the e-commerce space will really be a great place for you to consider.
As an e-commerce vendor, you do not need a physical shop, all you need is your mobile phone, ability to take good pictures and a delivery mechanism.
All you need do is find a product with high demand, teach about the benefits a consumer will gain from using that product leveraging on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook,
Drop-Shipping:
If you have ever thought about opening your online store but don’t want to deal with the hassle of logistics and inventory, drop-shipping might be for you.
This side hustle allows one to set up a business without ever handling products directly. Instead, the seller will be responsible for setting up the site, picking things to sell, and marketing them.
The beauty of drop-shipping is that it allows you to experiment and learn as you go. You can test different products, adjust pricing, and hone your marketing skills, all without worrying about inventory or warehousing costs.
Virtual Assistant Services:
Virtual assistants provide remote administrative support, handling tasks like appointment scheduling, email management, itinerary preparation, social media management, and more. As remote work continues to grow, so does the demand for VAs, making it a perfect side hustle for anyone with good organization and communication skills.
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