make money on instagram

Top 7 Ways Nigerians Are Making Money on Instagram in 2025

1. Influencer Marketing  2. Affiliate Marketing 3. Products Sales 4. UGC 5. Live Monetization 6. Coaching 7. Social Media Management

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Instagram is no longer just a place to scroll and double-tap. In 2025, it has become one of the fastest-growing income platforms in Nigeria. Every day, regular people are turning their pages into profitable businesses.

Now you might be wondering: “Do I need to be an influencer to make money on Instagram?” The short answer is no. While influencers get brand deals, there are many other ways to earn—even if you’re starting small.

The truth is, you don’t always need 10K+ followers to start. Some people get paid with as little as 1,000 engaged followers. What matters is strategy, consistency, and the right tools.

In this post, we’ll break down 7 proven ways Nigerians are making money on Instagram in 2025. By the end, you’ll see exactly where to start.

If you’re ready to start, our Revive package can help you grow your account faster so you can monetize sooner.


1. Influencer Marketing & Sponsored Posts

This is when brands pay you to promote their products or services on your Instagram page. They see you as someone with influence over your followers — whether that’s 1,000 people or 100,000. The more engaged your audience, the more money you can make.

This is the most popular method — but let’s clear up a big question: “How many followers do I need to get paid on Instagram?”

The truth is, you don’t always need 10K. In Nigeria, brands often start deals with 1,000–5,000 followers, as long as your audience is active and engaged. These are called micro-influencers.

How to start:

  1. Pick a niche (fashion, food, tech, fitness, skincare).
  2. Grow your page with consistent content (Reels, Stories, Carousels).
  3. Engage with your followers — brands care about engagement, not just numbers.
  4. Reach out to local brands and offer collaboration.

💰 Most Nigerian influencers get paid via:

  • Bank transfer in Naira (common with local brands).
  • PayPal or Payoneer (for international brands; then withdraw to your Nigerian bank account).

⚠️ Note: If you’re paid in dollars, you’ll likely need Payoneer. Connect it to your Nigerian bank (like GTB, Zenith, or Access). The rates are usually better than PayPal.


2. Affiliate Marketing on Instagram

how-affiliate-marketing-works

Affiliate marketing means you promote another company’s product or service, and you earn a commission whenever someone buys through your special link. You don’t need to create your own product — you just help sell other people's products.

Now, here’s the answer to another popular question: “Do I need to be an influencer to make money on Instagram?” Absolutely not. With affiliate marketing, you can earn even if you’re small.

How to start:

  1. Pick a product to sell. Start with digital products (ebooks, courses) or popular items (fashion, hair, gadgets).
  2. Join an affiliate program. Options: Jumia Affiliate, Konga Affiliate, Expertnaire, Digistem, or even Amazon (if you target Nigerians abroad).
  3. Promote with content. Make Reels showing the product in use, tutorials, or reviews.
  4. Add your affiliate link in bio, captions, or stories.

💰 How to withdraw earnings:

  • Nigerian affiliate platforms (like Expertnaire) pay directly into your bank account in Naira.
  • For international ones (Amazon, ClickBank), you’ll need Payoneer or Wise.

⚠️Note: Always promote what Nigerians actually buy. A “$200 gadget” may not move as fast as a ₦5,000 skincare product.

(Image idea: Infographic flow showing “Sign up → Share link → Earn commission.”)


3. Selling Products or Services via Instagram Shop

This is turning your Instagram into a mini marketplace. You can sell digital products (like eBooks, courses, templates), physical goods (like clothes, wigs, or food), or even services (like event planning, hair styling, or photography).

How to start:

  1. Switch to a business account.
  2. Add your product catalog or link to your WhatsApp/website.
  3. Post high-quality photos/videos (Instagram Shop loves visuals).
  4. Use hashtags + SEO captions like “#AnkaraDress Lagos”.

💰 How get paid:

  • Most Nigerians link Instagram to WhatsApp, close sales there, and get bank transfers.
  • If you set up Instagram Shop officially, you’ll need Payoneer for payouts.

⚠️ Note: Be transparent with delivery, delivery costs and delivery time (Jumia Logistics, GIG, or Kwik Delivery) to build trust.


4. Content Creation & UGC (User-Generated Content)

UGC means creating photos, videos, or reels for brands to use on their own pages and ads. You don’t even need a big following for this — companies just want good content that looks authentic and connects with their audience.

UGC

This is huge in 2025. Brands pay Nigerians to create content — even if the creator doesn’t post it on their own page.

How to start:

  1. Learn basic video editing (CapCut or InShot).
  2. Create sample Reels and post on your page.
  3. Pitch brands: “I can create content for your brand to use on ads or page.”

💰 How to get paid:

  • Local brands will make transfers to your local bank accounts while foreign brands can use Payoneer.

⚠️ Bonus: You can use Fiverr or Upwork to get foreign UGC gigs and earn in dollars.


5. Paid Subscriptions, Badges, and Instagram Monetization Tools

Meta now allows Nigerians to earn directly from Instagram. Instagram now has official ways to pay creators. Fans can subscribe to your exclusive content, buy badges during your live videos, or you can earn bonuses for reels if your account qualifies. It’s Instagram’s built-in way to help creators make money

  • Subscriptions: Fans pay a monthly fee for exclusive content.
  • Badges: Viewers support you with tips during Instagram Live.
  • Bonuses: Payouts for Reels (rolling out slowly in Nigeria).

💰 How to withdraw earnings: Link your Instagram payout account to Payoneer (best for Nigerians). Funds land in Naira when you transfer the money from Payoneer to  your local bank.

⚠️ Note: Monetization rules are strict. Make sure your account adheres to Instagram’s guidelines (no copied content).


6. Coaching or Training.

You can pick any area you are knowledgeable in to teach online. You could even make it into a course or organize training bootcamps and have people pay to access them.

How to start:

  1. Share free tips on your page (to build trust).
  2. Create a simple coaching offer
  3. Keep posting about what benefits they will get from learning from you.

💰 How to get paid: Most clients pay directly in Naira via transfers to your local bank account. For foreign clients, use Payoneer.


7. Managing Social Media Accounts for Businesses

Many Nigerian and Ghanaian businesses don’t have the time or skills to manage their Instagram accounts. They’re busy running shops, salons, restaurants, or tech startups — but they still need an active online presence. That’s where you come in: you manage their Instagram for them, post content, reply to comments, and grow their audience.

How to Start:

  1. Pick a niche: Decide if you want to work with small fashion brands, food businesses, or personal brands (like pastors, artists, or coaches).
  2. Build a sample page: Either grow your own Instagram or create a mock account to showcase what you can do (posting style, captions, etc.).
  3. Pitch your services: Approach small business owners in your area or online. A simple DM like: “Hi, I see your business has great products, but your Instagram isn’t active. I can help you grow and manage it consistently for [X amount] per month.”
  4. Set your pricing: In Nigeria and Ghana, you can start from ₦50,000–₦150,000 per month (₵700–₵2,000 in Ghana) depending on how many posts, reels, and stories you’ll handle.
  5. Use tools to deliver results: This is where SMM panels come in handy. If a client asks you to increase followers or engagement quickly, you can use the panel to boost their growth while you also post quality content.

How to get paid:

  • Since this is a service-based job, most payments will be local. You can use bank transfers, Paystack invoices, or Opay/Palmpay for Nigerian clients.

If you’re working with foreign clients (on Fiverr, Upwork, or referrals), you can get paid via Payoneer, Wise, or direct USD transfers and then withdraw in naira or cedis.

payoneer

FAQs About Making Money on Instagram in Nigeria

We collected 5 of the most popular questions on this topic and answered them.

No, you don’t have to be a full-blown influencer with brand sponsorships before you start earning. In fact, many Nigerians are making money without “influencer” status. You can start with:

  • Affiliate marketing: promoting products and earning a commission.
  • UGC (User-Generated Content): creating content for brands even if you don’t post it on your own page.
  • Selling products or services:  fashion, food, ebooks, courses, etc.
  • Managing social media accounts: running Instagram for small businesses.

👉 So, the answer is no — you don’t need to be an influencer to make money on Instagram in Nigeria.

It depends on what you’re doing:

  • Brand deals: Some Nigerian businesses will work with you once you have 1,000–5,000 real followers if your engagement is strong.
  • Affiliate marketing: You can start earning with any number of followers, even 200–500, if they trust your recommendations.
  • Instagram monetization tools (badges, subscriptions, bonuses): These usually kick in when you have at least 10K followers and meet Instagram’s eligibility criteria.

👉 So you don’t need to wait till 10K to start earning — but higher followers mean higher pay and more opportunities.

Hitting 10K followers is a big milestone on Instagram. Here’s what it unlocks:

  • More brand deals & higher rates: Nigerian influencers with 10K+ followers often start charging ₦50K–₦200K per post, depending on engagement.
  • Swipe-up/Link Sticker in Stories: You can drive traffic to websites, affiliate links, or your online shop.
  • Social proof: People (and brands) trust accounts with 10K+ followers more, making it easier to grow faster.

👉 Reaching 10K is like moving from “beginner” to “professional” in Instagram monetization.

Getting your first 1K is the hardest, but here’s a simple roadmap:

  1. Optimize your bio: Use keywords so people know exactly what you do. Example: “Abuja food blogger | Budget-friendly recipes.”
  2. Post Reels consistently: Reels are Instagram’s #1 discovery tool in 2025. Even small pages can go viral.
  3. Engage daily: Comment on niche pages, reply to DMs, and use polls/stickers in Stories.
  4. Cross-promote: Share your Instagram on TikTok, WhatsApp, and Threads.
    Use an SMM panel: This gives you that initial boost in followers and engagement, helping you look credible while you build organically.

👉 Once you hit 1K, you’re in the game. From there, it’s much easier to scale to 5K, 10K, and beyond.


Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be a celebrity or have 10K followers to earn. Nigerians in 2025 are making money on Instagram through influencer deals, affiliate sales, content creation, coaching, and smart growth tools.

The key is to start small, grow smart, and use the right tools to speed things up.


Using Growth Tools & SMM Panels to Scale Faster

Let’s be real: it’s hard to grow from scratch. Growth tools called SMM panels such as Mediabare helps you get followers, likes, and engagement quickly. This makes your page look credible so that brands and customers trust you faster.

Ready to grow your Instagram and start earning? Our SMM panel helps Nigerians reach real followers, engagement, and visibility so you can monetize faster in 2025.




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