5 Businesses That You Can Do As a Stay-at-home Nigerian Mum

Is being a stay-at-home mum now closely associated with laziness?

I have been on social media groups where women run down other women for their decision to be stay-at-home mums. Some even go as far as calling them names, forgetting that while that choice may have been made for a reason, others were forced to become stay-at-home mums after losing their jobs or hitting some roadblocks in their life’s journey.

So whether it is by choice or design, did you know that being a stay-at-home mum can also become a season of deep growth, discovery and transformation for you as a mother? There is so much that you can do and explore as a stay-at-home Nigerian mum.

The present economic situation in the country has made it somewhat necessary for  husband and wife to contribute to the daily running of the home. Many families can barely survive on one income and this means there has to be some form of support no matter how little from one of the spouses.

The world has also become a global village with information travelling daily at the speed of light. Technology being a strong driving force in the tide of things, has gone on to change the face of doing business in the world today. 

The internet has also come to stay and is a major player in the way in which business is done around the world today. I remember sitting in my home and receiving a message that my goods had arrived successfully from China.

I had ordered a set of hand bags and sneakers to sell, and the entire process was done online using my smartphone. Today countless opportunities abound, as  the internet is now a major driver of sales for entrepreneurs and SME’s, and stay-at-home mums are not left out of this new trend.

Do you know that as a stay-at-home mum, you can leverage the power of the internet to grow your new business quickly?

You can also learn a new skill, monetise and teach it while working from the comfort of your home. The good part is that you get to work and earn, and also get to be there for your children and family.

So what are those businesses that you can do as a stay-at-home mum in Nigeria? Let us delve in.

1. Natural Skin Care

Have you noticed the upsurge in demand for natural skincare products lately? Everyone suddenly wants to go natural with their skin, just like the natural hair craze jumped into the scene some years ago. 

I personally joined the train mid-last year when I decided to make my own customized African black soap using readily available herbs after attending a training by Debbie Ibeyemi.

I also made another soap tailored to suit my children’s skin and I have been hooked ever since. I have even sold some to family and friends, who eventually returned to buy again after seeing the difference on their skin.

The good news is that this is a business that you can start from the comfort of your home and it requires little capital. You can start small and begin to build from there. 

I must also warn you that there are many quacks around in the name of natural skincare experts, who are harming thousands of ignorant people daily without even knowing it. So if you must learn, do your research properly and learn from the right people. I personally will recommend Debbie Ibiyemi, Skincare expert and founder of the Skin Business Africa Facebook group.

She is currently teaching for free about the African black soap and how you can customise it to suit your skin. You can join the group African black soap prep school to learn more.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/185903862796603/

2.  Writing Services

Do you tell stories effortlessly? Do you know how to quickly put down ideas down in a way that makes sense? Then, this service based business may just be for you.

Are you aware that writing will be a skill that will always be in high demand? Because from writing blog posts, articles, business plans, sales copy, newsletters, short stories, novels, books and research papers, there will always be a need for writers.

The good news is that many people are willing to pay you as a writer to get the work done. Today ghostwriters are in high demand, because those who have the ideas do not have the time to put their writings down in meaningful form, here the ghostwriter steps in and walks away with a nice sum of money after getting the job done.

You can explore the different forms of writing as a stay-at-home mum and find out what works for you. If you are a great storyteller, who has all these crazy stories in your head, why not sit down and write a novel. Or perhaps you have a message you want to share to encourage or inspire others, you can write a book and make money as well. 

Today, self-publishing has made things a lot easier, many are writing e-books and making a lot of money from sales. Emeka Nobis is one of those people who has made a million naira from e-book sales.

You can also write articles for bloggers as well, write news-letters and sales copy for advertising campaigns, all of this can be done from the comfort of your home.

3. Editing and Proofreading Services

Do you easily spot errors on paper? Or maybe you read a book and you are like, this could have been written better and then you start to rearrange the chapters in your head and insert the right words here and there. Then this may just be one business that you can check out..

As long as people write, there will always be a demand for proofreaders and editors. Nobody wants a book written by her to be filled with unimaginable errors. 

This is where the work of a proofreader comes in to correct surface errors such as spelling and grammar, while an editor comes in to enhance flow, structure and readability. They literally transform your manuscript into a masterpiece.

So if you think you have a keen eye for detail and for spotting errors in a book or article, you can try this business and get paid for it. You may also need to get some training to improve your skill. You can follow these two people on facebook. Adejumoke Omobayo and Adedolapo Wright Ebadan to learn more about what it takes to be a great editor.

4. Creche and Daycare Services

If you are passionate about children, then this is an area of business you can look into. Babies are born daily and with a lot of working mothers ditching the idea of leave-in maids, you are sure that creches and daycare services will always be in high demand.

And with a little extra touch to differentiate your creche from other creches in town, you can be sure that you will get more than enough babies to care for. 

My friend started her creche about 3 years ago and today has a great monthly income. And it is one of those businesses that you can start small and scale up gradually. I know a woman who started out from a 3 bedroom apartment and today has a nursery/primary school with the creche still running.

So if you love to take care of children, and you want to make them feel safe and loved, then you can consider starting a daycare as a stay-at-home mum. 

But note that you must be willing to work hard, show great commitment and dedication, be extremely patient, alert and very observant. Children are seeds that must be nurtured and cared for intentionally and you cannot afford to be careless with their lives.

5. Logo/E-book Cover Designs and E-book Publishing.

You may be that very creative mother who has not really found room to express her creativity. This might just be one area of business you will do well.

Small businesses are springing up every day and need logos for brand identity. And with the availability of the internet, you have access to a whole world of information to get you started on this journey.

Many writers have also written e-books and do not know how to self-publish their books on book sale platforms like Okadabooks and Amazon Kindle. You can step in here to get the job done and earn some money as you do.

Imagine designing cool logos and e-book covers with your smartphone right in your living room with legs crossed sitting on your sofa. 

The good thing with this business is that referrals will keep pouring in once people get to know that you are good at your craft. It also requires little or no capital to start with lots of passion and creativity.

Maybe you don’t even know where to start, I highly recommend that you join Elijah Otor’s telegram channel ’iSpeak Tech’ or find him and follow him on facebook. He gives out a lot of value there for free. He recently shared videos on how to self publish on Amazon using your phone.  I can assure you that you will definitely get your light bulb moment and start your journey to earning income as a stay-at-home mum.

So there you go, 5 businesses that you can do as a stay-at-home Nigerian mother. Whether you are home caring for your kids or making a switch from working to spend more time with your kids, these are businesses that you can start with little capital while working from the comfort of your home.

So which of these businesses will you be willing to try out?

Ufuoma.