In 2021, 15-year-old Ela made her first attempt at monetising her design skills and made $600. But it was her second attempt in 2023 that truly paid off. In just one year, she made over ₦6 million designing websites and graphics. Here’s how she did it.
As told to Boluwatife
Model is not affiliated with the story.
I graduated from secondary school in 2023 and took a gap year. I want to study medicine, and I didn’t get that the first time I wrote JAMB, so I decided I’d rather rewrite the exam than settle for a course I didn’t want.
While I waited, I decided to pursue freelance gigs. Within a year, I made over ₦6m offering website and graphic design services. You might assume the rapid income growth was just beginner’s luck, but this wasn’t my first stint at freelance work. That happened in 2021.
My first attempt at freelancing
The COVID pandemic halted the world in 2020, but its effects lingered in 2021. I was in SS 1, and my computer engineer dad — who often travelled for work — couldn’t travel anymore. It was a tough financial year for us, and we had to make difficult decisions.
One of those decisions was my education. My dad couldn’t afford my fees, so I stayed home for about nine months. I used my free time to turn my design hobby into an income source.
My interest in design is courtesy of my dad; he fed my curiosity about computers and websites. From him, I learned that I enjoyed learning how to code and design. I taught myself how to design and make illustrations by experimenting with free software like Photopea, Figma, Vimeo, Krita, and Canva.
I also joined a Discord writing community to share my work and design book covers for people for free. I was well-known on Discord.
So, when I had to pause school in 2021, I turned to Discord and offered book cover design services for a fee. I landed six gigs and made $600 during the year. I couldn’t make more because of payment issues. I live in Nigeria, so I couldn’t get paid with PayPal. Also, I was 15, a minor, and couldn’t open an account to receive international payments.
I had to use my mum’s account, which posed another problem: different names. It took a lot of effort to assure clients they weren’t being scammed. So, when school resumed, I stopped pursuing the gigs and faced school squarely. I left my earnings with my parents, who kept the money in a savings account.
I haven’t asked about the money, but I’m honestly not bothered. Whether they saved it or used it, it’d still benefit me. I’m just happy I could make money.
Growing capacity (and income) freelancing as a website and graphic designer
My next foray into freelancing started in August 2023. I was better prepared this time.
I created a portfolio and shared it on a graphic design subreddit for feedback. Interestingly, I got more than feedback. People began to reach out, asking if I was open to working with them.
One of them was a US-based client who wanted to create a website for a US political candidate. I didn’t know how much to charge, so on the initial call, I told them it’d charge anything from $200 to $2000. I wanted to buy time so I could check in with my mum and do more research. The client was just like, “Okay, send a proposal.”
Somehow, I convinced the client that the brand needed more than a website. I proposed a total revamp with new logos and brand direction. The project took about four months to complete, and I received the full $2k as payment.
I’m still shocked that I didn’t get pushback on my charge. The project also boosted my confidence. The client knew I was barely 18 and still trusted me with something important. The odds of that happening in Nigeria are almost zero.
The same client reached out later to offer me another web design gig. That paid $1500, bringing my total income in 2023 to $3500.
2024: Moving to Instagram
In March 2024, I spread my freelancing net to Instagram and started offering web design services, logo and banner design, and social media templates.
My target was small business owners. On my page, I shared my designs, reels, and tips about how businesses could boost their websites to optimise for sales and visibility. My mum helped me run a ₦50k Instagram ad, and I got three clients in the first month. Since then, I’ve gotten at least one client monthly, typically making up to ₦100k/month. I don’t have a specific price point for my services because every client wants something different.
I do offer packages that clients can choose from, though. For instance, I have a ₦100k package, which includes five social media templates, a logo, packaging labels, and banners.
In 2024, I made ₦650k from Instagram clients alone, and it would’ve been more if I was consistent. I focused more on growing my Instagram account and preparing for JAMB than chasing clients.
Right now, all my earnings are saved in a commercial bank’s money market fund. My parents opened the account on my behalf, and I don’t handle the day-to-day or have much knowledge of how it works. I know the bank uses the money to finance loans and investments, and then pays the interest to the account owner.
The monthly dividend is at least 7%, and I can access my money at any time. If I convert my savings to naira at the current exchange rate, I will have a little over ₦6m.
Income outlook for 2025
I might continue chasing gigs when I get into uni, but only for the first two years. Medicine is hard, and I’d like to focus.
However, I want to grow my income through investments. I fear that if I don’t figure out how to make my money work for me, all my hard work will be for nothing. What happens if I don’t have a steady income source? I’m not sure I can be financially secure—no matter how much money I make—until I learn to invest. Or maybe until I finally become a practising doctor.
This year, I plan to be deliberate with investments. My mum owns a spice business, and she sources her products — ginger powder, cinnamon, curry, rosemary and the rest — from farmers in and outside Nigeria.
The business seems profitable. She recently invested ₦1m in ginger powder — she bought it from farmers in Northern Nigeria and made ₦4m after selling it. I might invest half of my savings in that.
I’m also learning about stocks and will dabble in them this year. However, I intend to play it safe and will only experiment with small amounts at a time. I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon.
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Source: I’m 18, and I Made ₦6m From Freelancing in a Year
