If you’re living in Nigeria and searching for real ways to make money using just your smartphone, you’re in the right place. The year is 2025, and let’s be honest — side hustles aren’t a luxury anymore; they’re a necessity.
From students to stay-at-home moms to salary earners trying to pad their income, money-making apps have become an everyday tool. But not all of them are worth your time. Some barely pay, others are scams, and a few gems actually put real cash in your pocket.
You’re about to discover the best money-making apps that Nigerians are currently using — not last year’s hype, but what’s working right now in 2025. These apps cut across different categories: surveys, freelance work, cashback, trading, affiliate marketing, microtasks, and even social media.
Whether you have data to spare or you want something that works offline too, you’ll find a fit here.
Let’s break it down.
- 1. Opay – Your Everyday App That Now Pays You
- 2. PalmPay – Earn as You Spend
- 3. Carry1st – Gaming Meets Real Earnings
- 4. Jumia Affiliate Program App – Earn from Shopping Without Buying
- 5. Toloka – Do Micro Tasks, Get Paid in Dollars
- 6. Binance P2P and Earn – Crypto that Works for You
- 7. Scooper News – Earn by Reading and Referring
- 8. Shuttlers App – Earn by Referring Riders
- 9. Fiverr App – Sell Your Skill to the World
- 10. MoneyWell – Earn for Playing Casual Games
- 11. SurveyTime – Answer Simple Questions, Get Instantly
- 12. PiggyVest – Save and Earn
- 13. Chipper Cash – Free Transfers, Global Payments, and Referral Income
- 14. Instagram & TikTok – Content Creation is Paying Now More Than Ever
- 15. Alat by Wema – Digital Banking with Real Rewards
1. Opay – Your Everyday App That Now Pays You
You probably already use Opay to send money or pay bills, but did you know it can also help you make money? In 2025, Opay expanded its features to allow users to earn cash through referrals, cashback rewards, and even investment options.
Here’s how you earn:
- Referral bonuses: Each time someone signs up using your link and meets basic requirements (like funding their wallet), you earn between ₦500–₦1,500.
- Cashback rewards: When you pay bills, recharge airtime, or subscribe to services via the app, you get small cashback credits — they add up quickly.
- Fixed savings and Flexi investments: Put your money in Opay’s savings or investment features and earn competitive interest — up to 15% per annum, depending on the plan.
It’s passive, reliable, and already trusted by millions of Nigerians.
2. PalmPay – Earn as You Spend
PalmPay has aggressively grown its user base in Nigeria by offering sweet incentives. This is not just a payment app anymore — it’s a money-making platform if you play it right.
You can earn through:
- PalmPoints system: Every transaction gives you points. These points can be converted into airtime or discounts on future transactions.
- Invite & Earn program: Just like Opay, PalmPay gives you up to ₦1,500 for each referral that becomes active.
- Promotional campaigns: Weekly or monthly challenges give you a chance to win phones, cash, or data when you complete specific tasks.
If you’re already using mobile money, you might as well let it pay you.
3. Carry1st – Gaming Meets Real Earnings
Gaming is no longer just for fun — not in 2025. Carry1st is a mobile app that lets you earn real money while playing games. It partners with game publishers and creates cash tournaments in Nigeria, where you can win cash just by being good at your favorite games.
Here’s the process:
- Download the Carry1st app.
- Choose games that offer “Play & Win” tournaments.
- Enter challenges and accumulate points.
- Get rewarded with mobile airtime or withdrawable cash.
It’s also perfect for gamers who want to convert their hobby into a small income stream.
4. Jumia Affiliate Program App – Earn from Shopping Without Buying
Yes, Jumia has an app dedicated to its affiliate program. It allows you to make money by simply sharing product links.
How it works:
- You sign up as a Jumia affiliate through the app.
- You search for hot products and share your unique links on WhatsApp, Facebook, or TikTok.
- If someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission — between 3% and 15%, depending on the category.
It doesn’t require any capital, and the more you share, the higher your chances of earning. In 2025, with the rise of short-form content, many Nigerians are combining this with social media to earn handsomely.
5. Toloka – Do Micro Tasks, Get Paid in Dollars
Toloka is owned by Yandex (a Russian tech company), and it pays you in dollars to complete simple tasks on your phone. Think of it as “paid errands” in the digital world.
You get paid to:
- Classify images.
- Transcribe short audio.
- Evaluate web content.
- Answer short surveys.
Once you reach the payout threshold, you can withdraw through Payoneer or your local bank using third-party services. A lot of Nigerians now use this app daily, spending as little as 20 minutes to earn something extra in foreign currency.
6. Binance P2P and Earn – Crypto that Works for You
Crypto may have had ups and downs, but Binance is still king in Nigeria. And in 2025, it’s not just about buying coins anymore — you can actually earn without trading.
Here’s how:
- P2P trading: Buy and sell USDT, BTC, and other coins for profit. With the naira constantly shifting, the margins can be quite good if you know what you’re doing.
- Binance Earn: Lock your coins (like USDT or BNB) in savings or staking pools and earn interest up to 10% APY.
- Referral bonuses: You also get paid for every person who signs up and trades through your referral link.
If you’re already crypto-curious, this is a legit path to passive income.
7. Scooper News – Earn by Reading and Referring
You’re probably on your phone scrolling through news or gossip anyway — why not earn while at it? Scooper pays users in points for reading articles, watching videos, and referring friends.
Here’s what you do:
- Read daily news on the app to earn points.
- Refer others to join and get bonus points.
- Accumulate points and convert them to airtime or mobile data.
In 2025, the platform expanded its categories — sports, health, entertainment, tech — and added more rewards to encourage daily engagement.
8. Shuttlers App – Earn by Referring Riders
Shuttlers is a transport app helping Lagosians and Abuja residents book daily staff buses or shared rides. While primarily a commuting tool, you can earn money via their referral program.
You refer a friend who books a ride? You get a credit.
The more people you refer, the more rewards you earn — which can be converted into ride discounts or even cashbacks.
If you’re in a city where the app is active and you’ve got a network, this could easily be a passive money channel.
9. Fiverr App – Sell Your Skill to the World
Freelancing is now mainstream in Nigeria. If you can design, write, code, do voiceovers, translate, or manage social media — Fiverr is your marketplace.
The app gives you:
- Access to global clients looking for gigs.
- A platform to build a portfolio and reputation.
- Payments in USD, which you can withdraw via Payoneer or local banks.
It takes effort to build at first, but some Nigerians now earn monthly income that rivals — or beats — office salaries using just this app. And yes, even newbies with basic skills like Canva design, virtual assistance, or blog writing are cashing out.
10. MoneyWell – Earn for Playing Casual Games
Don’t confuse this with Carry1st. MoneyWell is all about casual mobile games — puzzles, match-3 games, racing, etc. You earn coins as you play, and these coins are redeemable for airtime or gift cards.
While it won’t make you rich, it’s fun, requires no technical skill, and pays you just to relax and have fun during your free time.
11. SurveyTime – Answer Simple Questions, Get Instantly
SurveyTime is one of the few survey platforms that actually pays a fixed rate — $1 per survey. No guesswork.
What to expect:
- Surveys take 10–15 minutes.
- You get paid immediately after completion via PayPal or Coinbase (for crypto lovers).
- Works globally — yes, it’s open to Nigerians.
For a lot of people, doing 1 or 2 surveys per day has become a way to top up their weekly data or even support a savings goal.
12. PiggyVest – Save and Earn
You may not think of savings as “making money,” but if your money is sitting in your bank account earning 2%, you’re leaving cash on the table.
PiggyVest helps you:
- Earn up to 12–15% interest annually on your savings.
- Lock funds in fixed plans for higher returns.
- Invest in pre-vetted opportunities like agriculture and small business lending.
In 2025, PiggyVest also added a team savings feature — where you and friends save together and win rewards based on group goals.
13. Chipper Cash – Free Transfers, Global Payments, and Referral Income
Chipper Cash lets you send money locally and internationally for free. But its real money-making potential lies in:
- Dollar card savings: Protect your money from naira depreciation by saving in USD.
- Referral program: Earn ₦600 to ₦1,000 per person you invite.
- Crypto trading: Buy and sell coins right inside the app with low fees.
It’s clean, fast, and well trusted — especially for Nigerians doing online shopping or freelance gigs.
14. Instagram & TikTok – Content Creation is Paying Now More Than Ever
It may not be a traditional “app” for money-making, but Instagram and TikTok are making more Nigerians financially independent than ever before.
Here’s how people are earning:
- Brand collaborations: Companies pay influencers and micro-creators to promote products.
- Affiliate marketing: Use apps like Jumia affiliate, Selar, or Expertnaire to sell digital or physical products through your content.
- Live streaming: Some creators now earn gifts or even subscriptions through live sessions.
All you need is a niche — comedy, motivation, fashion, tech, gossip — and you’re good to go.
15. Alat by Wema – Digital Banking with Real Rewards
Alat is a digital bank that’s more than just a fintech. In 2025, it offers:
- Referral bonuses (₦500–₦2,000).
- Savings and investment tools with decent ROI.
- Financial literacy challenges where you earn by completing courses or tasks.
If you’re looking for a smart way to combine banking with earning, Alat is one of the top apps Nigerians trust today.
Final Word: Choose What Fits You
You don’t need to download all these apps at once. Start with one or two that match your lifestyle:
- If you spend time online — try surveys, affiliate links, or Fiverr.
- If you play games — go for Carry1st or MoneyWell.
- If you’re into content — start building your page and monetizing through TikTok or affiliate platforms.
- If you already use fintech apps — make sure you’re tapping into their referral and investment features.
Your phone is more than a tool for scrolling — it’s a portable money machine. In 2025, you just need to plug into the right platforms.
So, what’s your next move?