By Destiny Uko
In an economy where the naira consistently struggles against the dollar, more Nigerians are seeking ways to earn in foreign currency.
While popular side hustles like freelancing, content creation, and dropshipping often steal the spotlight, there are lesser-known online gigs that pay in dollars and offer real income potential without the need to go viral.
Below are underrated but highly effective side hustles that can help you earn in foreign currency.
Website Testing and UX Feedback
Most people do not know that companies around the world are paying users to test their websites and apps. Companies globally pay for everyday users to test their platforms and give honest feedback on user experience. No tech skills required—just your opinion.
Platforms to try: UserTesting, Userlytics, TryMyUI.
You can earn between $5 and $60 per test, depending on the complexity.
Selling Stock Audio or Sound Effects
Think Stock photos—but for sounds. If you are musically inclined or can record everyday sounds (like rainfall, door creaks, key clatter), you can sell them to creators who need sound effects for video, games and ads.
Top platforms are AudioJungle, Pond5 and Sounds.com
You retain rights and earn royalties each time your work is downloaded.
Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
With Amazon KDP, you can publish ebooks, journals, planners or activity books on Amazon’s global marketplace. You do not need to be a professional writer to get started. You can get off with tools like Canva for design and Book Bolt for research to make your KDP journey smoother. You earn royalties in dollars each time someone buys your book. Create a KDP account here: Amazon KDP
Language Tutoring or Conversation Partner
If you’re a fluent speaker of English, you can earn dollars by helping non-native speakers practise conversational English. Many platforms don’t require teaching certificates and let you set your own hours. Some recommended platforms are Cambly, Preply and Italki. Earnings range from $10 to $30, depending on the platform and your experience.
Subtitling and Captioning for Global Media
Unlike transcription which is oversaturated, subtitling is more niche and often pays better. You’ll convert spoken content into readable captions, and if you can translate between languages (e.g., English to French, English to Spanish etc), you’ll earn even more.
Start with: Rev, Amara or GoTranscript
Pay typically fall between $1 to $3 per video minute, and jobs are available weekly.
App or Game Localization Testing
Tech companies often seek testers to assess whether their mobile apps and games are culturally relevant and linguistically accurate in different regions. This can be especially useful if you speak or understand more than one language.
Best platforms: Lionbridge, Appen and Telus International
Tasks can range from UI review to language adaptation checks.
Final takeaway
Dollar-earning side hustles aren’t just for influencers and coders. From giving feedback and chatting in English to creating sounds or captioning videos, there’s a niche for nearly every skill or interest.
By identifying your strengths and consistently showing up on reputable platforms, you can build a stable income stream that shields you from currency volatility and helps you to save the wise way—by earning in dollars.
In an economy where the naira struggles against the dollar, Nigerians are finding ways to earn in foreign currency through underrated online gigs that offer real income potential. One such method is website testing, where companies pay for user feedback on their platforms, offering $5 to $60 per test. Selling stock audio or sound effects can also generate income through platforms like AudioJungle and Pond5, with royalties on each download. Through Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), individuals can publish and sell e-books or journals, earning royalties in dollars.
Language tutoring, especially for English, also provides a foreign income stream on platforms like Cambly and Preply, with earnings ranging from $10 to $30. Subtitling and captioning for global media offers niche opportunities, with rates from $1 to $3 per video minute. App or game localization testing is another avenue where tech companies seek linguistic accuracy across regions, with platforms like Lionbridge and Appen offering tasks that assess cultural relevance.
These opportunities illustrate that dollar-earning side hustles are accessible beyond the typical realm of influencers and coders. By leveraging individual strengths on reputable platforms, people can create an income stream that mitigates currency volatility, allowing them to save smarter by earning in dollars.
