On a weekday morning in Lagos, a banker is in a meeting at 5 pm and by 5:30 pm, she is “on the road.” Between those hours, she is in a small shop she runs with her cousin, arranging stock and calculating transfers. His side business does not conflict with his main job; This completes it.
That mentality is at the heart of what I call The Side Hustle Bias. The belief that true security comes from visible, self-directed income streams, even when formal employment seems stable.
psychology of backup
For Nigerians, your main function is insurance.
According to Jobberman Nigeria Survey (2023), about 60% of employed Nigerians earn from at least one additional source, mostly informal business or freelance work (Jobberman Nigeria Report, 2023). This is not a fad. Our economy in Nigeria is marked by sudden policy changes and inconsistent pay cycles; Diversification of effort is emotional and risk management.
Behavioral scientists describe this tendency as redundancy bias. This is a priority for backup options, even if the primary option is sufficient. It reduces anxiety by turning uncertainty into optionality. Nigerians have extended it beyond finance to lifestyle. A skill, a store, a digital hustle all serve as a portable safety net.
Self-confidence on system trust
The side hustle bias reflects a broader issue: Nigerians trust individual efforts more than institutions. The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer report states that less than 45% of Nigerians express confidence in their formal employers, but more than 70% say they “completely trust themselves” to create income opportunities and survive (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2022).
This explains why entrepreneurship thrives even in high-risk environments. Many professionals go the extra mile not just for profit but also for psychological balance. The movement is proof that existence is still self-propelled.
Also read: New pension rules open window for 'side hustle' savings
time as a portfolio
Nigerians treat time the same way investors treat capital. An employee may devote weekdays to payroll labor and evenings to digital rework, sewing, or tutoring. Sociologists at the University of Lagos (2021) found that some urban youth describe many programs as “energy draining”, viewing idle time as a byproduct wasted on personal potential.
Therefore, side movement is not a distraction. Every additional activity is a hedge against financial instability and stagnation; An emotional version of portfolio theory applied to daily life.
busy state
Culturally, side hustles also confer status. Being busy communicates relevance. A marketer who says “I'm into skin care too” sounds resourceful, not overworked. Nigerians associate visible effort with discipline and self-worth.
This notion is based on communal economics. Income is expected to circulate among many families. The more ventures you mention, the more competent you will appear. Prejudice turns busyness into virtue.
Yet there is tension beneath it. Constant motion can blur boundaries and cause fatigue. Harvard Business Review's 2022 Global Burnout Study ranked Nigeria among the top 10 countries where multi-job professionals report “chronic mental stress”. When every free hour is monetized, the psychological safety of many hustlers sometimes turns into exhaustion.
digital amplifier
Technology has turned The Side Hustle Bias into infrastructure. WhatsApp status pages act as a storefront; Instagram doubles as a catalogue; Logistics services like GIG and QUIK enable micro-delivery. Nigeria's fintech sector drives this cycle: small online payments make informal transactions easier.
The Nigerian Startup Ecosystem Database (Disrupt Africa) 2024 report estimates that more than 33% of new fintech users are side-business operators processing less than N50,000 per day (Disrupt Africa, 2024). The infrastructure of convenience now perpetuates the psychology of freedom.
hidden costs
Yet, The Side Hustle bias reshapes priorities. Many employees focus more on backup income than their main role. Employers see it as a distraction, but for employees it's emotional insurance. When the work is over, an uproar ensues.
Brands targeting Nigerians need to recognize this dual identity. Consumers are not only employees or parents, but they are also micro-entrepreneurs who manage small portfolios of side hustles. Products that empower flexibility such as data bundles, modular savings, pay-as-you-go services are relevant because they fit into this side-hustle rhythm.
business implications
1. Design for dual life. Offer flexible payment deadlines, low-commitment contracts, or mobile tools that let users mix formal and informal work.
2. Celebrate productivity narratives. Marketing that makes side hustles look smart, not desperate, aligns with national pride in resourcefulness.
3. Make multitasking simple. Apps and services that consolidate tasks like inventory, logistics, payments, etc. reduce friction for multitaskers.
4. Accept the fatigue. A message promoting efficiency or comfort will stand out in a culture that glorifies endless motion.
conclusion
Side Hustle Bias is a practical mirror of Nigeria. It shows how people redefine sustainability through self-reliance. Every side gig, product resale, or freelance project is less about ambition and more about insurance against helplessness and being stranded.
For policymakers, it signals where to invest – micro infrastructure, power reliability, digital credit. For brands, this highlights a truth that, in Nigeria, your customer probably works two jobs. The winning products are those that respect the rhythm of life lived in parallel lanes.
External noise is not a distraction from work. In this way employees are saved from uncertainty.
