The rising cost of living and delayed financial support have driven University of Abuja students into entrepreneurship, with many now combining lectures with small businesses to stay afloat.
Students who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday said food, transportation, and accommodation expenses had tripled in the last year.
They noted that stipends from parents and guardians no longer covered basic needs, forcing them to seek alternative income sources.
“I sell clothes online and run a POS business after classes. Without it, I can’t pay my rent or buy food,” said Blessing Okafor, a 300-level Economics student.
Miss Titilayo Adesina, a Mass Communication student, said she ventured into business about two years ago to reduce her dependence on her parents.
“I have been running my business for about two years because I didn’t want to depend on my parents for every little thing,” Adesina said.
She explained that because her business operated mainly online, she usually rescheduled customers’ orders whenever they clashed with lectures.
According to her, the income generated from the business helps to meet her personal needs while allowing her to save for emergencies.
Also speaking, Mr Dogara Prince, a student barber, said he learnt the trade through online tutorials after gaining admission into the university.
Prince said balancing lectures with attending to customers remained his greatest challenge, adding that he sometimes lost clients because he refused to miss classes or examinations.
He added that the rising cost of food, transportation, and other necessities had made side hustles necessary for many students.
Miss Gloria Idoko, an English Language student who also runs a sewing and fashion design business, said managing customers alongside assignments and lectures required careful planning.
Idoko explained that despite the pressure, she always prioritised her academics while running the business.
“The rising cost of living has pushed many students into businesses to support themselves financially,” she said.
According to her, balancing school with business has made her more responsible, financially independent, and better at managing her time.
In the same vein, Ms Victoria Ameh, a Nursing student, said she combined running a wig business with fashion modeling to earn an independent income.
Ameh identified time management as her biggest challenge, explaining that customers sometimes placed orders when she had lectures or tests.
“The business has made me more responsible and financially aware, although I sometimes miss social activities because of work,” she said.
She added that the current economic situation had made side hustles almost unavoidable for many students striving to meet their daily expenses.
Mr Samuel Nicholas, who repairs electrical and electronic appliances and installs solar systems, said he started the business in his first year to ease the financial burden on his parents.
Nicholas explained that balancing clients with lectures remained difficult because urgent jobs sometimes came up during class hours.
“The business has affected my social life because work often comes up when I want to relax,” he said.
He added that many students were now paying greater attention to side hustles because of uncertainty surrounding employment after graduation, although academics should remain their priority.
Mr Okeke Sunday, a Law student who operates a cyber café, said most of his business activities could be handled online, making it easier to combine them with lectures.
Sunday, however, said managing both responsibilities had affected his sleeping pattern. I sleep about five hours a day because I’m busy with school and business, but I’ve learned how to manage the stress,” he said.
Ms Precious Clement-Idowu, a Mass Communication student and entrepreneur, said she sold jewelry and accessories, adding that balancing business with academics remained her biggest challenge.
Clement-Idowu noted that despite the demands of entrepreneurship, she always ensured that her studies came first.
“The business has made me more social because I interact with different people every day, although it can be stressful,” she said.
Other students have launched ventures in graphic design, content creation, food delivery, and ride-hailing.
The Student Union Government stated that it had partnered with some NGOs to provide skills acquisition training to help students start small businesses.
Mr Ahmed Shuaibu, a lecturer, said the growing trend reflected the country’s economic situation, noting that many students could no longer depend entirely on their parents for financial support.
Shuaibu, however, warned that combining business with academics could affect students’ concentration if not properly managed.
“Students who combine business with academics often have divided attention. Responding to customers during lectures can affect concentration and understanding,” he said.
He said although the university system had introduced entrepreneurship programmes to encourage self-reliance, additional support such as seed capital and soft loans would help student entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.
He stressed that balancing academics with business required discipline, dedication, and effective time management to prevent one from affecting the other.
NAN reports that in spite of the challenges of balancing lectures with business activities, many students of the University of Abuja continue to embrace side hustles as a means of meeting their financial needs.
(NAN)
