10 Small Business Ideas for Teenagers in Africa
No one is too young to engage in business activities. When you look at the lives of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, many started as teenagers. There is no specific age cap on being a successful business owner.
So if you are a teenager or have a teenager that is interested in business, this post is for you. We will discuss a few business ideas that teenagers in Africa can engage in.
Criteria to choose business ideas for teenagers
Before we discuss business ideas for teenagers in Africa, let’s check out some important information. Not every business idea is great for this class of individuals. This is because they are still in school and should take their studies seriously.
So what kind of business ideas should they go for? Here are some criteria to judge:
Easily accessible or home-based
For younger teens, they do not have access to cars and shouldn’t drive. This is why they need business ideas that they can run from home or are easily accessible. It also saves them the cost of transportation.
Flexible hours
Teens have a full-time job as students. This means that any business they start has to be a side hustle. As such, they need business ideas that are flexible and allow them to work evenings and weekends.
Low investment cost
Teens have limited funds to invest in any business. They need business ideas that wouldn’t need them to break the bank.
Business Ideas for Teenagers in Africa
There are tons of business ideas for teenagers in Africa. In this section, we will take a quick look at 10 business ideas that teens can adopt in Africa. Of course, we will consider these ideas in line with the criteria discussed above.
Social media consultant
We are in an age driven by the internet and social media. Teens seem to have more time on their hands to run social media accounts. Let’s not forget that they are more efficient at using social media apps as well.
A teenager can start a business as a consultant for social media. Many companies are ready to outsource their social media management at huge sums of money monthly.
Blogging
If your teenager likes to write, then they can take advantage of this skill and make some good money. All they need to do is find a niche, study how to blog, and start a blog.
Doesn’t it seem so simple? It may even be simpler in reality since teens have a lot of energy to expend. They can put up blog posts when they get back from school. The beauty of this is that they can write about anything.
Babysitter
One of the easiest ways for teens to earn money is to babysit. This business has no startup costs. However, the teen must have good references and a great reputation as well. It is important that the teen also has a love for babies as this will make the job easier.
To begin, they can create flyers and post them around the neighborhood. They can also advertise their services online. This can be their side hustle during weekends or evenings after school.
Graphic design
This is another business idea that doesn’t cost much. All the teenager needs is a computer system and internet. Many businesses are in search of graphic designers to handle their marketing campaigns.
Asides from designing for businesses, they can also design greeting cards and birthday invitation cards. Teens can also create designs and upload them to design websites for sale.
Online game reviews
Does your teenager like to play games a lot? They can seize this opportunity to create game reviews. Many teenagers in first-world countries make a living from this venture.
All they need to do is play trending games and write reviews about them. They can shoot videos while playing and post them on a YouTube channel as well. Asides from shooting videos of themselves playing, they can shoot unboxing videos as well.
Photography
This is another niche that attracts a lot of interest and could become a huge business in the nearest future. If your teenager likes to shoot photos, then they can start a photography business.
The investment in this business is minimal. They don’t even need an expensive camera these days. A good quality smartphone comes with a camera that is equipped for top-notch photography. The teenager can pick a niche where they love to shoot and create social media content to build a portfolio.
Web design
We are in the internet age and businesses need to create websites to engage their customers. Teens can take advantage of this skill to start a huge business. Several free courses online teach web design.
They can take these courses and start to design websites for businesses at affordable rates. As they do this, they will build a portfolio and improve their skills as well.
Data entry
Many businesses outsource their data entry jobs rather than employ in-house staff for this purpose. Teens can sign up on freelance platforms to get data entry jobs. These jobs require very little knowledge of spreadsheets.
Transcription
Just like data entry, businesses prefer to outsource transcription tasks. There’s so much to transcribe, from interviews to business meetings, and lots more. If your teen is good at typing fast and listening, then they can take advantage of this business.
App development
This is another business that teens can engage in with very little investment. All it requires is for the teenager to learn about developing apps and a computer with the necessary software. They can promote their apps on Google Playstore and other platforms.
Conclusion
These are just a few business ideas for teenagers in Africa, there are many more. Which other ideas do you know? Share with us in the comments section below.
