I Spent 5 Years and ₦150,000+ Trying to Make Money Online in Nigeria – The Truth

In 2019, Just like every other Nigerian looking for a breakthrough, I clicked “Buy Now” on an online course

This is my story. Not a success story with fake screenshots of millions earned. Not a sob story asking for sympathy. Just the raw, honest truth about what happened when a Nigerian graduate spent 5 years trying to make money online.

If you’re tired of the hype and want to know what really happens when you follow those “simple systems,” keep reading.

 

How It all started 

I’m a graduate working at a nursery school in Ibadan. The pay? Let’s just say it doesn’t match my qualifications or the work I put in. They underuse me as a graduate, and I knew I needed something more. A way to earn income that didn’t depend on a single employer who could decide my value, my worth, and my time.

That’s when I discovered “make money online.” YouTube was full of it, free videos everywhere. People showing off dollar earnings, testimonials of those who quit their jobs, course reviews, mentorship programs, course creators promising life-changing results. It all seemed possible. They’d say, “If I could do it, you can too”

My first investment was ₦45,000 on a digital marketing course. The sales page promised it was “simple,” that “anyone could do it,” and that I’d see results in weeks, not months. The concept sounded easy: sign up on a particular website, share your referral link, and people register through it. The major hook? These people are already on social media – just send it to their inbox. That line captivated me. I was excited. This was going to be my financial breakthrough or so I thought.

What I Tried: The Full Journey:

What is Amazon KDP?

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s e-book publishing platform launched in November 2007. It allows authors and publishers to publish books to the Amazon Kindle Store.

The course I bought (for ₦25,000) promised buyers we’d make money in little to no time, just by writing books using free tools.

Here’s what I expected:

• Research profitable niches using free tools.
• Create simple books.
• Publish and watch the money roll in.
• Earnings within weeks.

Here’s what actually happened:

Month 1:

I spent 40+ hours researching niches. I used free Chrome extensions: AIPRM for ChatGPT, Amazon BSR & Rating Colorizer, Amazon Suggestion Expander, DS Amazon Quick View. I created 3 books, designed covers on Canva’s free version, and published them. Results? 12 impressions. Zero sales.

Month 2:

The course creator kept saying, The free tools are enough! But when my books weren’t selling, I thought maybe I needed the paid tool everyone was whispering about – KDSpy in a group buy. I bought KDSpy(₦20,000) thinking that was the missing piece. One sale. ₦5 earned.

Month 3:

• Another sale ₦2.
• Total earnings after 3 months: ₦7.
• Total investment: ₦25,000 in courses + tools.
• Time invested: 100+ hours.

What they didn’t tell me:

• Competition is MASSIVE (thousands of books in every niche)
• Free tools are enough was a lie – you almost always need paid tools to compete seriously
• It takes months (sometimes years) to see real results
• Marketing your books is harder than creating them
• You need a budget for ads if you want sales

What I learned:

Amazon KDP CAN work, but not the way courses sell it. It’s not “easy money” or a “simple system.” It’s a real publishing business that requires significant investment, patience, marketing skills, and realistic expectations of 12-18 months before seeing substantial returns. The course creator made money from selling the course to people like me, not from actually doing Amazon KDP.

Affiliate Marketing (Selar): ₦2,500 in 6 months

This was one of the funniest (and most eye-opening) stories of my journey. The course cost ₦5,000. Yes, just ₦5,000. And somehow, I believed that a ₦5,000 course would change my life financially.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a model where you promote someone else’s product and earn a commission when people buy through your link. Simple concept, right?

What the course taught:

• Sign up on Selar (a Nigerian platform for selling digital products).
• Promote the course creator’s copywriting class.
• Share your affiliate link.
• Earn 50% commission on each sale.

What I expected:

• Easy sales (people are on social media, just message them)
• ₦2,500 commission per sale
• Make ₦50,000-₦100,000 in first month

What actually happened:

Month 1-2:

I sent the link to everyone I knew. WhatsApp status. Facebook. Instagram DMs. Twitter. Zero sales.

Month 3-4:

I joined Facebook groups, posted about the course (got kicked out of some groups for spam). 2 sales. ₦5,000 earned.

Month 5-6:

Keep trying. One more sale. Total: 3 sales = ₦2,500 after Selar fees

The realization that changed everything: One day, I sat down and did the math. The course creator was selling a ₦5,000 course about making money through affiliate marketing. But where was HE making his money? Not from affiliate marketing. From selling courses about affiliate marketing to people like me.

We (the buyers) were his product. We bought the course, tried to sell it to others, made little to nothing, while he kept earning ₦5,000 from every new person who believed the dream. The smarter ones among us realized there was no real value in what we were promoting. We were just recycling the same promise to new victims.

What went wrong:

• No traffic (you need an audience BEFORE affiliate marketing works)
• No trust (strangers don’t buy from strangers)
• Wrong product (selling courses about making money to people with no money)
• The “sell shovels in a gold rush” trap

What I learned:

Affiliate marketing DOES work – but only if you already have traffic (a blog, YouTube channel, email list, or social media following with real engagement). You can’t start with affiliate marketing as a beginner with zero audience. And always research WHO is making money and HOW before buying into any system.

CPA Marketing (Smile Network)

What is CPA marketing

CPA marketing, stands for cost per action marketing, is a type of affiliate marketing used by all sizes of businesses to scale their marketing efforts and reach a wider audience. Just like every other course creator promised: Buy this and make money in little to no time… by just registering people with your referral link. I experienced lots of frustration and people not interested in doing things like that. It got to a time I lost count of the amount I spent on the course, which actually yielded nothing. I learnt that making money from CPA marketing wasn’t easy by just badging into people’s DM for signing up.

The Tools I Bought

Canva:

I used both the free and paid (Pro) versions of Canva.

Free version: Good for basic designs. I used it for Amazon KDP book covers and social media graphics. Paid version (Canva Pro): I bought access through a group buy for ₦1500/month. It was great, until one day it logged me out. I contacted the seller. I’m surprised too, he said. That was it. My money, gone. No refund. No access.

Lesson:

Group buys are risky. If you want Canva Pro, pay for it directly from Canva or accept that group buys can disappear anytime.

KDSpy

KDSpy is an Amazon KDP research tool (of over $50). It helps you find profitable niches by showing book sales data.

Was it worth it? Maybe, if you’re serious about Amazon KDP and willing to invest 12+ months. For someone expecting quick results like I was? No. The tool works, but it can’t make up for lack of marketing, patience, and capital for ads.

SEMrush:

 

SEMRUSH logo

I’m currently using SEMrush (group buy access) for keyword research for this blog. So far, it’s helpful for finding what people actually search for. But I’ve only been using it for a few weeks, so I can’t give a full review yet.

General lesson about tools:

Every tool works – IF you know how to use it and IF you have the other pieces in place (traffic, budget, time, strategy). Tools alone won’t make you money. They’re just… tools.

The “Sell Shovels in a Gold Rush” Pattern:

After 5 years, I finally saw it clearly. Every course, every program, every “system” followed the same pattern:

1. Overpromise: Simple, easy, anyone can do it, make money fast, no special skills needed.

2. Under prepare: Hide the real costs (tools, ads, time). Skip the parts about needing traffic, marketing skills, or 12+ months of patience.

3. Upsell: Oh, you need THIS tool to really succeed (another ₦20,000).

Join this advanced training (another ₦30,000).

4. Profit: The course creator makes money from YOU buying the course, not from doing what they’re teaching.

Think about it:

If Selar affiliate marketing was so profitable, why was the course creator selling a course about it instead of just doing affiliate marketing? Because the REAL money was in selling the dream to people like me.

If Amazon KDP was “easy money,” why sell courses teaching it instead of just publishing more books?

Because selling courses to desperate, hopeful people pays better and faster than actually doing the work.

I wasn’t panning for gold. I was buying shovels from people who figured out selling shovels is more profitable than digging.

Despite all the disappointments, I don’t regret the journey. Here’s what I gained:

1. Real Digital Skills:

• Research (keyword research, niche research, market research)
• Content creation (writing, design basics)
• Platform knowledge (how Amazon KDP works, how affiliate platforms work, how Selar works)
• Tool proficiency (Canva, SEMrush, Chrome extensions)
• Basic SEO understanding

These skills have value even if I didn’t make millions.

2. Realistic Expectations:

Make money online” is REAL, but it’s not easy, quick, or guaranteed. It’s a real business that requires time (6-12+ months minimum), capital (₦50,000-₦200,000+ to do it properly), skills (marketing, content creation, traffic generation), and patience (most people quit before seeing results).

3. What Actually Works (And For Whom):

Amazon KDP works IF:

• You treat it like a real publishing business (not a get-rich-quick scheme)
• You have ₦100,000+ for tools, ads, and covers
• You’re willing to wait 12-18 months for results
• You learn marketing and run ads

Affiliate marketing works IF:

• You ALREADY have traffic (blog, YouTube, email list, engaged social media)
• You promote products you genuinely believe in
• You build trust with your audience first
• You’re patient (takes 6-12 months to build audience and start earning)

Blogging works IF:

• You’re consistent (2-3 posts per week minimum)
• You’re patient (6-12 months before real traffic)
• You provide real value (not just rehashing what everyone else says)
• You learn SEO and promote your content

The common thread? Time, patience, capital, and realistic expectations.

4. Who Can Actually Succeed?:

These methods work for people who:

• Have ₦50,000-₦200,000 to invest properly
• Can wait 6-12+ months for results
• Have time to learn and implement (10-20 hours/week)
• Treat it like a real business, not a side hustle
• Don’t quit when Month 1-3 show little to no results

5. The Real “Secret”:

There is no secret. No shortcut. No “simple system.” Just honest work, realistic timelines, proper capital, and avoiding overhyped promises.

Where I Am Now & Why This Blog Exists

I’m still working at that nursery school in Ibadan. I’m still underpaid. I haven’t “made it” yet financially.

But I have something valuable: 5 years of real experience, over ₦150,000 in expensive lessons learned, and the willingness to tell you the complete truth, not the highlight reel.

Why I started this blog:

This blog exists because I wish someone had been brutally honest with me in 2019.

I wish someone had said:

• That ₦45,000 course is overpriced – here’s what it actually teaches and what it leaves out
• Amazon KDP takes 12-18 months and ₦100,000+ in tools and ads to see real earnings
• You need traffic BEFORE affiliate marketing works – build that first
• Those ‘simple systems’ are marketing, not reality
• The course creator makes money from YOU, not from the method
• Nobody told me these things. Everyone was either selling me a dream or staying silent.

So I’m breaking the silence.

I’m not here to:

• Sell you another course
• Promise you’ll make ₦500,000 in 30 days
• Show you fake screenshots
• Pretend I’m a millionaire

I’m here to:

Tell you what ACTUALLY happens when you try these things in Nigeria with limited capital

• Give honest reviews of tools and courses (what they deliver vs. what they promise)
• Share real earnings (even when it’s ₦7)
• Provide realistic timelines and expectations
• Help you avoid my expensive mistakes

What you’ll find on this blog:

• Honest tool and course reviews (the good, the bad, the ugly)
• Real earnings reports (no fake screenshots)
• Practical advice from someone still in the trenches
• Realistic timelines (not “make money in 7 days”)
• The truth about what works, what doesn’t, and for whom
• No hype. No BS. Just real talk from someone who’s been where you are and is willing to share the unfiltered truth.

The Journey Conti

5 years. Over ₦150,000 spent. Countless hours invested. A lot of frustration and disappointment. But also valuable lessons and skills gained.

I’m not where I want to be yet financially, but I’m smarter, more realistic, and more equipped than I was in 2019 when I clicked “Buy Now” on that first course.

And I’m committed to sharing everything I learn going forward – the wins (however small), the losses (however painful), and the unvarnished truth about making money online in Nigeria as someone without millions in capital or a massive following.

If you’re tired of fake promises, inflated earnings screenshots, and courses that hide the real costs and timelines, you’re in the right place. Let’s figure this out together honestly.

Your turn now:

• What’s your biggest struggle with trying to make money online?
• What courses have you bought? What happened?
• What’s your story?

Drop a comment below. Let’s talk. I read and respond to every comment.

And if you found this helpful, consider subscribing (there’s a form somewhere on this site) to get my honest reviews, real results, and practical advice as I continue this journey.

Here’s to hoping the next 5 years are smarter, more strategic, and more successful than the last 5.

[Aishat]