If you’re looking for a side hustle to boost your income, this article is meant for you. A side hustle refers to a business or job performed alongside the primary job to earn an extra income. These days, finding a side hustle can help you survive tough economic times. Also, a side hustle affords you the opportunity to acquire new skills and gain valuable experience.
Below, I share 16 side hustle ideas that can give you an extra income in Kenya in 3025, whether you’re employed or self-employed.
1. Freelancing
Freelancing is one of the best side hustles to earn extra money in Kenya. As a freelancer, you take short-term assignments from clients and complete them in your spare time. Online writing is the most common form of freelance job in Kenya. If you’re a skilled writer, you can earn decent money working for a handful of clients. Video editing, graphic design, website development, data entry, copywriting, tutoring, proofreading, editing, and coaching also offer great freelancing opportunities.
Thanks to the internet, you can find work for people who live across the world. Freelance platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr offer you the opportunity to find clients and cash in on your skills. Consider your skills, your experience, and your passions when choosing the best freelance option for you.
2. Start a Blog
Blogging is another great side hustle that lets you earn money passively. You need to find the right blog niche that matches your interests. Some of the profitable blog niches include personal finance, food and drink, health and fitness, travel, education, career advice, networking, and digital marketing. You can monetize your blog using Google Adsense, affiliate links, partnerships, selling ebooks, and selling an online course.
You’ll first need to buy a domain name from a domain registrar such as GoDaddy, Domain.com, Hostinger, and Bluehost. Expect to pay about Ksh2,000 for your domain name. But you’ll need to pay for web hosting and premium website design templates. It will cost you Ksh20,000 to maintain a blog annually. You can use a web builder platform or WordPress hosting services to build an attractive blog without paying a web designer.
3. Photography
If you’re a skilled photographer, you can turn the skill into a side hustle. You can earn a decent income through street photography, which has become popular in the Kenyan capital. To venture into street photography, you’ll need a camera (a smartphone) and a busy location. You can also cash in on your photos on sites such as Shutterstock, Alamy, iStock, and Getty Images. Start off by offering your photos at lower prices and increasing the rates as your client list expands.
4. YouTube Channel
Creating a YouTube channel is a great way to earn money in your spare time. You need to produce and share content that is right for your target audience. To monetize your channel, you’ll need at least 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours in the last year or 500 subscribers with 10 million public Shorts views within the last 3 months. You should publish videos regularly to grow your audience and earnings. As your channel grows, consider increasing your earnings through paid sponsorships and subscriptions.
5. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services made by someone else using unique affiliate links. You can make money through affiliate marketing by receiving commissions from sales made from your referrals. If you’re a viral social media influencer or have a high-traffic podcast, affiliate marketing may be a great side hustle.
6. Virtual Assistant
Working as a virtual assistant is a great side hustle. A virtual assistant provide a wide range of services, such as administrative tasks, copywriting, email marketing, copy editing, proofreading, travel bookings, appointment scheduling, and data entry. You’ll need to find the projects that suit your interests and skills. All you need is internet connection and a computer to start start working as a virtual assistant. Online platforms such as Upwork, ChatterBoss, TaskRabbit, and Virtual Coworker can help you market your skills and find jobs.
7. Self-Publishing eBooks
Self-publishing eBooks is another great side hustle if you’re a writer. You don’t have to struggle to secure deals with publishers to benefit from your writing skills. Self-publishing has lowered the entry barriers for publishing books. You can create books on a variety of topics, including children’s stories, personal development, money-making ideas, cooking and food, and health and fitness. You can publish your book using eBook platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, PublishDrive, Smashwords, and others and earn money for your work.
8. Online Tutoring
Online tutoring is a lucrative side hustle idea in Kenya as the demand for flexible and personal learning increases globally. A recent report by Statista indicates the number of users of Online Learning Platforms in Kenya will amount to 4.5 million by 2027. Revenue from online tutoring is also projected to grow by an annual rate of 16.42%, leading to a marketing volume of approximately US$ 109 million by 2027.
Thanks to the internet, many tutoring sessions occur remotely using videoconferencing apps such as Zoom, Skype, and Google Meet. You can teach students of all ages a variety of subjects, such as science, mathematics, languages, marketing, music, photography, and professional development. If you have mastery of a specific subject and are fluent in languages, online tutoring is the hottest side hustle. You can start your online tutoring gig with Udemy, Studypool, TutorMe, Tutor.com, TeacherOn, and others.
9. Social Media Marketing
If you have a popular account on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, you can earn money through sponsorships. You’ll need to create quality content that engages your fans to get high-volume views. You don’t have to create dirty content that undermines morality or attacks the family institution to gain more viewership. Clean content such as commentary videos, entertainment shorts, and how-to videos have a big income potential.
10. Sell Digital Products Online
Digital products such as music, software, photography, logos, video, video games, website design templates, and online courses can fetch high prices. If you’re creative, developing and selling digital products can be a great side hustle. You can sell the digital products via download on social media platforms, your own website, and digital product marketplaces like Canva and Shutterstock.
11. Professional Knife Sharpening – Pick & delivery
Knife sharpening (pick and delivery) is barely present in Kenya. The widespread adoption of delivery services by many Kenyans makes knife sharpening a lucrative side hustle idea. If you’ve got the skill to sharpen knives to perfect sharpness, you can earn money by providing the skill to many Kenyan households. You’ll need to pick knives from your clients, sharpen them, and deliver them back to the clients. You can also repair handles or broken tips. Expand the potential of this side hustle by providing your services to restaurants, grocery stores, and culinary schools.
12. Mobile Car Washing and Detailing
Mobile car washing and detailing services are scarce in Kenya. As a result, this presents a good side hustle if you have the skills to do it. You need to offer car washing or detailing services to people at their homes or work. Also, you can contract with transportation companies and other local businesses with a fleet of vehicles. Consider having a mobile app or website to market your business and permit potential clients to book your services.
13. Tour Guide
The demand for neighborhood tours is on the rise in Kenya and across the globe. If you live in an area with a lot of tourists, you can make money by giving travelers unique experiences of your neighborhood. You’ll need to sign up for platforms such as Showaround and Airbnb to share your travel experiences and connect with travelers. You can boost your earnings by offering food, bicycles, and photography.
14. Part-time Taxi Driver
Becoming a part-time taxi driver is another great side hustle in Kenya. If you enjoy driving, you can sign up for Uber, Bolt, and other private hire operators and generate a new revenue stream. Make sure your vehicle is eligible to drive as a taxi. You can make over Ksh40,000 per month as a part-time Uber driver. And you can increase your earnings by driving for several taxi companies at the same time.
15. Vegetable Farming
Vegetable farming is also a lucrative side hustle idea in Kenya. You can grow kales, cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkin leaves, and amaranthus (terere). The demand for vegetables in Kenya is high, especially in urban areas. You can invest in vegetable farming as a side hustle and sell your produce in local markets.
Related: Top Profitable Agribusiness Ideas in Kenya.
16. Poultry Farming
If you’re good at rearing animals, poultry farming is a profitable side hustle to venture into. Poultry products such as eggs and meat have robust nutrition and economic value. You can sell your poultry products to hotels, restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets, hospitals, and learning institutions. Also, you earn money by selling chicks to other aspiring poultry farmers.
