Why Freelance Writing Isn’t Working for You in Nigeria (And How to Fix It)

Freelance writing looks attractive on paper.

Work from home. Earn in dollars. (or maybe in naira). Be your own boss. Escape the 9–5 grind.

But if you’re in Nigeria and it feels like freelance writing is just not working for you, you’re not crazy and you’re not alone.

According to a recent survey, 72% of Nigerian freelancers report reduced income. 

So let’s talk about this honestly. 

In this article, we will examine why freelance writing isn’t working for you in Nigeria and how you can fix it.

Why Freelance Writing Isn’t Working for You in Nigeria

Here are seven reasons why freelance writing isn’t working for you in Nigeria:

1. You’re Competing in a Global Market (Not Just Nigeria)

The freelance marketplace is global and highly competitive, with many different providers offering services online.

The moment you create a profile on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, you’re no longer operating in a local economy. You’re in a global arena.

That client posting a job isn’t just seeing your proposal.

They’re scrolling through applications from native English speakers in the US and UK with marketing degrees, writers offering cheap services, and even full-scale agencies offering bulk discounts and fast turnaround times.

This is why competing on price alone is a losing strategy. 

If your main selling point is “I’m cheaper,” someone will always be cheaper. 

There will always be a writer willing to charge less—whether because of exchange rates, lower living costs, or desperation for reviews.

So the real question isn’t, How low can I go? It’s:

• Why should a client choose me?

In a global market, clients look for clarity, confidence, and credibility. Therefore, don’t blend in. Hence you risked being ignored. 

The writers who win aren’t always the cheapest. They are: 

• The clearest. 
• The ones that show proof—testimonials, results, samples that demonstrate strategy, not just grammar.

Without positioning, you’re just another name in a long list of proposals.

2. You’re Depending Only on Freelance Platforms

Relying entirely on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or PeoplePerHour might feel convenient at first. 

They bring the jobs to you. They handle payments. They create structure.

But guess what? They also control everything!

They decide who gets visibility. They take service fees. They change algorithms without notice and they can suspend accounts with little warning. 

Empirical evidence reveals that freelancers often experience reduced agency under algorithmic control.

And because thousands of freelancers are bidding on the same projects, it often becomes a race for attention rather than a conversation about value.

When your entire income depends on sending proposals and hoping for replies, freelancing turns into a numbers game. 

You refresh the page. You apply. You wait. You repeat. 

It’s exhausting and unpredictable.

Freelancing becomes far more stable when you stop renting space and start building assets you own.

Freelance platforms can be part of your strategy. But they shouldn’t be your only strategy. 

3. You Haven’t Specialized Yet

General writing feels flexible. It feels smart. It feels like you’re keeping your options open.

But in reality, “I can write anything” is the hardest position to sell.

When your bio says you write blogs, web content, SEO articles, copywriting, scripts, and ghostwriting, it makes you look unfocused. 

To a client scanning dozens of profiles, you sound like everyone else.

General writing is the most crowded category in the freelance market. It’s where beginners start. 

It’s where hobbyists stay. And it’s where price competition is the fiercest.

Specialization changes the game. After all, clients pay more for depth than for breadth.

Generalists compete more. Specialists position better.

And in a global market, positioning is power.

So ask yourself: How am I positioning myself? A specialist or generalist? 

4. The Dollar Illusion

Let’s be honest.

Seeing $100 can feel huge when converted to naira. It looks impressive. It feels like progress. And sometimes, it is.

But freelance income isn’t a salary. It’s not fixed. It’s not guaranteed. 

And it doesn’t arrive on a predictable schedule–the painful part for me most times. 

Some months are strong. You land two solid clients. Payments come in back-to-back. You feel like you’ve figured it out.

Other months are dry. Proposals get ignored. Clients delay payments. 

Some projects get postponed because of “budget adjustments.” 

When that happens, suddenly the same freelance path that felt exciting feels stressful.

Freelance writing income is inconsistent and highly dependent on client budgets, timelines, and economic shifts. 

When you rely on it as your only source of income too early, the pressure can become overwhelming. 

If you’re struggling, it doesn’t automatically mean freelancing isn’t for you. 

It might simply mean you need a longer runway.

That could look like keeping a part-time job while you build stability. 

It could mean developing a secondary income stream. 

It could mean giving yourself more time to build recurring clients before going all in.

A simple, yet effective move is to network with other writers. This is one aspect highlighted in this guide. 

Realistically, the dollar illusion makes freelancing look instantly life-changing. 

The reality is that it’s a business—and businesses take time to stabilize.

Momentum grows when pressure reduces.

5. Your Skills May Not Match Market Demand Yet

Here’s a hard truth many freelancers don’t want to hear: being able to “write well” is not a competitive advantage anymore.

Good grammar is expected. Clear sentences are basic. Proper punctuation is standard.

Clients don’t pay for “nice writing.” They pay for outcomes.

They pay for content that ranks on search engines, emails that increase sales, and landing pages that convert visitors into customers.

Oh! Let me add this: they pay for articles that position them as authorities in their industry.

In other words, they pay for results.

That means your value is tied to more than your vocabulary.

It’s tied to your understanding of SEO strategy, search intent, keyword research, conversion optimization, audience psychology, content structure, and industry-specific insights.

If you’re not actively studying how search engines work, how buyers make decisions, how content supports marketing funnels, and how businesses measure ROI, you’re limiting your earning potential.

Freelance writing today isn’t just about expressing ideas clearly. 

It’s about solving business problems with words.

When a SaaS company hires you, they’re not thinking, “We need beautiful sentences.” 

They’re thinking, “We need more signups.” 

When an eCommerce brand hires you, they’re thinking, “We need more conversions.” 

When a startup hires you, they’re thinking, “We need authority and visibility.”

The closer your skills align with those goals, the more valuable you become.

If you only focus on improving your writing style but ignore marketing, analytics, and strategy, you leave money on the table. 

But when you combine writing skill with business understanding, you stop being “just a writer” and start becoming a revenue asset.

And revenue assets get paid more.

6. Internet, Power and Environment Challenges

Now let’s acknowledge something that often goes unsaid.

Freelancing from Nigeria comes with real structural challenges.

Unstable electricity can interrupt your workflow. 

Expensive data plans increase operational costs, unless you adopt this strategy discussed in this article. 

Network issues can delay file uploads or Zoom calls.

Payment platform restrictions can complicate how you receive international payments.

These issues affect productivity—and sometimes, perception.

If a deadline is missed because of a power outage, the client doesn’t always see the context. 

They just see a missed deadline. If your internet drops during a meeting, it can affect how professional you appear, even if the cause is completely outside your control.

It’s unfair. But it’s real.

Sometimes, the struggle isn’t your talent. It isn’t your discipline. It isn’t even your skill level.

It’s infrastructure.

Well, you can’t always control the environment. But you can design around it.

And understanding that distinction helps protect your confidence while you build resilience.

7. You’re Burned Out, Not Untalented

Constant rejection emails. 

Lowball offers that make you question your worth.

Clients who seem excited—then disappear.

Scope creep that turns a small project into unpaid extra work.

Delayed payments that disrupt your plans.

Over time, it adds up.

Freelancing isn’t just mentally demanding—it’s emotionally demanding. 

Every “We’ve decided to move forward with another candidate” chips away at confidence. 

Every ignored message feels personal, even when it isn’t.

After enough of these experiences, the narrative in your head starts to shift.

You stop thinking, “This market is competitive.” You start thinking, “Maybe I’m not good enough.”

Pause there!

Burnout can look like self-doubt. Exhaustion can sound like insecurity. But they are not the same thing as lack of talent.

If you’re tired, it doesn’t automatically mean you’ve failed.

It might mean you need to Reposition, refine your niche, clarify your offer, raise your rates, or target better clients.

It might also mean you need to rest, take a short break, reduce proposal volume, step away from the constant refresh cycle.

How To Make Freelance Writing Work For You in Nigeria

Here are practical next steps if freelance writing isn’t working. These are strategic adjustments you can actually implement.

1. Pick a Niche and Go Deep

If you’re struggling to gain traction, the solution usually isn’t “work harder.” It’s “get clearer!”

Right now, you might simply be too broad. Or what do you think? If you think this isn’t your problem, move to the next strategy. 

Saying you are a freelance writer doesn’t tell clients much.

However, when you say you help fintech startups simplify complex financial products into high-converting content, that’s specific. 

Specificity builds authority. Authority builds trust. Trust increases rates.

Don’t just choose a niche because it sounds profitable. You should study it, understand the audience, the competitors, the terminology, the pain points, and the buying triggers.

Instead of writing about everything, start doing these:

• Start building insight in one area. 
• Read industry blogs. 
• Follow founders. 
• Analyze competitors’ content. 
• Learn the metrics that matter in that space.

Depth creates confidence. And confidence shows in your proposals, your portfolio, and your conversations.

The goal isn’t to limit yourself forever. The goal is to become known for something before expanding.

2. Improve One Monetizable Skill

Not five skills, not ten, but just one!

Freelancing becomes more profitable when you attach your writing to a measurable business outcome.

For example:

• If you learn SEO properly, you can help companies rank and generate organic traffic.
• If you master email marketing, you can directly influence sales and retention.
• If you focus on LinkedIn ghostwriting, you can help executives build authority and attract leads.
• If you study direct response copy, you can write sales pages and ads tied directly to revenue.

These are monetizable because they connect to money. Businesses pay faster and pay more when they see a clear link between your work and their income.

Pick one skill and go all in for the next few months. Take courses. 

Reverse-engineer successful examples. Practice intentionally. Build three to five strong samples specifically in that area.

When you combine niche focus with one high-value skill, you will become “a specialist who solves a specific business problem.”

And that shift changes everything.

3. Build Authority Outside Platforms

If all your credibility lives on freelance platforms, your reputation is rented.

When someone searches your name on Google, what do they find?

When a potential client hears about you, where do they verify your expertise?

Building authority outside platforms shifts you from being one of many profiles to being a visible professional with a presence.

That could mean starting a blog where you share insights in your niche. 

They must be focused, strategic content that demonstrates how you think. When you publish consistently, you create proof of expertise instead of just claiming it.

So, do these: 

• Build a strong presence on LinkedIn. 
• Share lessons from projects, breaking down marketing strategies, analyzing trends in your niche.

Over time, people begin to associate your name with a specific area of knowledge.

You could launch a simple newsletter. 

Even a small, engaged list positions you as someone with a voice and perspective.

Or you can create detailed case studies. 

Instead of saying,“I helped a client with SEO,” show what you did, the strategy behind it, and the measurable results.

Case studies build trust faster than generic portfolio samples.

The core idea is visibility.

Clients trust writers they can see. 

Writers who publish regularly, speak clearly about their niche, and demonstrate strategic thinking feel safer to hire.

When your authority grows outside platforms, you rely less on algorithms and bidding wars and more on reputation.

4. Consider Hybrid Paths

Sometimes the issue isn’t freelancing itself. It’s the narrow way you’re defining it.

If pure freelance writing isn’t gaining traction, you might benefit from expanding slightly into adjacent roles. 

• Writing skills transfer into many related paths: For example, content strategy goes beyond writing individual articles. 

It involves planning content calendars, identifying audience gaps, structuring funnels, and aligning content with business goals. 

Companies often value strategists more than individual contributors.

• Technical documentation is another path: 

If you can explain complex systems clearly, especially in tech or fintech spaces, that skill is highly valuable and often less saturated than general blogging.

• Editing is also powerful: Some companies don’t need more writers, they need someone to refine and structure what their internal team produces.
• Social media management: This also blends writing with positioning and audience engagement.

It can provide recurring monthly income rather than one-off project payments.

• You might even consider starting a small content agency: Instead of doing all the writing yourself, you manage client relationships, strategy, and quality control while outsourcing portions of the execution. 

That shifts you from freelancer to operator.

• Partner with others: Meet with other writers who have grown and have steady recurring customers. That might open you to more gigs till you start landing yours. You can also save up from the token you receive to install solar power, saving you from missing deadlines and the NEPA wahala. 

Sometimes success isn’t about pushing harder in the same direction. It’s about widening your angle slightly and finding where your skills fit best in the market.

Next Read: How to Make Money Writing Online

Final Thoughts

Freelance writing in Nigeria is possible.

But it is not easy, it is not fast, and it is not passive income.

If it’s not working right now, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy, you’re not talented, or you can’t succeed! 

It may just mean your approach needs upgrading or your timing needs adjusting, or your positioning needs clarity.

And sometimes…

It means freelance writing isn’t your long-term path and that’s okay too.

You’re not a failure for pivoting. You’re strategic!