BEYOND THE COURTROOM

The day Ene received her call to bar certificate, her parents threw a small party in their modest Surulere home. Neighbors hailed her as “Barrister!” But two years later, she was earning just ₦80,000 a month at a mid-sized firm—barely enough to pay rent and fuel her car. Like many colleagues from Enugu to Abuja, she began asking: what else can I do with this law degree beyond the courtroom?

It turns out, quite a lot. Here are six unconventional side hustles Nigerian lawyers are quietly cashing out from—and how they attract clients.

1. Corporate Acquisitions Advisory

Deals collapse in Nigeria every day, not for lack of buyers but for lack of structure. Ene saw this firsthand when a Lagos firm nearly walked away from a sale. She restructured the contract, closed it, and realized SMEs everywhere faced the same issue. By attending business meetups and offering free consultations, she now earns steady commissions from acquisitions.

2. Franchise Development and Consulting

It started as a favor. A fast-food operator asked his lawyer to help open a second outlet. Instead of stopping at paperwork, the lawyer built him a franchise model. That one project sparked LinkedIn posts, and soon Segun in Lagos was consulting for restaurant owners—earning fees plus revenue shares.

3. Intellectual Property Monetization

Why do musicians in Enugu fill stadiums yet complain of empty bank accounts? That question drove Chuka to pitch himself as a lawyer who could “turn songs into income.” His first gospel client spread the word. By mingling at shows and negotiating licensing, he built a niche protecting artists while monetizing their work.

4. Startup Equity Deals

Not every client can pay in cash. Dafe realized this in a Lagos tech group, where a founder lamented legal fees. He offered incorporation services for equity. Free webinars on startup mistakes brought more clients, and today his portfolio includes small slices of several startups.

5. Real Estate Joint Ventures

Property deals in Abuja often crash because landowners distrust developers. Paul flipped the script by suggesting joint ventures where profits were shared. At property exhibitions, he marketed himself as a neutral architect. Instead of flat vetting fees, he now earns percentages on multimillion-naira projects.

6. Corporate Trainings and Retreats

One casual invitation to speak on workplace ethics turned into something bigger. Afterward, the lawyer designed sleek brochures and pitched HR managers. That’s how Bukola in Ibadan built a side hustle running corporate trainings and retreats—earning up to half a million naira per event.

And then there’s Mohammed in Kano. Rather than chase court briefs, he carved a niche helping bureau de change operators secure CBN licenses, investment houses obtain SEC approvals, and companies process NAFDAC registration. By networking with accountants and trade associations, he became the go-to fixer—quietly out-earning many litigators.

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