One of the popular online businesses that pay daily in Nigeria in 2023 is the virtual assistant business. Many company owners and entrepreneurs are contracting virtual assistants today to reduce the costs of hiring full-time staff and enable work flexibility.
Virtual Assistants work remotely, doing all kinds of clerical and administrative tasks while earning money. The good thing about virtual assistance is that you don’t need to be experienced to start; anybody can become a virtual assistant. Plus, you can work with any client in any part of the world.
In this article, I will walk you through the steps on how to become a virtual assistant in Nigeria. I will also show you how to start your virtual assistant business and where you can get virtual assistant jobs.
Here’s exactly what we’re covering:
Is Virtual Assistant in Demand in Nigeria?
Due to the current inflation rates in the country, companies in Nigeria prefer to outsource some duties to independent contractors like virtual assistants. For this reason, there is an increase in demand for virtual assistants across various businesses.
A Virtual Assistant in Nigeria does the job of an Office Assistant from home, which reduces the overhead cost of hiring full-time or in-house staff.
Who Is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant, or VA, is an independent contractor that provides virtual services to individuals or companies in order to fulfill their goals.
Virtual assistant services are rendered online. A virtual assistant is not confined to a location.
Who Can Become a Virtual Assistant in Nigeria?
Anybody can become a virtual assistant in Nigeria, so long as they have adequate online and digital skills.
Virtual assistant jobs are best for undergraduates, graduates seeking employment, and stay-at-home moms. If you are already an office assistant, you can equally enjoy working as a virtual assistant.
If you are in any of the categories above, then read this article to learn how to be a virtual assistant in Nigeria.
How Much Do Virtual Assistants Make in Nigeria?
As a virtual assistant in Nigeria, you can earn from ₦3500 to ₦50,000 per hour. The rate you earn depends on the complexity of the task assigned and your level of experience.
Consequently, the more clients you have as a virtual assistant, the more money you earn monthly.
Virtual Assistants (VAs) can earn very well with the right skill combination. You can earn hourly, weekly, or monthly as a virtual assistant. This depends on the agreement you have with your clients.
How to Be a Virtual Assistant in Nigeria
If you’re ready to be a virtual assistant in Nigeria, then let me walk you through how to become one with these 7 steps:
7 steps to become a virtual assistant in Nigeria
- Step 1: Get some educational qualifications
- Step 2: Get the necessary and relevant training
- Step 3: Define your services and niche
- Step 4: Get the necessary tools to work as a Virtual Assistant
- Step 5: Protect your business legally
- Step 6: Set up your social media platform and website
- Step 7: Networking
Now, let me explain these steps one by one to help you understand.
1. Get Some Educational Qualifications
Although there is no standard educational requirement to be a virtual assistant in Nigeria, some level of education is necessary. Most employers in Nigeria prefer to do business with or hire someone with a University degree.
However, with a high school certificate, you will not need to bother about getting jobs so long as you have the right skills. A lot of employers are keen on your skills, accuracy at your work, and experience.
2. Get the Necessary and Relevant Training
As I mentioned earlier, there is no specific certification to become a virtual assistant in Nigeria. However, there are some necessary skills you must have to succeed as a virtual assistant. To get these skills, you have to take relevant training.
There is relevant training for virtual assistants online. Various websites and virtual assistants with a wealth of experience run short programs for beginners and intermediate VAs.
These are the required skills you must have to become a virtual assistant in Nigeria;
- Flawless typing skills (at least 70 words per minute)
- Excellent communication skills
- Very good grammar and writing skills
- Working knowledge of word processors, spreadsheets, emails, and databases.
I will give you details on authentic websites and courses you can start in another section. Keep reading!
You can also read our article on 16 online typing jobs that pay daily in Nigeria.
3. Define Your Services and Niche
Defining your services and niche means you have to pick a specialty from the wide range of services provided by virtual assistants. As a virtual assistant, you can’t provide the over 100 services of virtual assistants, hence the need to define your services.
If you are good at research and project management, you should look for clients in academia, such as professors, scientists, and program managers. If you have great communication skills, you can be in customer service. In the same vein, a graphic designer can take on graphic design tasks, etc.
One of the benefits of defining your services is that it helps you position yourself as an expert in that field. It helps you establish your rates hourly, weekly, or monthly. This, in turn, gives you greater chances of getting jobs quickly.
4. Get the Necessary Tools to Work as a Virtual Assistant
Your success as a virtual assistant begins when you have all the necessary tools needed to get your work done.
The necessary tools you must acquire as a virtual assistant are;
- A desktop or laptop with high-speed internet connection
- A working mobile phone
- A working space in your home or space void of distractions
- Printer
- Photocopier
- Scanner.
5. Protect Your Business Legally
Before you start looking for clients, it is important that you conclude all legal and financial aspects of your virtual assistant business. This includes getting all necessary licenses that give you the right to work in Nigeria and completing all necessary paperwork.
It is good you have a personal contract drafted by a Legal professional; this will save you trouble with potential clients and the law.
Here are three major key points your contract must contain;
Job Description
This is where you draft your work description with clients explicitly. This will help your clients to know what they are paying for and what they are not paying for.
Payment terms
You need to clearly state your payment structure and details in your contract. State how much you will receive for each service rendered and how you want to be paid (hourly, weekly, or monthly).
Termination Notice
There will be times you may need to discontinue your working relationship with some clients. You must add this clause to your contract. This notice should include payment at the time of termination, who can file for termination, and how it will be delivered.
6. Set Up Your Social Media Platform and Website
Social media still remains the best place to find clients if you are going to be working from home. As a virtual assistant, you will have to set up a website where potential clients can easily connect with you. This positions you as an expert in your business.
Make use of social media to build an online presence for yourself by creating awareness about your services. Clients will begin to look for you once you have a strong social media presence.
Popular social media platforms you can set up are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
7. Networking
As a virtual assistant, you can not work alone, so you need to network with others who are ahead in the field. You stand a greater chance of landing jobs when you network with other professionals in your field.
Networking allows you to share your services with other professionals, thereby gaining more clients. You can also join a professional organization so that you can work with other professionals to help your career.
Courses Required for Virtual Assistant in Nigeria
As mentioned earlier, there are skills to learn to become a virtual assistant. These skills can be learned by taking online courses. Some websites offer virtual assistant courses for free; others offer paid courses.
You can start with the How to Become a Virtual Assistant paid course on Udemy for beginners with less than ₦12,000. You can also take this free training on How to Become a Virtual Assistant on YouTube.
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Websites for Virtual Assistants in Nigeria
There are a number of websites where virtual assistants can get jobs in Nigeria. These sites are typical job sites where potential clients can connect with virtual assistants for their services.
Some of the most popular websites for virtual assistants in Nigeria include;
Upwork
This is one of the most secure and reliable sites for remote work. You can register on the site, upload your services, and get connected with clients that require your services.
How to Succeed on Upwork as a Nigerian (Guide from Real Upworkers)
Fiverr
This is another secure website where virtual assistants can showcase their businesses to potential clients. You can get retainer clients on Fiverr and be a full-time virtual assistant.
Fancy Hands
Virtual assistants on Fancy Hands can work part-time or full-time.
Checkout Fancy Hands
Zirtual
Zirtual is a membership-based platform that allows virtual assistants who have gone through their agency training to promote their services. This platform requires professionalism.
Visit Zirtual
Magic
Magic is a platform where companies and businesses outsource various duties to virtual assistants. Some of the jobs include customer service, marketing, office work, and so on.
Visit Magic
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How to Start Virtual Assistant Business in Nigeria
Are you ready to start your virtual assistant business in Nigeria? Here are some tips to get you started in the business:
What we like
- Decide you want to be a virtual assistant – you need to prepare your mind for the business.
- Start taking the relevant training courses and build yourself a portfolio.
- Set up your website and social media accounts and begin to post your services.
- Start networking with professionals in your field.
- Create your profile on job sites such as Fiverr and Upwork and land your first job.
Services Provided by a Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant has over 100 services to render to clients, depending on what is required for each task given. Therefore, as a virtual assistant, you can decide on the services you want to provide and hone your skills in that area.
Start with what you know how to do best and keep learning other skills that you desire.
Here are 25 common virtual assistant services provided to companies and individuals:
- Copywriting
- Bookkeeping
- Administrative tasks
- Audio/Photo/Video Editing
- Email Handling
- Programming
- Tutoring
- Content Creation
- Web Design
- Calendar Management
- Blog Management
- Researching
- Transcription
- Desktop Publishing
- Social Media Management
- Customer service
- Speech preparation
- Data Entry
- Project Management
- Appointment setting
- Travel and lodging arrangements
- Counseling
- Ghostwriting
- Search Engine Optimization
- Graphic Design
Final Thoughts
With the increase in demand for virtual assistants worldwide, becoming a virtual assistant in Nigeria is a lucrative business to start in 2023. However, to succeed as a virtual assistant, you must be willing to dedicate your time to learning and development.
Aspiring virtual assistants must dedicate time to improving their skills and learning new ones, networking, and building a strong social media presence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do I Find My First Virtual Assistant Job?
To land your first job as a virtual assistant, you need to do the following:
- Start posting your services on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram daily.
- Set up your profile on job sites such as Upwork and Fiverr to get matched with potential clients.
In no time, you will get your first call for a job.
Can I Use My Phone to Work as a Virtual Assistant?
Of course, you can. Depending on the type of task you are working on, you can make use of your phone. Services such as receiving calls, email handling, simple graphic design, and so on can be done using a phone.
What Should I Put On My Virtual Assistant Website?
In this article, we have established that you need a website to get started as a virtual assistant. Here are the essential pages that your website must have:
- Home page
- Services page
- About page
- Contact page
- Legal page
- Testimonial page
- Blog
- Frequently Asked Questions page (FAQ).
