How Gen Zs are turning their lifestyles into livelihoods
Through TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Gen Zs are redefining what it means to make a living by transforming daily activities into full-fledged careers. From lifestyle videos to tech reviews and food content, Weekend Trust narrates how young Nigerians are turning influence into profit. For many young Nigerians today, making money no longer means sitting in […]
Through TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Gen Zs are redefining what it means to make a living by transforming daily activities into full-fledged careers. From lifestyle videos to tech reviews and food content, Weekend Trust narrates how young Nigerians are turning influence into profit.
For many young Nigerians today, making money no longer means sitting in an office from nine to five. The new generation, aka the Gen Zs, have found a way of turning their daily lives into a source of income. From posting morning routines to sharing travel vlogs or pictures of their outfits of the day, they are building full-time careers through social media and are cashing out big.
Using social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the Gen Zs are using their phones, creativity and a bit of confidence to earn a living. They post videos about their lifestyle, attract followers, and get paid by brands that want to reach their audiences.
A few years ago, it was only celebrities and fashion influencers who got paid to post online. Today, the average Nigerian youth with a few thousand and hundred followers is being paid to promote products such as clothes, skincare items or restaurants. They make money through brand deals, affiliate links, live sessions, and sometimes gifts from their online followers.
- Back to classroom: Nigerian celebrities who returned to school after fame
- Oworonshoki, after the demolition
According to a digital marketing, Tomi Oyeleke, what makes Gen Z creators different is how “real” they make their life seem. “They don’t act like the usual celebrities who you know are being paid to advertise. People follow them because they feel relatable. It’s like you and other random people casually watching a friend’s life through their social media.”
Oyeleke also noted that many brands now prefer creators with smaller but loyal audiences because their followers actually listen to their recommendations. He said, “A micro-influencer with 5,000 loyal followers can sell out a product faster than someone with 200,000 fake followers. With this younger generation, they come to understand that building trust online is more valuable than chasing numbers.”
Lifestyle content is what is popular among Gen Z creators because it mixes entertainment and aspiration. Research suggests that people enjoy watching other people who look like them live comfortably, travel, and take care of themselves, even if it’s just for a few minutes on screen, it’s not just entertainment but also a source of motivation.
Speaking to Weekend Trust, Ruth Nwosu, a lifestyle creator, said she enjoyed posting for fun until she started to get messages from brands and businesses to collaborate and advertise their products. “I started posting for fun,” says Ruth Nwosu, a lifestyle creator from Lagos. “But when I noticed that brands were reaching out to collaborate, I realised it could be a real business.”
According to Ruth, the theme behind her content is to show the average Nigerian how to romanticise their lives and enjoy even with the bare minimum. She said, “I try to be real with my content and I never do too much. The aim is to show my audience that regardless of any status, you can enjoy life where it meets you. It’s that originality I show my audience that makes brands want to connect with me.”
Just like any other job, Ruth states that content creating comes with its own pressure “We make it look easy but there’s a lot of work that goes into it. From coming up with an idea to planning the shoot to the editing. It’s all a lot of work but sometimes it can be fun. There’s also the pressure to sometimes appear perfect but one must stay real.”
Despite its many stresses, Ruth admitted that alongside her other business, she makes a good deal of money from just posting her daily routines. “I remember I was just posting daily videos of my day, and brands started to reach out to advertise things like clothes, perfumes, and cosmetic items. Sometimes I’m invited to places to eat and create content for free, etc. From my paid ads, I make at least N200,000 every month from my brand deals. Sometimes it can be more or less.”
For Ruth, content creation has improved her life. “I never imagined I could make money from my phone. Now I work with local brands that pay me to showcase their clothes, and sometimes I even get free products. Social media has made it easier for young people to dream differently. We’re not waiting for big breaks anymore. We’re creating our own opportunities.”
Another lifestyle creator, Olamide Ade, who shares videos about her favourite hangout spots in the city, told Weekend Trust that she only posted for vibes and fun and never thought she could make as much from content creation.
“I enjoyed going out to eat and posting my favourite places. I would always post to my Instagram and TikTok and just like that, people started believing my opinions of different meals and places to visit and before you knew it, these places were calling me and paying me to post reviews of their spots.
Olamide adores her job as a content creator but noted that it can sometimes be tiring because, unlike other jobs where you might be accountable to someone else, with content creation you have to create whether inspired or not.
“Many creators spend hours editing videos, choosing music and writing captions. To grow their pages, they have to post consistently, follow trends, and engage with their followers on a daily basis.
“The money is good but it’s not easy to be a creator. I’m always strategising how to plan my posts, shoot, edit, and reply to comments. It’s not as simple as posting one video and going viral. Sometimes you can post ten videos and none will get attention. You just have to keep going.”
For some creators, the joy isn’t just in the money they make but the freedom of expression they’ve found in discussing issues that matter to them, such as education, technology, faith, etc.
A 24-year-old, Mide Abiola, whose content is motivational and inspiring, said, “I started my channel to talk about self-improvement and everyday life. Now it’s grown into something bigger than me. I get to express myself, do what I love and still get paid.”
According to Mide, one of the reasons Gen Z creators connect so well with their audience is because they show their real lives, not just the good parts.
“Some talk openly about mental health, relationships or financial struggles. People want to see someone who’s trying their best. We’re all facing challenges, so when you share your story, others connect with it.
The truth is, content creation is now a real job. Some creators are quitting the regular 9-5 work, while others use their social media income to support themselves through school or start small businesses.
The beauty of the content creation pool is that after a while many creators combine their online visibility with other skills. For instance, beauty influencers launch skincare lines, while travel vloggers start up tourism businesses.
However, not everyone succeeds easily. For every creator that becomes popular, there are hundreds struggling to grow. Still, the growing number of success stories continues to inspire more young Nigerians to try.
One of the most popular examples is Enioluwa Adeoluwa, known online as Beauty Boy. Following his passion for fashion and lifestyle, he has built a huge following and worked with international brands like Fenty, Crocs and L’Oréal.
Similarly, Fisayo Fosudo, a tech and lifestyle YouTuber, turned his passion for gadgets into a full-time career. Through his crisp videos and calm presentation, he has built an audience of over 300,000 subscribers.
Social media platforms have also created new career paths. There are now managers, content strategists, editors and photographers who work with influencers to build their brands. “It’s not just about posting videos anymore, it’s a full ecosystem that employs a lot of young people.” Oyeleke
However, this new kind of work has its own challenges. Oyeleke warns that not everyone will make it big, as the industry is competitive, and trends change quickly.
He said, “Algorithms can change overnight, brand payments are sometimes delayed, and it can be mentally draining to always stay online. That’s why smart creators are diversifying. They’re creating their own products, launching websites, or even teaching others how to make content. The goal is to build something that lasts beyond social media.
“The best thing young creators can do is to focus on value and authenticity.” “People can sense when you’re faking it. Those who stay true to themselves tend to last longer. There’s also the mental health side of content creation. Many creators say the pressure to stay relevant can be overwhelming. Hate comments, online comparison and burnout are common issues.
He added, “For now, the movement keeps growing. Across Nigeria, young Nigerians are filming their days, reviewing products, and turning their personalities into platforms. Whether it’s sharing skincare routines, restaurant reviews or daily vlogs, they are rewriting what it means to earn a living.”