Freelancing is usually a versatile and profitable profession possibility relying on what business you’re employed in. Freelancers don’t earn a hard and fast revenue, and since they work with totally different purchasers, usually a number of at a time, they will negotiate higher charges. In addition they set their very own schedules and select whom to work with.
However how do they make it work?
TechCabal spoke to 10 freelancers throughout Africa to know how they work, what instruments they use, and the challenges they face of their day-to-day. From artistic professionals in Lagos, Nigeria to tech builders in Kigali, Rwanda and an IT Engineer in Rabat, Morocco, their tales paint an image of a rising however uneven ecosystem.
Gloria Chimelu – Web3 Content material Marketer, Nigeria
Gloria Chimelu is a Nigerian Web3 content material marketer. She has written and consulted for a number of manufacturers throughout the globe. Her freelance life is a mixture of structured programs and the chaos that usually comes with working in an rising tech business.
“I exploit Google Docs, Notion, Google Preserve, Twitter, and Discord to remain on high of my work,” mentioned Chimelu. “Some purchasers choose instruments like Asana, so I adapt as wanted.”
Most of her funds are available in cryptocurrency—often stablecoins—which she converts to naira. When purchasers can’t pay in crypto, she turns to GeegPay to gather {dollars} and handle conversions.
Her workflow begins on Twitter, the place she both will get approached or finds job leads. After sharing her portfolio and going by way of as much as three interview rounds, she indicators a contract, delivers the work, and incorporates shopper suggestions. “As soon as a mission wraps up, I take the teachings and apply them to the following one,” she mentioned.
Being in Web3 means her incomes potential usually strikes with the market. “When the charts are inexperienced, everybody’s hiring. After they’re purple, rejections triple,” she explains. Cost delays or being paid in crypto tokens that drop in worth are widespread, making revenue unpredictable.
Regardless of this, Chimelu calls Twitter her most dear device. It’s the place she finds jobs, tracks tendencies, and catches a break by way of meme threads when the hustle will get too loud.
Fabrice Bizimaan — Internet Developer, Rwanda
Based mostly in Kigali, Fabrice Bizimaan works with world purchasers on full-stack internet tasks. He principally will get employed by way of suggestions from platforms like Slack and LinkedIn.
“When a brand new mission is available in, I first meet with the homeowners or staff to know the scope and timeline. As soon as we agree, I begin constructing,” he explains.
His developer toolkit consists of VSCode, Xcode, Android Studio, and frameworks like Subsequent.js, Vue.js, NestJS, and Django. For collaboration, he sticks with Slack and Notion.
Bizimaan prefers to obtain funds by way of cryptocurrencies. He opts for Binance, the worldwide crypto change app which, not like Nigeria, continues to be operational in Rwanda. Different occasions, Bizimaan will get paid for his work by way of financial institution transfers. Fairness Financial institution, Kenya’s second-largest financial institution by belongings, permits Rwandans to just accept worldwide funds straight utilizing SWIFT code.
“Cypto takes seconds,” he mentioned. “SWIFT transfers take longer when the sender is outdoors Africa; however they work, too. I additionally use Payoneer when wanted.”
Certainly one of his greatest hurdles to discovering freelance work is geography.
“Many alternatives exclude Africans. You’ll see: ‘Solely open to US residents.’ That’s irritating,” mentioned Bizimaan.
Regardless of the restrictions, Bizimaan retains constructing. His workflow is structured, his tech stack deep—and he’s proof that freelance builders on the continent are simply as succesful, even when the doorways aren’t at all times open.
Itunu Obanla — Copywriter, Nigeria
Itunu Obanla, a Nigerian freelance copywriter, builds his freelance pipeline principally by way of Upwork, the place competitors is fierce and visibility now is determined by bidding energy.
“Earlier than submitting a proposal, I test shopper evaluations. However now, whoever makes use of essentially the most ‘Upwork Connects’ [a form of credit for applying to gigs on the app] will get their proposal seen first—it seems like a automobile public sale,” he says.
He dietary supplements his work search with gigs on Fiverr and LinkedIn, however Upwork stays his main platform. Funds cross by way of a number of layers: first to Payoneer, then transformed to cryptocurrency, and at last to naira.
“The platform is saturated,” mentioned Obanla. “There’s nothing simple about it. I’m nonetheless doing this as a result of I’m within the nation.”
His greatest ache working as a freelancer is the wait. Each completed job kicks off one other spherical of proposal submissions on freelance web sites, with no assure of what comes subsequent.
“You could possibly be busy with work at present, then wait months earlier than the following mission lands,” he mentioned.
Obanla doesn’t romanticise freelancing. It’s work, not freedom. However in a good financial system, displaying up persistently is what retains the wheels turning.
Joshua Adeyemi — DevOps Technical Author, Nigeria
Joshua Adeyemi, a DevOps technical author in Nigeria, focuses on writing clear, well-researched technical content material for DevOps groups. His instruments of alternative—Google Docs, Grammarly, Fraser, and ChatGPT—assist him keep organised and guarantee his writing is polished and Website positioning-friendly.
He will get paid in {dollars} by way of Gray or GeegPay, relying on what fits the shopper greatest.
“As soon as the funds land in my account, I convert the cash and withdraw to naira,” Adeyemi mentioned.
Most of his duties are assigned through Trello. Every article begins with a spherical of analysis earlier than he begins writing, often taking about three days per activity. As soon as carried out, the content material goes by way of an inner evaluation earlier than being printed.
Staying productive, he says, is a mixture of the correct instruments and the correct mindset.
“Trello retains me on monitor, Google Docs makes collaboration seamless, and being desirous to study helps me deal with robust topics,” he mentioned.
His greatest problem is managing a number of deadlines whereas retaining each piece correct and digestible.
“There’s loads of strain to be proper and write clearly once you’re explaining technical matters to a non-technical viewers,” he added.
Bobkevin Shoo — Digital Marketer, Tanzania
Bobkevin Shoo, a digital advertising and marketing advisor in Tanzania, has carved out an area on Upwork as a digital advertising and marketing advisor, managing campaigns and shopper technique for firms all over the world. His workflow begins with job searches by way of the platform, utilizing Upwork Connects to use and infrequently responding to direct invitations that are available in every month.
As soon as employed, he coordinates duties and milestones utilizing Upwork, whereas most real-time communication with purchasers occurs on Groups.
Juggling numerous roles—from shopper communication to doc administration—Shoo is determined by a stack of instruments to remain environment friendly. He communicates together with his staff by way of WhatsApp, Microsoft Groups.
To-doist helps monitor deliverables. Google Docs is used for all crucial paperwork, whereas SmallPDF and Stempu assist him signal and stamp contracts. He sharpens the look of paperwork with Canva and leans on ChatGPT to shine emails and clear up grammar earlier than sending them out.
Getting paid isn’t simple. On account of PayPal restrictions in Tanzania, he’s restricted to Upwork’s SWIFT switch possibility, which comes with a $30 charge per withdrawal. “Over two years, I’ve misplaced rather a lot [of money] to transaction charges,” he says.
Shoo says essentially the most troublesome a part of freelancing isn’t the work—it’s securing new contracts.
“As soon as a mission ends, you’re again to sq. one.” But, he retains displaying up, refining his pitches, and utilizing each device out there to remain within the “recreation”—a time period he makes use of to explain the gig-hunting course of.
Silvia Gituto — Website positioning Content material Author, Kenya
Based mostly in Nairobi, Silvia Gituto brings a research-first mindset to her work as an Website positioning content material author. Her strategy is rooted in readability and communication, which she says is non-negotiable when crafting content material that not solely ranks, however resonates.
Gituto makes use of ClickUp and Monday.com, two widespread SaaS mission administration and scheduling apps, to handle her tasks, relying on the shopper’s most popular workflow. “They assist me preserve the whole lot organised and guarantee I’m on monitor with deadlines,” she mentioned. For funds, she depends on financial institution transfers or Clever to obtain funds from worldwide purchasers.
Her course of begins with listening. “I ask questions till I absolutely perceive the shopper’s objectives,” she defined. “Then I get to work, retaining them within the loop as issues progress. Nothing will get finalised with out their enter, and I’m at all times prepared to regulate till it feels proper to them.”
Staying related to her skilled group performs a key function in retaining her grounded.
“LinkedIn and Slack make my life simpler,” she mentioned. “I get to make amends for what’s happening and have a group of like-minded individuals.”
Between these interactions and her reliance on mission administration instruments, Gituto maintains each a community and a system that assist her ship persistently.
But, freelance life comes with its fluctuations, in response to Gituto.
“Inconsistent revenue. Some months are nice, others not a lot,” she famous. It’s a problem she’s nonetheless studying to navigate, however her dedication to understanding every shopper’s wants earlier than typing a single phrase retains her in demand.
Faizah Naserian — Web3 Group Builder & Content material Creator, Kenya
Based mostly in Kenya, Faizah Naserian builds Web3 communities and creates content material for blockchain tasks. X (previously Twitter) is the place she finds jobs, shares her work, and retains up with crypto business tendencies. Telegram and Discord assist her keep in contact with communities and staff members throughout totally different time zones.
She prefers to receives a commission in cryptocurrency—both stablecoins, utility cash like Bitcoin, or project-specific tokens—utilizing Binance and different crypto exchanges. If a shopper isn’t crypto-savvy, she falls again on PayPal.
“Crypto funds are sooner and don’t include questions from banks about the place the cash got here from,” she mentioned. She’s additionally helped onboard over 40 purchasers into the crypto area.
Kenyan freelancers have a number of cost choices, however most are gradual or costly. SWIFT transfers by way of banks can take as much as 5 days and infrequently require documentation. Providers like WorldRemit, Western Union, and MoneyGram are widespread alternate options for Kenyan freelancers. Often, Naserian additionally makes use of M-PESA, Kenya’s cellular cash platform, to obtain worldwide funds straight into her telephone pockets.
Her workflow begins with analysis. Earlier than reaching out to a mission, she research the staff, roadmap, and utility. As soon as employed, she works on deliverables tied to clear milestones and prefers partial upfront funds.
“The toughest elements are web points, energy outages, and restricted entry to good {hardware} and devices,” she mentioned. “I’ve misplaced work as a result of I couldn’t get on-line or meet deadlines,” citing the unproductivity this situation causes the staff which she manages.
Language and platform limitations additionally add friction when coping with purchasers from nations like China, the place apps like WeChat or particular crypto instruments are required.
Citing the notoriety of purchasers to observe by way of on agreements and cost phrases, Naserian mentioned the most important situation she confronted when beginning out 5 years in the past. Consequently, she made a brand new coverage to cost 30–60% upfront on each mission earlier than it kicks off.
“Motivation is my greatest device for my work,” she mentioned. “It sounds humorous, however that’s the reality. Freelancing is hard; it’s like proudly owning and working a enterprise—revenue is unpredictable. So it’s motivation that will get me going when the work is hard or the shopper work is gradual.”
Minnie Mururi — Website positioning Content material Author, Kenya
Minnie Mururi, a contract Website positioning content material author in Kenya, makes use of a mixture of instruments to remain organised. She depends on Slack for communication, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Semrush for Website positioning evaluation, and Monday.com or ClickUp for mission administration.
She will get paid by way of direct financial institution transfers or Clever, relying on what works greatest for the shopper.
Her course of is simple: perceive the duty, full it, ship it in for evaluation, make edits, and bill.
“The mission administration instruments assist me keep on monitor and preserve communication clear,” she mentioned.
Like Gituto, her foremost problem as a freelancer is inconsistent revenue.
“Some months are nice, others are gradual,” she mentioned. “It’s robust, nevertheless it’s a part of the job.”
Diana Chiyangwa — Freelance Journalist, South Africa
Diana Chiyangwa, a contract journalist primarily based in South Africa, focuses on long- and short-term reporting tasks funded by grants. She applies to journalism organisations providing help for work on particular themes, finishing about two to 3 tasks a yr. Her present task runs till September 2025 and consists of coaching and mentoring elements.
She manages her work utilizing Google and LinkedIn and receives funds straight into her checking account. X (previously Twitter) helps her keep up to date with information and join with different journalists.
Her foremost problem is the hole between tasks. “When there’s nothing within the pipeline or no new commissions, it turns into a problem to maintain day-to-day residing,” she mentioned.
Zakaria “Zack” Jougha — IT Engineer & Internet Developer, Morocco
Zakaria Jougha, a contract internet developer primarily based in Morocco, manages most of his work by way of Fiverr. The freelance platform handles the whole lot from shopper communication to funds, which he withdraws through Payoneer, PayPal, or financial institution switch relying on the mission.
He tracks duties with Trello or Notion, makes use of Google Workspace for paperwork, and turns to Canva or Adobe instruments for design-related work. Google Calendar helps him keep on with deadlines.
When a shopper reaches out, he discusses the mission scope, shares a customized provide if wanted, and begins work as soon as the order is confirmed. He stays in contact all through and makes revisions as requested.
“Fiverr makes it simpler to handle the whole lot in a single place,” he mentioned. His greatest problem is juggling a number of deadlines, which he handles with each day planning and clear communication.
African freelancers are figuring it out. They use what they’ve, choose up what they want, and preserve going. The programs aren’t good, however someway, they make sure the work will get carried out.
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