Storipod, an African-founded web3 platform for writers and creators, has announced a shift, moving its payment infrastructure entirely on-chain using Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network incubated by the US crypto exchange Coinbase. This upgrade earlier announced by Storipod founder James Nelson, allows creators to earn directly in cryptocurrency, effectively eliminating geographical barriers and traditional payment friction.In the traditional Web2 creator economy, writers, particularly those in emerging markets like Africa, face numerous challenges, including high international transaction fees, payment processor restrictions, and lengthy settlement times. Storipod in order to bridge these existing gaps intends to leverage on a blockchain solution like Base to provide instant, borderless, and permissionless payments. This aims to democratise monetization by providing creators with greater control over their earnings and audience engagement, enabling them to earn “like influencers and YouTubers.”Critics point out the risk inherent in relying solely on decentralized technology. But for proponents it is a game-changer for digital economic freedom, particularly for creators in regions underserved by the traditional US-centric financial system.
How to make money online in Nigeria as a student (without capital)
When we discuss how to make money online in Nigeria as a student, some people think it’s not possible. But it is very possible even without capital. It is not easy being a student in Nigeria today. Fees are getting more expensive to attend school, food items are becoming more expensive and the urge to succeed is real. The majority of students depend on parents or guardians on financial support but they fail sometimes too. This is the reason why a large number of Nigerian students are currently seeking to earn money online, especially the one that does not require capital to start. With just your smartphone, internet connection, and a little time each day, you can make money from the comfort of your hostel or home. There are real opportunities online that pay people for skills, services and simple tasks — and most don’t require any start-up money. In this article you will learn how to make money online in Nigeria as a student (without capital) using trusted and safe methods that work. Everything is explained in simple English so anyone can understand and take action immediately. Why make money online as a student? Let’s start with the “why”. Many Nigerian students face real financial struggles. Even if your parents are supporting you, having your own money gives you freedom and reduces pressure on your family. Also, the online world is full of opportunities. Every day, Nigerians like you are making money just by using their phones and internet connection. Recommended Guide: How to get back a hacked Facebook or WhatsApp account in Nigeria (Step-by-Step) Is it possible to make money online without capital? Yes, it is. Many online money-making methods don’t require you to invest anything except your time, skills, and consistency. This article focuses on those kinds of opportunities. You will not be asked to pay any money upfront, buy any course, or join any shady Ponzi scheme. How to make money online in Nigeria as a student (without capital) 1. Freelancing (zero start-up needed) Freelancing simply means offering a service online and getting paid. For example, if you can write articles, edit videos, design flyers, or even just speak English well, there’s someone online who will pay you. How to Start: Skills you can offer even as a beginner: Tip: Watch free YouTube videos to learn and improve any skill. 2. Teaching people online and getting paid Are you good at one subject? You can help secondary school students or even your fellow university students with difficult topics. Where to Start: You don’t need money to start this — just your knowledge and willingness to teach. 3. Blogging without money using free tools Yes, blogging still works. You don’t need to pay for a website to start. You can use Google Blogger (blogspot.com) or Medium.com for free. Steps to Start: When your blog starts having traffic, you can consider Google AdSense and make money out of your blog. 4. Answering surveys and testing apps This one doesn’t make you rich, but can get you some airtime or small cash. Popular Sites: Pro Tip: Use VPN or US-based profiles to get better surveys, but always be careful and avoid giving sensitive personal data. 5. Affiliate marketing (no capital required) This is one of the best ways to make money online without having your product. How it Works: Where to Join: Tip: Write WhatsApp status reviews or short videos to promote the product. 6. Becoming a social media manager Many small businesses in Nigeria want to grow online but don’t have time or skills to manage their Facebook or Instagram pages. What You Do: How to Start: You don’t need money to start — just a phone and creativity. 7. Transcription and subtitling If you have sound hearing and a fast typing skill then you can work as a transcriber. This job requires listening to sound and typing what you hear. Websites: You get paid per audio minute. Some sites pay weekly via PayPal. 8. Take up a Virtual Assistant job Virtual assistant is someone who is online and assists someone such as email response, schedule posts, research. Who Needs VAs: Where to Find VA Jobs: You can start with basic tasks and grow with time. 9. Selling digital skills on WhatsApp or Facebook If you know a skill like: No website needed. Just post your samples and invite people to DM you. 10. WhatsApp TV Owner WhatsApp TVs are just status-based platforms where you post content (funny videos, updates, products) and build a large viewership. How to Make Money: Just save numbers, post good content, and remain active. Recommended Guide: 10 best cheap Android phones in Nigeria under ₦50,000 (2025 Guide) FAQs Q1: How much can I make online as a student in Nigeria? It varies on what you are doing and how serious you are. Some of the students earn 5,000/week, others 100,000/month. Begin small and then expand. Q2: Do I need a laptop to start? No. You can start with just your smartphone. Later, if you make enough money, you can buy a laptop to do more. Q3: I have no skill, where do I start? Start with transcription, typing jobs, or promoting affiliate products. Then watch free YouTube videos to learn more. Q4: Are all these methods legal? Yes. All methods listed here are 100% legal, ethical, and safe. Avoid anything that sounds like “double your money” or “investment without work.” Q5: What is my payment method? The majority of the platforms use PayPal, Payoneer, or bank transfer payments. As an affiliate marketer in Nigeria you are able to open a free Payoneer account and connect it to your Nigerian bank account. Conclusion It is not a scam to make money online in Nigeria as a student with no capital and neither is it a dream, but a reality. It requires concentration, commitment and eagerness to learn. Do not want to do too much at a time. Pick one, start small, and grow
Nigerian storytelling platform Storipod hits 50,000 users with strong engagement
Storipod, a digital platform for readers and writers, has reached 50,000 users worldwide, showing remarkable user activity and community building. Storipod announced it has grown its user base to 50,000, with over half of them active weekly, a rate much higher than typical consumer apps. This means about 28,354 users engaged with the platform in the past week, and nearly all of these active users are not just browsing but actively reading, reacting, and creating content. The platform also boasts 29,344 “pods” or story groups created, indicating that users are deeply involved in building communities rather than just scrolling through content. This level of engagement is impressive compared to industry averages, where many platforms struggle to keep even 20% of signups active. James Nelson, Storipod’s Product Manager and Business Analytics Expert, highlighted that the platform is more than just a gathering place for users, it’s a movement where stories spread, writers grow, and audiences stay hooked. James Nelson shared on LinkedIn, “We’re proving that screen time can mean story time and people love it!” Other tech professionals and users congratulated the team, noting the platform’s snowballing growth and potential in the creator economy. Adding to the conversation, Muhammad Sal, a digital marketing and MarTech expert and Storipod user (@sal), pointed out the challenges African creators face on global platforms like Wattpad. He said: “Wattpad tried. But it may still be missing the point for African creators. Wattpad made moves to help writers monetize, Paid Stories, Creator Program, Brand partnerships, but these systems rarely center creators outside the West. For most African storytellers, Wattpad still feels like a place to give value without receiving it back.” Sal stated that monetization on Wattpad is often locked behind huge follower thresholds and unclear eligibility, favoring stories that perform by Western standards. In contrast, he praised Storipod’s approach: “Platforms like Storipod are emerging with a different mindset, built from day one with monetization in mind, designed for micro-audiences and intimate storytelling, rooted in the idea that every voice has value, not just the viral ones. It’s not about competition. It’s about direction. The creator economy in Africa doesn’t need copy-paste platforms. It needs tools built with our realities in mind. Wattpad walked so others could fly, but we’re ready for something local, flexible, and truly creator-first.” With strong user engagement and a creator-first mindset, the platform is set to write many more successful chapters ahead.
Cloudflare’s Pay per Crawl marketplace lets websites charge AI bots, backed by big media names
Cloudflare has launched Pay per Crawl, a new marketplace that lets website owners charge AI bots for scraping their content. This move gives publishers control over AI crawlers and opens a fresh revenue stream as AI companies increasingly rely on web data. The platform is currently in private beta and allows site owners to set micropayments for each AI crawl, block bots, or allow free access. This is a response to the surge in AI bots scraping websites without permission, causing high server costs and unlicensed content use. Cloudflare protects about 20% of the internet and has been rolling out tools to help publishers manage AI crawlers. According to reports, several major publishers have already signed on or expressed support for this initiative, including Gannett, Time, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, The Associated Press, and Stack Overflow. These big names are backing Cloudflare’s push to block AI crawlers by default and promote a permission-based approach to content access. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince said the goal is to put power back in the hands of creators while still allowing AI innovation. He envisions a future where AI agents could even be given budgets to buy access to the best content automatically, creating a fair marketplace between AI firms and publishers. For Nigerian content creators and digital businesses, this development could help protect local content and create new income opportunities as AI scraping grows worldwide. Cloudflare’s Pay per Crawl requires both publishers and AI companies to have Cloudflare accounts to set and negotiate crawl prices. The company acts as the intermediary, charging AI firms and paying publishers. The platform currently does not use cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. This launch comes at a critical time as many publishers face declining traffic due to AI chatbots providing direct answers instead of sending users to original sites. Cloudflare’s marketplace could redefine how content is shared and monetized in the AI era.
Storipod unveils major app updates, showcases innovation at MarkHack 4.0
Storipod, the fast-rising microblogging platform for short stories, has announced a suite of new app features while making a high-profile appearance at MarkHack 4.0, Africa’s leading marketing and technology hackathon. These milestones underscore Storipod’s commitment to empowering creators and redefining digital storytelling for Nigeria’s growing creator economy. The latest Storipod update, released on the Play Store on May 24, introduces a host of user-centric enhancements. Notable among the new features are a “follow” button embedded inside each pod, support for system, light, and dark modes, and a new tab in the ‘My Pod’ section that lets creators see who has unlocked their content. The update also brings a streamlined button for creating new pods, a text customization tool for left and center alignment, and clickable links within pods – making storytelling more interactive and visually appealing. In a move to promote fair pricing and content value, Storipod has added a ₦5,000 maximum price filter for locking pods, accompanied by a prompt for creators: “I believe N? is a fair price to lock this pod.” This measure aims to encourage thoughtful pricing and quality content, addressing concerns about inflated prices for low-value stories. The update also includes bug fixes and overall performance improvements. Storipod’s momentum was further showcased at MarkHack 4.0, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos. The platform was among seven top startups selected to pitch at the Grand Finale, joining other innovators like NextVibe, Jarvis, and Blue Sands STEM Labs. According to Eko Innovation Centre, Storipod’s mobile-first, social-media-inspired approach – featuring interactive tools, built-in monetization, and robust content protection – has attracted over 15,000 users, with a daily active engagement rate of 67%. “They’re built for today’s short-attention economy,” noted event organizers. James Nelson, Storipod’s Product Manager, shared on LinkedIn that the platform is on track to reach 20,000 users, with 60% active weekly and nine out of ten users having created a story. “Our growth has accelerated since launching creator monetization, a game-changer. African creators deserve monetization options built for them, not sidelined by global platforms. Storipod is solving all of this,” Nelson said. MarkHack 4.0, themed “Experience Ignited – Fueling The Consumer Journey,” brought together industry leaders, storytellers, and tech innovators to explore the future of consumer engagement. Storipod’s participation in the hackathon and its latest app updates highlight its vision to make writing and storytelling accessible, social, and profitable for a new generation of Nigerian creators. As Storipod continues to evolve, users can expect more features designed to foster creativity, community, and fair monetization in the digital storytelling space.