Economy
How to Make Money as a Writer
By Emmanuel Udom
The coming into existence of computers and the internet has indeed reduced our world to a global family. Every profession and vocation has therefore gone online.
These days, it is common to hear words like e-commerce, e-books, e-banking, e-governance e-relationship and of course, e-marriage.
This is indeed a digital age, where with a click of the mouse, you can successfully seal a business deal; get information, network for friendship, marriage etc.
Reflect deeply on what I am about to tell you here. Are you a medical doctor, business person, journalist, fashion designer, plumber, teacher, entertainer, computer expert, entrepreneur, or even a pastor or an Imam? The truth is that regardless of your profession or vocation, you and I are marketers.
The bottom line of our networking, daily hustles, bustles and runs is to market our knowledge, talent, skill, passion, products, services, or ideas. Therefore, with the internet in place, the entire world has become our marketplace. Geographical location is no longer an issue.
Let me now zero in on you, as an aspiring writer, if you are not yet one. It takes a burning passion, focus, discipline, pain and a raw, determined spirit to work towards becoming a world-class writer.
Writing is not, has never been and will never be a piece of cake, or tea party. Ask those who have attempted times without number to write an article, a book, a novel, a script, and documentary or a research paper.
Why do you want to be a writer? This is a personal question that you alone should answer, not me. There are a thousand and one reasons why people aspire to write for the public. I am sure you can list some of the reasons.
However, you as a writer must add value, benefits, information, education, and insight to your readers to remain relevant.
In this computer age, it is not about writing to impress but writing to sell. A writer is a marketer, just like the sales representatives, who go from place to place to market their products or services.
Writers are not expected to move from one locality, state or country to the other. They are expected to sit down and graft quality, promotional articles that will attract traffic (visitors) across the globe.
To graft goes beyond writing to impress. You have got to get the right words and carefully build them into powerful and attractive articles, books, scripts and documentaries.
In my e-book: How To Make Money As A Writer, I have outlined some of the steps budding writers must take to bring their dreams of becoming world-class writers to fruition.
Let me pause here and say this. If your aspiration as a writer is to make quick money overnight, I suggest you drop the idea. Like every legitimate business, it takes pains, commitment, focus, passion and determination to grow your business. Becoming a world-class writer is not exclusive here. Ideas come before money. So, your income from writing will come in trickles and grow with time and
The Basics
As a writer, you are aspiring to publish quality, attractive content for your clients and readers. Whether you want to write hard copies, or e-books, or post your articles on blogs or sites, there are some basics you must know that will help you in bringing your dream to reality.
Discipline
Nobody can achieve much in life without discipline. It has nothing to do with your profession or vocation. You must be focused, not easily distracted, organized and time-conscious to be a super writer.
Read Wide
Content writers are versatile fellows. Read everything and anything on your core, competent area.
The aim is to acquire more knowledge to write as an authority, even if you are a school drop-out or a PhD holder. This is the starting point for attracting visitors and ultimately the money.
Roadmap
It is one thing to aspire to become a writer. It is a different ball game to have a clear plan on how to move from where you are to where you want to be a world-class writer.
So, if you want to write content on fashion, engineering, journalism, business, entrepreneurship, and social media, that will sell and bring you money, you must first and foremost have a realistic and workable plan on the ground.
Challenges
You may not agree with me here. Most of the so-called challenges or problems that come to us daily are self-created.
Remember, I say most, not all. Take it or leave it, challenges are necessary for growth.
It is when you overcome challenges that you grow, not by avoiding them. People will try to discourage you when they see that you are trying to break away from the crowd.
Therefore, when n you make up your mind to become a writer, you have got to have this iron-like passion that no discouragement or run-down words from people could break. Great writers today were ones called all sorts of names by their friends, colleagues, family members etc.
Mentorship
Read the works of great writers and become inspired to be like them. But, there is a nag here. Do not at any point in time try to copy your mentor hook, line and sinker.
You must still the suggestions you receive from others to the test and see whether or not they tally with what you have in mind.
The late Dr Sunny Obaze-Ojeagbasi, the publisher of Success Digest, said: do not attempt at any point in time to copy your role model up to the point of losing your identity. He is right here.
Emmanuel Udom, a journalist and private investigator, can be reached at ee****@***oo.com
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the Nigerian private sector in July 2026 contracted to 52.5 points from 53.4 points in June 2026, a statement made available to Business Post has shown.
This occurred despite the business environment sustaining its growth last month, with an increase in new orders experienced, as inflationary pressures softened, and output and employment modestly rising.
The Head of Equity Research West Africa at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Muyiwa Oni, said the PMI indicated that the private sector recorded its slowest since March 2026, as businesses also increased their input purchasing activity to keep up with current demand requirements and prepare for future workloads.
“Nigerian businesses reported improved customer demand in July while better pricing and new product launches also helped them to capture new orders arising from the increase in demand. These factors helped to keep the private sector activity in an expansionary territory, although this moderated when compared to June,” he was quoted as saying.
It was stated that while input costs increased at their slowest pace in five months, panellists reported higher costs for fuel and raw materials. Selling prices also softened in line with the picture for input costs in July.
Headline inflation eased slightly to 15.91 per cent y/y in June from 15.93 per cent y/y in May, snapping three consecutive months of price increases.
Although July inflation is likely to be higher m/m, it is expected to print lower, likely at 15.72 per cent y/y, primarily driven by favourable base effects from the corresponding period of last year, because there are no expectations of the magnitude of m/m inflation witnessed in July 2025 (1.99 per cent) to materialise this year.
“We retain our 2026 growth forecasts at 4.1 per cent as we see the oil sector growing by 3.45 per cent y/y in 2026, from 8.50 per cent y/y in 2025, while the non-oil sector is likely to grow by 4.11 per cent y/y, from 3.71 per cent y/y in 2025.
“The risks to our outlook include country-wide insecurity which may constrain food production, exchange rate pressures resurfacing, extreme-weather related conditions and higher fertiliser prices impacting crop yield, and a volatile global environment which may affect sentiment and constrain capital flows,” Mr Oni noted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Sahara Upstream, a Nigeria-focused crude producer, has deployed a new 380,000-barrel tanker to boost exports from the OML 18 block as part of a wider push by domestic operators to invest in infrastructure and lift output and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
The MT D Adesanya, which can hold more than 62,000 cubic metres of crude, will operate alongside the MT D Bayero, receiving crude from shuttle vessels at Bonny Anchorage, one of Nigeria’s main crude export hubs, before transferring it to the FSO Cawthorne storage facility.
Sahara said the tanker would help cut turnaround times, currently about 30 to 48 hours, and support a planned 50 per cent increase in exports from the block’s current level of about 950,000 barrels per month.
The block currently produces about 36,000 barrels per day, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), with Sahara targeting output of 60,000 barrels per day.
OML 18 is one of the Niger Delta’s oldest producing assets. It began production in 1970 and contains an estimated 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves.
Shell, Total and Eni sold their combined interests to Eroton in 2015 as part of a broader shift toward domestic ownership in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
This development comes as Sahara Upstream is deepening its exploration and production footprint through Asharami Energy Limited (AEL), its upstream E&P business, which says it is targeting 350,000 barrels of oil per day by 2030 through its subsidiary, Enageed Resources Limited (ERL).
The growth target comes as AEL also marks a major safety milestone, achieving 6 million Lost Time Injury (LTI)-free man-hours in its OML-148 operations — reinforcing the company’s commitment to operational excellence and safety leadership.
According to Asharami Energy, the milestone reflects its ability to execute complex operations safely, in line with Sahara’s Beyond XXX vision, which builds on the group’s 30-year legacy of responsible enterprise while marking its next chapter of impact, innovation, and sustainable growth.
The developments position Sahara Upstream and its subsidiaries among the domestic operators driving increased investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, as the group works to scale up production and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading energy firms in Nigeria, Aradel Holdings Plc, has expressed its desire to optimise its enlarged portfolio and improve operational efficiency in the second half of 2026.
The company is planning to build on the success it recorded in the first half of the year, where it grew its revenue by 577 per cent to N2.5 trillion from N368.1 billion in H1 2025.
The significant rise in earnings was driven by higher production volumes together with stronger realised crude oil and gas prices, with the average at $90.4/bbl and $2.08/mmscf, respectively.
In the period under review, the Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) increased by 688 per cent to N1.4 trillion from N176.4 billion in the corresponding period of last year, while the operating profit surged by 789 per cent to N1.1 trillion from N118.6 billion due to higher revenue and crude handling income at N149.8 billion, partly offset by underlift cost and general and administrative costs.
The net cash generated from operations was N975.6 billion between January and June 2026 versus N140.8 billion in the same period of 2025, reflecting the cash generation of the enlarged organisation.
The net debt contracted by 70 per cent on a year-to-date basis to N46.5 billion from N475.1 billion as of December 31, 2025.
Aradel, in the period under consideration, improved its post-tax profit by 30 per cent to N191.0 billion from N146.4 billion, a development that impressed its chief executive, Mr Adegbite Falade, who said, “A firmer price environment supported performance, generating net cash from operating activities of N975.6 billion and a closing cash balance of N1.7 trillion.”
“Our enlarged portfolio provides more opportunities to generate stronger cash flow and returns for shareholders and unlocking that potential is our main focus.
“We reaffirm our full year production guidance of 110 – 140 kboepd and remain committed to operating responsibly in a changing energy landscape and to delivering lasting value for our stakeholders,” he stated.
