Five tech gigs you can start as a student in Tanzania: fixing laptops, networks and IT support, websites, design and social media, teaching and typing. Rough prices, who pays, and how to win your first clients.
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As a tech student you can already earn with your skills, and every job builds your career at the same time. A gig pays you twice: pesa (money) and uzoefu (experience). Your first clients aren’t on Upwork. They’re the people around you. Ujuzi ni pesa.
The prices below are a rough guide from the Tanzanian market. They vary by city, client and how much proof you have, and they go up as your portfolio grows.
Gig 1: Fix laptops and phones
Everyone around you has a slow laptop. Formatting, installing and cleaning is the easiest first gig.
| Service |
Rough price (TZS) |
| Format + install Windows |
15,000 – 35,000 |
| Install software / Office |
5,000 – 20,000 |
| Virus cleanup + speed-up |
10,000 – 25,000 |
| Data recovery / backup |
20,000 – 60,000 |
Who pays: students, neighbours, lecturers, small offices. Start with a flash drive with clean installers and drivers.
Gig 2: Networks and IT support
Shops, schools and pharmacies need Wi-Fi, printers and PCs that work, and many pay every month.
| Service |
Rough price (TZS) |
| Wi-Fi / router setup |
30,000 – 80,000 |
| Small office network |
100,000 – 300,000 |
| Printer + PC sharing |
20,000 – 50,000 |
| Monthly IT support |
50,000 – 200,000 |
Pro move: offer a monthly support plan, not one-off visits. Mteja wa kudumu.
Gig 3: Websites for local businesses
Most businesses near you have WhatsApp but no website. Start simple: one clean page that sells.
| Service |
Rough price (TZS) |
| One-page business site |
150,000 – 400,000 |
| Site with menu / catalogue |
400,000 – 900,000 |
| Domain + hosting setup |
50,000 – 150,000 |
| Monthly updates |
30,000 – 100,000 |
Pro move: show them a free demo of their site before they pay. Waonyeshe kwanza.
Posters, logos and Instagram pages. If you can use Canva or Figma, someone needs you this week.
| Service |
Rough price (TZS) |
| Poster / flyer |
10,000 – 40,000 |
| Logo + simple brand |
50,000 – 200,000 |
| Event or wedding card |
15,000 – 50,000 |
| Social media page, per month |
100,000 – 300,000 |
Pro move: post every design you make. Your page is your shop. Kazi yako ni tangazo.
Gig 5: Teach and type
Computer basics, Excel and coding classes, CVs and typing. Your class notes can become income.
| Service |
Rough price (TZS) |
| Computer / Excel class |
10,000 – 30,000 per hour |
| Coding lessons |
15,000 – 40,000 per hour |
| CV design + review |
10,000 – 25,000 |
| Typing / data entry |
1,000 – 2,000 per page |
Pro move: teach a small group, so the same hour earns from more people.
How to win and keep clients
- Start local. Friends, family and shops near campus. Tell people what you do.
- Do the first jobs very well, even cheap ones. Your reputation is your advert.
- Keep a portfolio: before and after photos, screenshots, thank-you messages.
- Write what’s included. Agree the price and the work before you start.
- Take a deposit, around 50% before you start bigger jobs like websites.
- Be on time, every time. Many people have skills. Few are reliable.
Skills get the gig. Reliability keeps it. Mdomo kwa mdomo.
Local first, online later
Once you have five or more real jobs to show, try Upwork, Fiverr and LinkedIn. Clients abroad pay in dollars, but they hire people with proof, so build it locally first.
Scam alert: no real client asks for a “registration fee”, and you should never send money to unlock an online job. Betting and forex are not side hustles either. Real work pays you. Scams ask you to pay. Usitapeliwe.
Want free tools for your gigs? See Free tools for students.
Which gig will you start this month? Niambie kwenye comments, with your price, and share this with a classmate who needs cash.
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