is it best to invest in government securities like treasury bills or start a small business?

With a ₦100,000 budget, the better option depends on your goal, risk tolerance, skills, and time commitment.
Here is the practical reality:
If your priority is safety and preserving capital, Treasury Bills are better.
If your priority is growing income aggressively, a small business has higher potential.
If you have no business experience, Treasury Bills are usually safer for now.
If you already know a business you can run well, the business may outperform Treasury Bills.
Option 1: Treasury Bills (Low Risk, Stable)
In Nigeria currently, Treasury Bills are offering roughly 15%–18%+ annual yields depending on the tenor and auction.
With ₦100,000:
You may earn around ₦15,000–₦18,000 yearly before maturity if rates stay around current levels.
Monthly equivalent is roughly ₦1,200–₦1,500.
Your capital is relatively secure because it is backed by the Federal Government.
Example:
If you invest ₦100,000 at 16% yearly:
Estimated return after 1 year:
Profit ≈ ₦16,000
Total ≈ ₦116,000
Advantages:
Very low risk
Predictable returns
No stress of daily business operations
Good for emergency funds or capital preservation
Disadvantages:
Returns are limited
Inflation may reduce your real purchasing power
Won’t significantly change your income level quickly
Option 2: Small Business (Higher Risk, Higher Reward)
A good small business can turn ₦100,000 into:
₦150,000
₦200,000
or more within months if managed properly.
But many small businesses also fail because of:
poor location,
low demand,
bad cash flow,
borrowing mistakes,
or lack of discipline.
With ₦100,000 in Nigeria today, realistic low-capital businesses include:
Mini foodstuff trading
POS business support
Perfume oil sales
Phone accessories
Thrift (okrika) clothing
Snacks/drinks
Online reselling
Printing/typing services
Palm oil resale
Laundry pickup service
Advantages:
Potentially much higher profit
Builds long-term income
Can grow into a real enterprise
Disadvantages:
You can lose capital
Requires daily effort
Income may be inconsistent
Stress and competition
My practical recommendation for ₦100,000
If this is all your savings:
Put most into Treasury Bills or a money market fund first.
Example:
₦70,000 in Treasury Bills
₦30,000 to test a very small side business
This reduces risk while helping you learn business gradually.
If you already have stable income:
You can take more business risk.
If you already know a profitable trade:
Business may be the better option.
One important thing many people ignore
Treasury Bills build wealth slowly through capital preservation.
Businesses build wealth faster through cash flow.
Most financially strong people eventually combine both:
business for growth,
government securities for stability.
So it is not necessarily “Treasury Bills OR business” forever. It can become both later.
Current Nigerian Treasury Bill demand remains very strong because many investors prefer safer returns in today’s economy.