AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
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The short answer
Agree the fee, currency, deliverables and payment date in a written contract, then invoice the Nigerian brand. It will usually pay in naira to a Nigerian account, or in foreign currency through its bank, which will ask for the contract and invoice; expect it to deduct Nigerian withholding tax, reported in 2024 as 10% for non-residents' professional fees, and keep the receipt for your Ghana tax records.
Some Nigerian brands hire creators based in Ghana, particularly those with a Nigerian audience. The creative part is usually the easy bit. The hard part is the money: what currency the fee is in, how it crosses the border, what tax comes off and what you need to show the Ghana Revenue Authority later. This guide takes each step in order. It is information, not legal or tax advice.
1. Get the deal in writing
A message thread with a brand manager is not a contract. Before you post anything, agree a short written agreement covering:
- Deliverables: number of posts, platforms, formats, dates and how many rounds of edits
- Usage rights: how long the brand can use your content, where, and whether it can run it as paid adverts
- Exclusivity: whether you can work with competitors, and for how long
- Fee and currency: the gross fee, whether it is in naira or US dollars, and who bears conversion and transfer charges
- Tax: that the brand will deduct only tax required by law and give you the withholding tax receipt
- Payment terms: deposit, balance date and late-payment interest
- Disclosure: how the post will be labelled as an advert
A deposit before you start protects you if the campaign is cancelled. For a model structure, see a freelance contract for Nigerian clients; for late payers, see charging interest on late payment.
2. Invoice the brand
Send an invoice with your full legal name or registered business name, address in Ghana, the brand's legal name, a description of the services, the gross fee, the expected withholding tax line, the net amount and your payment details. If you have a Nigerian TIN, include it; if you are registered with the GRA, include your Ghana TIN too.
3. How the money can reach you
There are two broad routes, and which one works depends on what the brand can do.
| Route | How it works | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Naira to your Nigerian account | The brand pays naira by local transfer; you move it to Ghana later | You carry the naira-to-cedi conversion; see receiving money from Nigeria |
| Foreign currency from Nigeria | The brand's bank sends US dollars to your account | The bank will want documents; it can take longer |
| Payment from the brand's account abroad | Some groups pay from an offshore entity | Confirm which entity is contracting with you |
TheCable's June 2026 report on the CBN's foreign exchange manual says the naira is the legal tender for transactions within Nigeria and that domestic deals between Nigerian entities are priced and settled in naira. Your deal is with someone outside Nigeria, so foreign currency is possible, but the brand still needs its bank to process the payment. Stanbic IBTC's list of approved documents for invisible FX transactions shows what a Nigerian bank can ask for when paying contract service fees abroad: Form A, the service agreement, confirmation of the fee, a demand note or invoice and evidence of tax paid. If your contract and invoice are clear, the brand's finance team has what it needs.
For more on the naira route, see receiving money from Nigeria into a Ghana account.
4. Tax: what comes off and what you keep
Nigeria's Withholding Tax Regulations 2024 require most businesses to deduct tax from professional fees. Mondaq's July 2024 overview reports 10% for non-residents and 5% for residents, with twice the rate where the recipient has no TIN. Whether a brand treats an influencer fee as a professional fee, or some other category, is its call; ask which rate it is applying. The brand must give you a receipt for the tax deducted showing your name, the gross amount, the tax deducted and the month.
Example
Example only. Fee ₦3,000,000 for a three-post campaign. At 10%, the brand deducts ₦300,000 and pays ₦2,700,000. If it has no TIN for you and applies twice the rate, it deducts ₦600,000 and pays ₦2,400,000. The ₦300,000 difference is why your details belong on the first invoice.
If you live in Ghana, the income is likely to be part of your Ghanaian taxable income. Keep the contract, the invoice, the WHT receipt and the bank credit together. See getting a WHT credit note from a Nigerian client and tax for self-employed freelancers in Ghana.
5. Records checklist
- Signed contract and any changes agreed by email
- Invoice and proof of delivery (links, screenshots, insights)
- Bank credit showing the amount received
- WHT receipt from the brand
- Exchange rate used if you converted
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR with local details for each, so a naira fee can stay in naira until you choose to convert with Swap; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Business customers can raise invoices through invoicing.
Questions people ask
Can a Nigerian brand pay me in dollars in Ghana?
It can, through its bank, which will usually ask for the contract, invoice and evidence of tax. Many brands find it simpler to pay naira to a Nigerian account.
Will a Nigerian brand deduct tax from my influencer fee?
Often, yes. Withholding tax for non-residents on professional fees was reported in 2024 as 10%, doubled where there is no TIN. Ask which rate the brand applies.
Do I pay tax in Ghana on a Nigerian brand deal?
If you are tax resident in Ghana, the income is likely to be part of your taxable income there. Keep your WHT receipt as evidence of the Nigerian tax.
What should an influencer contract with a Nigerian brand include?
Deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity, fee and currency, tax, payment dates and how posts are labelled as adverts.
Sources
- Mondaq: an overview of the Nigerian Withholding Tax Regulations of 2024 (Jul 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- TheCable: what the CBN's 2026 foreign exchange manual says (3 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Stanbic IBTC: approved documents for invisible FX transactions · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.