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The short answer
A brand deal with a Nigerian company is a services contract like any other, but three things need settling before you post: the written terms (deliverables, approval, usage rights and payment date), how you will be paid and whether Nigerian withholding tax will be deducted, and how you will label the content. The ASA and CAP influencer guide says any payment or incentive, including free products, makes disclosure necessary, and that you, the brand and any agency are all responsible for it.
Nigerian brands increasingly book UK-based creators to reach diaspora audiences: fashion labels, food brands, fintechs, music promoters and travel firms among them. The offer often arrives as a WhatsApp message or a DM with a figure and a deadline. That is a fine start, but it is not a contract. This guide covers what to agree, how the money moves, and the UK rules that apply to the post itself.
What a brand deal usually covers
Most deals bundle the same parts, whatever the brand. Write each one down, because disputes almost always start where something was left vague.
- Deliverables: number and format of posts (static post, reel, story frames, YouTube integration), platforms, and posting dates.
- Approval: whether the brand sees drafts, how many rounds of changes are included, and how quickly it must reply.
- Usage rights: whether the brand may reuse your content in its own ads, on which channels, and for how long.
- Exclusivity: whether you must avoid competing brands, in which category, and for how many weeks.
- Fee and timing: the amount, the currency, any deposit, and the date the balance is due.
- Cancellation: what you are paid if the brand pulls the campaign after you have filmed.
The contract points that matter most
Licence, not assignment, unless you are paid for it
Some Nigerian brand templates say the brand "owns" everything you make. Under UK law, an assignment of copyright is not effective unless it is in writing and signed by or on behalf of the person assigning it (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s.90(3)). A licence is the usual middle ground: the brand may use named content, on named channels, for a named period. If the brand wants to run your face in paid ads for a year, price that separately from the organic posts.
Governing law and where disputes go
Agree which country's law governs the contract. A Nigerian brand will often propose Nigerian law; a UK creator may prefer English law. The choice has knock-on effects. For example, the UK's Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 does not apply where English law was chosen only by agreement and the contract has no significant connection with the UK, and the reverse rules also exist (s.12). Whatever you choose, a clear payment date and a deposit protect you more than any clause about courts.
A withholding tax line
Nigerian companies often deduct withholding tax (WHT) before paying. PwC's summary of Nigeria's withholding regime (reviewed May 2026) gives 10% for professional, consultancy, technical and management fees paid to non-residents, and 5% for other services paid to non-residents. Which line a brand deal falls under is for the brand's tax team to decide, so ask before you sign. Then either quote your fee as the amount you must receive after any deduction, or agree that the brand sends WHT receipts with each payment. Our guide to Nigerian WHT on a UK invoice covers the treaty points.
Getting paid
Agree the currency in the contract, not after the work. A fee quoted in pounds puts the exchange risk on the brand; a fee quoted in naira puts it on you. If you accept naira, state the amount and when it is due, and decide in advance when you will convert. A deposit before filming, with the balance due a fixed number of days after the last post goes live, keeps both sides honest.
| Payment term | What it protects | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit before filming | Your time if the campaign is cancelled | Say whether it is refundable |
| Balance on a fixed date | Cash flow | Tie it to posting, not to "approval" |
| Fee in pounds | You from naira movements | Brand may need to buy pounds |
| Fee in naira | Brand from FX cost | Your pound value can fall before you convert |
| WHT clause | Your net fee | Ask for receipts with each payment |
Labelling the post in the UK
The CAP and ASA guide for influencers (fourth edition, October 2026, written with the Competition and Markets Authority) is clear on the basics. Any incentive counts as payment, including free products sent with no obligation to post. If the brand had editorial control, such as final approval or telling you what to say or when to post, the content is an ad. Recommended labels are #Ad, #Advert, #Advertising, #Advertisement and #AdvertisementFeature, placed at the very start and not hidden behind "more". Labels such as "gifted", "collab", "in partnership with" or a brand tag alone are on the guide's list to avoid.
The guide does not carve out overseas brands. It says you, the brand and any agents involved are responsible, so a Lagos brand paying you does not move the duty off you. The full rules are in our guide to ad disclosure for UK influencers paid by Nigerian brands. The brand may have its own Nigerian obligations too: Nigeria's advertising regulator, ARCON, said in December 2022 that social media adverts need its approval before they run, which is a matter for the brand to handle.
Tax on the fee in the UK
If you are UK resident, you normally pay UK tax on foreign income as well as UK income (GOV.UK, Tax on foreign income). Brand fees earned as a creator are usually self-employment income. GOV.UK says you must register for Self Assessment if you earn more than £1,000 from self-employment in a tax year, which is the trading allowance limit. Free products you receive as payment may count too, so keep a note of what you were sent and its value.
What to check first
- Get the brief and the fee in writing, with posting dates.
- Confirm usage rights and exclusivity, and price paid-ad usage separately.
- Agree the currency, deposit, balance date and WHT treatment.
- Plan the label: #Ad at the start of every post and story frame.
- Record the income and any WHT receipt for your tax return.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account holds pounds and naira side by side, so a brand can pay you in either and you choose when to convert, seeing the rate and fee before you approve. You can send invoices from the app, and issue a verifiable receipt through our partner VerifyDoc.ai when a brand asks for proof of payment.
Questions people ask
Do I still need #ad if the Nigerian brand only sent free products?
The CAP and ASA guide (Oct 2026) says free products count as payment and need disclosure even if you were not obliged to post. Label it clearly at the start.
Can a Nigerian brand own my content outright?
Under UK law, a copyright assignment only works if it is in writing and signed by you (CDPA 1988 s.90(3)). Most creators grant a licence for set uses and a set period instead, and charge more for wider use.
Why did the brand pay me less than my invoice?
It may have deducted Nigerian withholding tax. PwC's summary gives 10% for professional and similar fees and 5% for other services paid to non-residents. Ask for the WHT receipt.
Should I charge Nigerian brands in pounds or naira?
Pounds keeps the exchange risk with the brand; naira puts it on you. Whichever you choose, state it in the contract with a payment date.
Sources
- ASA/CAP: Influencers' guide to making clear that ads are ads (4th edition, Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90 · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Tax Summaries: Nigeria, corporate withholding taxes (reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Tax on foreign income (updated 1 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Set up as a sole trader (updated 5 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Brand Communicator: ARCON statement on social media adverts (12 Dec 2022) · 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.