AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A media house bills adverts from its rate card, usually invoicing the advertising agency the gross value less the agency commission agreed in their contract, plus VAT where the media house is not exempt. ARCON has directed advertisers to settle agency invoices within 45 days (Guardian, February 2026), and a weekly ageing report is the media house’s main tool for keeping its own receivables inside that kind of window.
Advertising receivables are a long-running problem for Nigerian broadcasters, newspapers and digital publishers. A Guardian analysis in February 2026 said agencies often wait 90 to 120 days to be paid and that outstanding advertising receivables run into tens of billions of naira at any time. A media house cannot control its clients’ cash, but it can control how clearly it bills, how quickly it proves delivery and how firmly it follows up.
Rate cards
The rate card is the price list: spot or slot prices by time band, programme or page position, length or size, and any premium for guaranteed placement. Keep it dated and versioned, and state on every booking which rate card version applies. Discounts for volume, season or long-term contracts should be written into the booking order, not agreed in a phone call.
- Broadcast: price per spot by time belt and duration; sponsorships and live mentions priced separately.
- Print: price by page, position and colour; inserts by quantity.
- Digital: price per thousand impressions, per post, or per sponsored article.
Agency commission and how the invoice works
Where an agency books on behalf of an advertiser, the media house usually invoices the agency at the gross rate card value less the agency’s commission, and the agency bills its client. The commission percentage is set by the contract between the media house and the agency; there is no figure you should assume.
Worked example
Example. An agency books 10 radio spots at ₦150,000 each. Gross value: ₦1,500,000. Using an example commission of 15%, commission is ₦225,000 and the net media value is ₦1,275,000. If the media house charges VAT at 7.5%, VAT is ₦95,625 and the invoice total is ₦1,370,625.
Under the 2025 tax law, as summarised on Mondaq, a VAT invoice must show the supplier’s TIN and registration number, an invoice number, name and address, date of supply, the purchaser’s name, the gross amount, and the VAT charged and rate. Large taxpayers (turnover of ₦5 billion or more) had to adopt the NRS e-invoicing system by 31 July 2026, with medium taxpayers onboarding from July 2026, according to the Guardian. Check where your company sits.
Booking orders before airtime
Every campaign should start with a signed booking order or purchase order from the agency or advertiser, showing the rate card version, spots or insertions, dates, discounts, commission, payment terms and the client the agency is acting for. Without it, a dispute about price or schedule becomes your word against theirs. For new clients or agencies with a poor record, ask for part payment before the campaign starts, and keep a credit limit for each agency that the sales team cannot exceed without approval.
Proof of delivery
Clients pay faster when they cannot dispute that the advert ran. Send proof with the invoice, not after a query: a transmission log or certificate of airing for broadcast, tear sheets for print, and screenshots or platform reports for digital. Match each line on the invoice to a line in the proof.
Withholding tax on your receipts
Agencies and corporate advertisers may deduct withholding tax before paying you. Ask for the WHT receipt each time, because it is your evidence for the tax credit. PwC’s summary of the 2024 Regulations sets the rates by category (for example 2% for other services and 5% for commission for residents); confirm with your adviser which category the payer is applying and whether anything has changed under the 2025 laws. Getting your credit notes back covers the follow-up.
Ageing and collections
Run an ageing report every week, listing each client’s unpaid invoices by age:
| Age band | Action |
|---|---|
| 0–30 days | Confirm invoice and proof received; note the expected payment date |
| 31–45 days | Polite reminder with statement; ask for a payment date |
| 46–90 days | Senior call; hold new bookings for the client until a plan is agreed |
| Over 90 days | Formal demand; consider legal options; stop credit |
The Guardian reports that ARCON, under its Act No. 23 of 2022, has directed advertisers to settle agency invoices within 45 days, with penalties for delays, and that obligations must be settled before an account moves to another agency. That rule covers advertisers and agencies; your own contract with each agency should set your payment terms too. If the agency has been paid by its client, it has less reason to delay you.
- Put payment terms on the booking order and the invoice.
- Invoice the day the campaign ends, or monthly for long campaigns.
- Send statements, not just invoices, each month.
- Agree a credit limit for each agency and stop new bookings when it is reached.
- Record every promise to pay and follow up on the date.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme invoicing and virtual accounts let each agency pay into its own account number so receipts match invoices. The Sales agent can prepare reminders from the ageing list for a person to approve. See also chasing invoices well.
Questions people ask
How much commission do advertising agencies get in Nigeria?
It is set in the contract between the media house and the agency. The 15% used in this article is an example to show the arithmetic.
What is the ARCON 45-day payment rule?
The Guardian reported in February 2026 that ARCON directed advertisers to settle agency invoices within 45 days, with penalties for delays.
Do media houses charge VAT on adverts?
A media house that is not a small business exempt under the 2025 law charges VAT at 7.5% on its supplies and issues a VAT invoice with the required details.
How do I prove an advert was aired?
Send a transmission log or certificate of airing for broadcast, tear sheets for print, and platform reports for digital, matched to the invoice lines.
Sources
- Guardian: Advertising debt, why ARCON’s payment rule matters · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq: Examination of the VAT provisions under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 · accessed Oct 2026
- The Guardian: NRS sets July 31 e-invoicing deadline · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Nigeria: Highlights of the Deduction at Source (Withholding) Regulations 2024 · 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.