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The short answer
When a Nigerian client pays by card through a Canadian processor, you usually pay more than the domestic rate. Stripe Canada, for example, lists 2.9% plus C$0.30 for domestic cards, plus 0.8% for international cards and 2% where currency conversion is needed, and C$15 per dispute (Stripe pricing page, October 2026). On a foreign card needing conversion, that is 5.7% plus C$0.30 before any dispute risk, so price it in or offer another way to pay.
How card fees stack up
A card payment from Lagos to your Canadian account involves the client's Nigerian bank, the card network, your processor and a currency conversion somewhere along the way. Each processor publishes its own pricing. Here is how Stripe's Canadian page sets out the main lines; other processors' terms differ, so read theirs before you choose.
| Fee (Stripe Canada, October 2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Domestic card | 2.9% + C$0.30 per successful transaction |
| International card | +0.8% |
| Currency conversion required | +2% |
| Manually entered card | +0.5% |
| Dispute received | C$15.00 |
| Dispute countered | C$15.00, refunded if you win |
| Refunds | No fee on most methods, but original processing and conversion fees are not returned |
| Instant payout | 1% of payout, minimum C$0.60; standard payouts free |
Worked example (example figures)
You invoice a Lagos client the equivalent of C$1,380, and the client pays with a Nigerian-issued US dollar card, so the payment is international and needs conversion. Fees are 2.9% + 0.8% + 2% = 5.7% of C$1,380, which is C$78.66, plus C$0.30: C$78.96 in total, leaving C$1,301.04. If the client later disputes the charge, add C$15 and possibly lose the payment.
Chargebacks: the bigger risk
A card payment can be disputed after you have done the work. The processor takes the disputed amount back while the dispute runs, charges its fee, and returns the money only if you win. For services, winning usually depends on evidence:
- A signed contract or accepted proposal setting out the deliverables and price.
- The invoice, with the client's name matching the cardholder.
- Delivery evidence: files sent, emails approving the work, meeting logs.
- A clear refund and cancellation policy the client agreed to.
The Nigeria library explains how disputes and reversals work from the Nigerian side in chargebacks and reversals in Nigeria.
When card payment still makes sense
Cards are not always the wrong choice. For a first job with a new client, a card payment through a processor can be quicker to set up than a transfer, and the client gets a familiar checkout. For small, one-off amounts, the convenience may be worth the percentage. The cost bites on large or repeat invoices, where 5.7% of every payment adds up over a year: on C$30,000 of card receipts from foreign clients needing conversion, the percentage part alone would be C$1,710 (example figures). That is the point at which asking regular clients to switch to a bank transfer is worth the conversation.
Ways to reduce the cost
- Price for it. Add a card surcharge only if your processor's rules and your province allow it; otherwise build the cost into your rate for card-paying clients.
- Take a deposit by bank transfer and the balance by card, so less is exposed to dispute.
- Invoice in the currency the client pays so conversion happens once, at a point you control.
- Avoid manual card entry, which carries an extra charge and weaker fraud protection.
- Keep the paper trail from proposal to delivery in one place for each client.
Settlement currency and the 2% conversion line
Stripe's page applies the extra 2% where currency conversion is required. If you charge in US dollars and your account settles only in Canadian dollars, a conversion happens on every payment. If the charge currency matches a currency your account can settle in, that line may not apply. Check your processor's settings and its own page on supported settlement currencies before you assume either way.
Questions to ask any processor
- What is the extra charge for cards issued outside Canada?
- Is there a separate conversion fee, and at what rate is the conversion done?
- Which currencies can I hold or be paid out in?
- What is the dispute fee, is it refunded if I win, and how long do disputes take?
- How long are funds held before payout, and can the processor hold a reserve on my account?
Tax points
- Gross income. Report the full invoice amount as income and the processor fees as a business expense, not the net payout.
- Conversion. Use the Bank of Canada rate for the day the income arises (Folio S5-F4-C1), even if the processor converted at a different rate; the difference sits in your fees and gains or losses.
- GST/HST. Services to non-residents are generally zero-rated; keep evidence the client is outside Canada (Memorandum 4-5-3). See GST/HST on services to Nigerian clients.
Where Pryme fits
A Nigerian client may prefer to pay by bank transfer. A Pryme Business Account gives you US dollar and naira account details, so the client can transfer in either currency and the money stays in that currency until you choose to convert, with the rate and fee shown before you approve. Invoicing keeps proposals, invoices and payments together if you ever need to answer a dispute.
Questions people ask
How much does Stripe charge for an international card in Canada?
Stripe Canada lists 2.9% plus C$0.30, plus 0.8% for international cards and 2% if currency conversion is needed, as at October 2026.
What is the chargeback fee for a Nigerian card payment?
Stripe Canada charges C$15 per dispute received, and C$15 to counter it, refunded if you win. Other processors set their own fees.
Do I report the card fee as an expense?
Yes. Report the full invoice as income and the processor fees as a business expense.
Is there a cheaper way for a Nigerian client to pay me?
Bank transfer avoids card fees and chargebacks, though transfer and conversion costs apply. Compare the total cost for each route before choosing.
Sources
- Stripe Canada: Pricing (standard online card pricing and dispute fees) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA Income Tax Folio S5-F4-C1, Income tax reporting currency (updated 27 Jun 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA GST/HST Memorandum 4-5-3, Exports: services and intangible personal property (Dec 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Bank of Canada: Daily exchange rates (table dated 23 Oct 2026) · 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.