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
Get a signed contract covering scope, fee, currency, whether the fee is gross or net of Nigerian withholding tax, and milestone payments with a deposit before work starts. Nigerian companies commonly deduct 10% from non-residents' professional fees under the 2024 Regulations, so ask for a withholding receipt at each payment, and hold back final delivery files until the last payment clears.
South Africa has a deep pool of editors, colourists, sound designers, VFX artists and crew, and Nigerian productions hire from it, sometimes for post-production done in Johannesburg, sometimes for a shoot in Cape Town, sometimes for remote work on a series shot in Lagos. The craft is the easy part. Getting a clear contract and getting paid in full, on time, in a currency that holds its value is where most problems start. This guide covers the terms worth insisting on.
The contract: what it must say
Many Nigerian productions run on short timelines and informal agreements. A WhatsApp message saying "we'll sort you out" is not a contract. Before work starts, get a signed document that covers:
| Term | What to agree | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Deliverables, number of revision rounds, formats | Stops endless "one more change" requests |
| Fee and currency | Amount, currency, whether gross or net of tax | Avoids a surprise deduction or FX loss |
| Payment schedule | Deposit and milestones tied to delivery | You are never far ahead of what has been paid |
| Credit | Screen credit wording and placement | Your portfolio depends on it |
| Rights | What the producer owns and when (often on full payment) | Gives you leverage if payment stalls |
| Cancellation | Kill fee if the project is shelved | Productions stall for funding reasons |
| Expenses | Travel, equipment hire, storage, who pays | Prevents disputes after delivery |
| Disputes | Governing law and forum | Decides where you would have to claim |
On the rights point, tying the transfer of copyright to full payment is a common safeguard; see IP assignment for work for Nigerian clients. On cancellation, see a kill-fee clause.
Milestones that fit film work
Example (illustrative only): an editor agrees ₦4,000,000 for a feature edit, paid 30% on signing, 40% on picture lock and 30% on final delivery: ₦1,200,000 + ₦1,600,000 + ₦1,200,000 = ₦4,000,000. Final delivery files (the full-resolution master) are released only when the last payment clears. If the producer company deducts 10% withholding tax on each instalment, the editor receives ₦1,080,000, ₦1,440,000 and ₦1,080,000, and should ask for a withholding receipt each time.
Withholding tax on creative fees
Nigeria's Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding) Regulations 2024, as summarised by PwC, set 10% for non-residents on professional, consultancy, technical and management fees. PwC's highlights also list a 15% rate for non-resident entertainers and sportspersons, which could matter if you are performing on screen rather than providing a post-production service; which category a production applies to your fee is a question to settle with its accountant before signing. The rates come from the 2024 Regulations and may change under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, which we did not confirm.
Get the withholding receipt; without it, SARS relief is hard to claim. The South African side is explained in claiming Nigerian withholding tax in SA.
Currency and getting paid
- Productions with foreign financing or streaming deals may be able to pay in dollars; ask early.
- If paid in naira, keep milestones short so less is exposed to a weakening naira between invoice and payment.
- Confirm the account name matches the production company on the contract; payment from a producer's personal account is a warning sign worth asking about.
- Send an invoice at each milestone, with the contract reference, rather than one at the end.
If you travel to Nigeria for the job
A shoot in Lagos changes the picture: you are then performing services in Nigeria, which affects Nigerian tax and your visa or entry conditions. That case is covered in film shoots in Nigeria: contracts and pay. Voice and dubbing work has its own norms, covered in voiceover and dubbing pay for Nollywood.
What to check first
- A signed contract with scope, fee, currency and schedule.
- A deposit received before work starts.
- Agreement on whether the fee is gross or net of Nigerian withholding tax, and which rate applies.
- Delivery files held back until final payment.
- A named contact at the production for payments.
Keep a short production file for each job: the signed contract, every invoice, each withholding receipt, delivery confirmations and the messages approving each stage. Productions change producers and accountants mid-project more often than most clients, and the person who hired you may not be the one who signs off payment. A file that shows what was agreed, what was delivered and what was paid lets a new producer clear your invoice without starting a debate, and it is the evidence you need if a dispute ever goes further.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account gives you naira and dollar account details for a production to pay into, and invoicing lets you send an invoice for each milestone; money stays in the currency it arrived in until you convert, and the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve.
Questions people ask
How do Nollywood productions pay foreign crew?
Terms vary by production. Agree the currency, a deposit and milestones in a signed contract, and confirm the paying account matches the production company.
Will a Nigerian production deduct tax from my fee?
Often. PwC's summary of the 2024 Regulations gives 10% for non-residents' professional fees and 15% for non-resident entertainers. Agree which applies before signing.
Should I release final files before I am paid?
A common safeguard is to deliver review copies at each stage and release the full-resolution master only once the final payment clears.
What if the film is cancelled halfway?
A kill-fee clause sets what you are paid if the project is shelved. Without one, recovering payment for work done is harder.
Sources
- PwC Nigeria: highlights of the Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding) Regulations 2024 · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Nigeria corporate withholding taxes (reviewed 29 May 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.