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
Agree written terms with the caregiver (duties, hours, days off, pay, notice), pay on a fixed date each month directly into the caregiver's own bank account, and have a relative or neighbour check in regularly. Nigeria's Labour Act requires a written statement of terms within three months of starting and wages paid at intervals of no more than a month.
When a parent in Nigeria needs daily help, with meals, medicines, mobility or simply company, and you live in Ireland, a paid caregiver is often the only practical answer. The arrangement usually starts informally, through a church contact or a relative's recommendation. It works far better, for your parent and the carer, when it is set up like a proper job with clear terms and reliable pay.
Decide the kind of care
- Live-in carer: lives in the home, provides help through the day, needs a room, food and agreed time off.
- Day carer: comes in for set hours, often six days a week.
- Agency carer: placed and replaced by an agency, which charges a fee and may handle pay.
- Trained nurse visits: for wound care, injections or monitoring, usually paid per visit.
An agency costs more but can replace a carer who leaves; a direct hire is cheaper but the arrangements are yours to manage. Whichever you choose, check references and, for nurses, ask to see their current professional licence.
Put the terms in writing
Section 7 of the Labour Act requires an employer to give a worker a written statement of terms within three months of starting work. Even if you are not sure the Act applies to a carer you hire privately, the same list makes a good contract:
- the names of both parties and the start date
- the duties (personal care, cooking, cleaning, accompanying to hospital)
- working hours, days off and holidays
- the pay, how it is paid and on what date
- sick pay and what happens if the carer is unwell
- notice on either side
The Act also sets wages to be paid at intervals of no more than a month (s.15), notice periods that rise with length of service, from one day for service of three months or less to one month after five years (s.11), and at least six working days' paid holiday after twelve months' continuous service (s.18). Nigeria's national minimum wage is ₦70,000 a month under the 2024 amendment Act; SCP Law's summary of the Act lists domestic workers among the categories exempt, but many families use it as a floor. This is information, not legal advice. Our Nigeria guide hiring a driver, nanny or house help covers contracts in more depth.
Set up the payment
- Pay the carer directly into an account in the carer's own name, not through a relative, so there is no question about what they received.
- Pick a fixed date, such as the last working day of the month, and keep to it. Late pay is one of the main reasons carers leave.
- Use a consistent narration, for example "CARE SALARY OCT 2026", so payments are easy to trace.
- Pay household costs (food, medicines, transport to hospital) separately from salary, ideally against receipts, so wages are not mixed with spending money.
- Keep a record of each payment and a copy of the signed terms.
Worked example (illustrative)
A family hires a live-in carer at an example ₦150,000 a month, plus ₦100,000 a month for food and household items for the parent and carer, and ₦30,000 for transport to clinic appointments. The monthly total is ₦280,000, or ₦3,360,000 a year. If the family also gives a thirteenth-month bonus in December equal to one month's salary, the annual cost becomes ₦3,510,000.
When the carer is ill or leaves
Plan for the gap before it happens. Agree with a relative or neighbour that they will step in for a few days if the carer is sick or goes home for a family event, and decide in advance what you will pay for that cover. If the carer resigns, pay what is owed for days worked and any agreed notice or holiday pay promptly, and get a signed note that the final payment was received. Ask for keys back and change any shared passwords or phone codes. If you used an agency, check how quickly it promises a replacement and whether its fee covers that.
Checks from a distance
Ask a relative, neighbour or church member nearby to visit at least weekly, and agree with your parent a simple way to tell you if something is wrong. Short video calls with your parent, at times that vary, show how they are being looked after. Keep the carer's ID, phone number and next of kin on file. If your parent is enrolled with an HMO, make sure the carer knows the clinic and the enrolee number; see HMO cover for parents in Nigeria.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Personal Account opened from Ireland lets you convert euro and send naira to the carer on the agreed date, with the rate and the fee shown before you approve. Your Personal Assistant can remind you of pay day and prepare the payment for your approval, and a verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai gives the carer proof of pay (receipts). To plan this alongside other support, see a monthly allowance for parents.
Questions people ask
How do I pay a caregiver in Nigeria from abroad?
Send the agreed salary on a fixed date each month directly to an account in the caregiver's own name, with a clear narration, and keep records.
Does the minimum wage apply to a carer for my mother?
The national minimum wage is ₦70,000 a month under the 2024 amendment Act. SCP Law's summary lists domestic workers as exempt, but many families pay at least that as a fair floor.
Do I need a contract for a house help or carer in Nigeria?
The Labour Act requires written terms within three months of starting work for workers it covers. A written agreement protects both sides either way.
How much notice should a carer give in Nigeria?
The Labour Act sets notice by length of service, from one day for three months or less up to one month after five years, unless the contract says otherwise.
Sources
- Labour Act, Cap L1 LFN 2004 (PLAC) · accessed Oct 2026
- SCP Law: The 2024 Minimum Wage Act, a closer look (31 Jul 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.