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
Before releasing goods, an Onitsha trader should confirm the credit in their own banking app or internet banking, never by SMS, screenshot or printed receipt alone. Transfers on the NIBSS Instant Payment system are designed to land in real time, so if the money is not in your app, the goods stay until it is.
Transfers have replaced cash for many purchases in Onitsha's markets. They are safer than carrying bundles of notes, but they create one risk for the seller: the buyer who shows "proof" of a payment that never arrives. Fake SMS alerts, edited screenshots and forged receipts are all easy to produce. The defence is a routine that every person at the shop follows, every time.
Why SMS and screenshots are not proof
An SMS can be sent from any phone and made to look like a bank alert. A screenshot of a "successful" transfer can be edited or can show a transfer that was later reversed or never completed. A receipt printed from an app is useful as a record, but it shows what the sender's side says, not what arrived in your account.
The only reliable proof is the credit showing in your own account, seen in your banking app or internet banking. NIBSS, which runs the instant transfer system most banks use, describes it as real-time, with funds available to the beneficiary before settlement (NIBSS, Apr 2026). For most transfers, that means the money should show within moments. A delay is possible, but a delay is a reason to wait, not to release.
Steps: the release routine
- Give the buyer your account details in writing (a card or printed sticker), so the name and number are not misheard.
- When the buyer says they have paid, open your banking app yourself. Do not rely on someone else's phone.
- Check that the credit shows, with the right amount, and ideally the sender's name.
- Only then release the goods.
- If the credit does not show, politely ask the buyer to wait. Offer a seat. Genuine buyers will wait a few minutes.
- If it still does not show, keep the goods. Offer cash or a later collection once the money arrives.
Make it shop policy
Fraudsters target apprentices and staff who may be afraid to delay a customer. Write the rule on the wall: "Goods are released when money shows in our account." Give the person on the counter view access to the business account on a shop phone, or require them to call you before releasing high-value goods.
Large orders and buyers from out of town
For big orders, many traders ask for payment a day ahead, or ask the buyer to pay while still in the shop and wait for the credit. Some also confirm the sender's name matches the buyer's identity, which helps if there is a dispute later. If a buyer insists on taking goods before payment clears, treat that as a warning sign.
If you were paid and the money is later taken back
Occasionally, money that landed is later reversed, for example when the sender's bank recovers funds from a fraud. A CBN draft framework on authorised push payment fraud, reported in late 2025, proposed that banks investigate reported fraud within 14 working days and set refund timelines (TechCabal, Dec 2025). Separately, CBN rules on erroneous transfers allow a sending bank to request return of funds sent in error (ThisDay, Sep 2018). If your account is debited, ask your bank in writing for the reason and the reference, and keep your sale records.
Receipts that can be checked
Your own receipts matter too. A clear written receipt with date, items, amount and the payment reference protects you if a buyer later disputes the sale. A verifiable receipt goes further: anyone can check it has not been altered. Our guide on how to spot a fake transfer receipt explains the signs of a forged one.
When the network is down
Network and bank outages happen, often on the busiest days. When your app will not load, you cannot confirm a credit, and that is exactly when fraudsters push hardest. Agree a fallback before it happens: take cash, ask the buyer to wait until the network returns, or hold the goods with the buyer's name and contact for later collection. Do not accept "I will send it when the network comes back" for goods that leave your shop now.
What to check first
- Is the credit in your own app, not just on the buyer's phone?
- Is the amount exactly right?
- Does the sender's name make sense for this buyer?
- Has your staff member followed the rule, or been rushed?
For the wider pattern of tricks in the city, read common scams in Onitsha.
Where Pryme fits
With a Pryme Business Account, incoming transfers show in the app as they arrive. A shop that takes online orders can add bank-transfer checkout free of charge. Any Pryme customer can generate a regular or verifiable receipt or statement through our partner VerifyDoc.ai, and anyone can check a verifiable one is genuine and unaltered (receipts).
Questions people ask
How do I confirm a transfer is real?
Open your own banking app or internet banking and check the credit shows with the right amount. An SMS, screenshot or printed receipt is not proof.
How long does a bank transfer take in Nigeria?
Transfers on the NIBSS Instant Payment system are designed to be real-time. If money has not arrived after a few minutes, keep the goods until it does.
What if a customer shows a fake alert?
Do not release the goods. Politely explain your rule, offer to wait for the money, and warn other traders in your line.
Can a transfer be reversed after I release goods?
In some cases, such as fraud recovery or an erroneous transfer request, yes. Keep sale records and ask your bank in writing for the reason if your account is debited.
Sources
- NIBSS: NIBSS Instant Payment (page updated 17 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TechCabal: CBN draft rules on refunds for authorised push payment fraud (2 Dec 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- ThisDay: CBN announces fines for failed transaction reversals (18 Sep 2018) · 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.