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The short answer
Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa translators abroad are usually paid one of three ways: by an agency per word, per hour or per audio minute; by a platform that takes a commission and pays out through methods such as PayPal, Payoneer or bank transfer; or directly by a client on invoice. There is no published standard rate, so set your own from the hours a job really takes and check each payer's own fee page before you agree.
Demand for Nigerian-language work comes from places many diaspora speakers do not expect: public health campaigns, courts and hospitals that need interpreters, market research firms testing ads, film and music subtitles, app localisation, and families who need documents translated for an immigration file. The work is real, but the pay ranges widely, and getting paid depends as much on how you are hired as on what you charge. This guide covers who pays, how to price, and how the money reaches you.
Who hires, and how they pay
| Client type | Typical work | How they usually pay |
|---|---|---|
| Translation and localisation agencies | Documents, websites, subtitles, survey scripts | Per word or per minute, monthly invoice run |
| Interpreting agencies | Medical, legal, community appointments, often by phone or video | Per hour or per minute, sometimes with a minimum |
| Freelance platforms | Short jobs, voice-over, transcription | Platform keeps a fee, pays out by its listed methods |
| Direct clients | NGOs, researchers, families, brands | On your invoice, by bank transfer |
| Nigerian companies | Ads, product copy, customer messages | Often in naira, with withholding tax deducted |
For court, police and health work, many countries require interpreters to hold a recognised qualification or to be on an official register. Check the requirement for the country and sector before you bid; it often decides whether you can take the work at all.
Pricing: words, hours and audio minutes
Text translation is commonly priced per source word; interpreting per hour; transcription and subtitling per audio or video minute. Each hides different effort. Tonal marks in Yoruba, the choice between standard and dialect forms in Igbo, and Ajami versus Boko script in Hausa can all slow a job. Agree the variety and script in writing before you quote.
Example only. Suppose you want to earn the equivalent of $30 for every hour you work. If you translate and check about 300 words an hour of plain text, that is $0.10 a word. If a legal document goes at 150 words an hour because every term needs checking, the same target means $0.20 a word. For audio, if one minute of interview takes 8 minutes to transcribe and translate, $30 an hour works out at $4 per audio minute. Use your own speed and target; the method matters more than the figures.
- Set a minimum fee for small jobs, so a 40-word certificate is still worth your time.
- Charge separately for certification statements, formatting and rush delivery.
- Price proofreading of someone else's translation as its own task.
- Write down the file format, the deadline and the number of revisions.
Platforms: read their own fee pages
Platforms publish their fees, and they change. Fiverr's help centre, read in October 2026, lists withdrawals by PayPal, by bank transfer via Payoneer and to a Payoneer account, each with its own fee and minimum, and a maximum of $5,000 per withdrawal. Deel's contractor page, updated 4 September 2026, lists methods from local bank transfer to Payoneer and PayPal, each with a different fee. Upwork says Payoneer transfers carry a small per-transfer fee and typically arrive within 24 hours once set up, and that Payoneer may charge its own fees. Check the page for your platform on the day you withdraw.
Direct and Nigerian clients
For direct work, send a proper invoice with your name, address, the client's name, a description, the amount and currency, and the due date. Ask for a deposit on large jobs. A Nigerian company paying you as a non-resident will usually deduct withholding tax; PwC's summary (reviewed 29 May 2026) gives 10% for professional fees paid to non-residents. Agree whether your quote is gross or net, and ask for the receipt. If the client can only pay in naira, see why Nigerian clients sometimes cannot pay in dollars and invoicing in naira or foreign currency.
Getting paid on time
Agencies normally pay on a monthly cycle against invoices or timesheets submitted by a cut-off date; miss the cut-off and you wait a month. Ask for the cycle in writing when you join. For direct clients, especially families and small organisations, take a deposit before starting long documents and release the certified final version on full payment. Keep a simple log of each job: the client, word count or minutes, the rate, the invoice date and the date paid. It shows quickly which clients pay late and gives you the figures you need for your tax return in the country where you live.
What to check first
- Confirm the language variety, script and audience.
- Ask whether a certified translation or a registered interpreter is required.
- Get the rate, the unit (word, hour or minute) and the payment date in writing.
- Check the payout method and its fee on the payer's own page.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account can hold the dollars, pounds or euros an agency pays you and the naira a Nigerian client pays, each in its own currency, with local account details for each. You convert with Swap only when you choose. See business multicurrency accounts and invoicing.
Questions people ask
How much should I charge per word for Yoruba translation?
There is no published standard. Work out how many words an hour you translate and check, then divide your hourly target by that number, as in the labelled example.
Do I need a certificate to translate Igbo or Hausa?
Not for most commercial work. Courts, police, hospitals and immigration offices often require a recognised qualification or registration; check the country and sector.
How do translation platforms pay freelancers?
Through their listed payout methods, such as PayPal, Payoneer or bank transfer, each with its own fee. Read the platform's own help page.
Will a Nigerian client deduct tax from my translation fee?
Usually, if it is a company. PwC gives 10% withholding for professional fees paid to non-residents. Ask for the receipt.
Sources
- Fiverr Help: Withdrawing your earnings and managing payout methods · accessed Oct 2026
- Deel Help: How contractors can withdraw money from Deel (updated 4 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Upwork Help: How quickly Payoneer pays and what fees apply · 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.