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The client has been found. You've worked it out! Wonderful so far that you’ve been on time. The really hard part is getting paid – which finally happens. It's a nightmare for Nigerian freelancers to receive international payments, definitely. The bank transfer is delayed, blocked or bounced. PayPal is too pricey and has a awful exchange rate. Western union needs agents, and paperwork, and it is generally the same agents in a shady place. However, times have moved on. Today it's easy, quick and inexpensive to get paid in dollars no matter where in the world your client is located. This guide takes a look at the best and most available today.

Why is it that I don't see this as much in my new school?Why don't I see this a lot in my new school?

But first know the why. The naira is on a roller coaster ride. You can earn in dollars and convert to naira if necessary, making sure that your income don't devalue suddenly. Dollar earning also allows you to access naira inputted income, worldly service, traveller options and saving options that you are not able to avail of with naira currency. Above all, foreign countries want to pay in their own money. If they are used to paying you in cash, you're much more likely to secure and maintain a contract.

Make the best options for Nigerian freelancers.

These are the fastest platforms to receive dollar payments after testing out several platforms and talking to successful freelancers.

Geegold has become a popular destination for freelance Nigerians. It offers a virtual wallet with your name on it that holds a U.S. bank account. You provide all the details for your client's account in the same format as an American bank account. Funded through wire or ACH transfer, money loads into your Geegold account in 1-3 business days. Then you can exchange it into naira at a very competitive exchange rates and immediately send it to your local bank account. The virtual account cost is minimal and so is the currency conversion, but the speed and reliability of Geegold is worth it.

Then there's Chipper Cash which is a great option for freelancers servicing US and UK clients. Chipper gives you two wallets, on one you can deposit money in US dollars and on the other in British pounds. It's easy to send money directly from clients' bank accounts to your Chipper wallets. Transfer of funds takes only hours or even minutes. Chipper's exchange rates are transparent and competitive. You can purchase dollars in local units or withdraw to your local Bank account here in Nigeria. The mobile-based app is easy-to-use and supported.

Lemonade Finance is specifically targeting Nigerians of the diaspora and freelancers who earn foreign currency. It offers a U.S bank account and can be used to receive payments from your employer or client or from platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr. Orders usually can be processed within 1-2 days. Lemonade gives some of the most favorable exchange rates – sometimes even better than the parallel market. The first withdrawal of the month to a Nigeria bank account is free and instant.

It is no surprise that Wise is a global favourite as it is TransferWise, now known as Wise. Users can create an account in Wise and have access to all the necessary details about their US, UK, euro and other currency accounts. These are the types of accounts you get paid into directly by your client. Wise is renowned for their clear fees and no hidden exchange rate markups. That is the problem, however, that the opening of the account will need to be verified, and that whole process may take a couple of days. Once opened, it is very reliable, however. Money is sent quickly from overseas to Nigeria through local partners.

Grey is relatively new and is a platform geared specifically towards freelancers in Africa. It offers Foreign Exchange accounts for USD 1$, GBP £1 and EUR 1. The account numbers are those specified by the client for payments to be made to you. The monthly cost for Grey is zero and only transaction fee pertains in case of receiving money or changing currencies. The platform has been connected to Nigerian bank accounts, which streamlines the process of withdrawing funds. Most of the freelancers experience same day settlement.

What About PayPal?

There are pros and cons to using PayPal in Nigeria. Excessive costs, that can equal 5 - 7 percent of every payment. The exchange rate is weak, making a 3-5% loss still. You can keep this money in this account for a long period of time, particularly if you have a new account. You will need to go through a third party such as Geegold or Grey in order to deposit to Nigerian bank accounts. With all this in mind, for the most part a professional freelancer would refuse to take on PayPal unless the client wants them to and there is no other choice.

Platforms That Pay Directly

Depending upon how you find clients as freelance workers, you might not be needing another payment processor. With the integration of Geegold, Upwork makes it possible for Nigerian freelancers to receive direct payments into their National Bank accounts. Fiverr is a payment system that makes it possible to pull out money to Payoneer, to the Nigerian accounts. Toptal has taken a payment approach that ensures transfers made via wire to any bank account in Nigeria. They are all proven options but they come with the business model of the platform they are meant for. Eventually, many freelancers like to get clients off of a platform - because of fees and the regulations of payment terms.

In this step-by-step approach, you will learn how to obtain your first dollar payment.

If earning dollars is new to you, do this. What you need to do for the first time is select 1 platform from the above list. Geegold or Chipper Cash are decent options as they are easy to install. Follow the verification procedure (may need government ID and/or utility bill). This can take 1-2 days, do this before you have to get paid.

Second, get your payment information. It will give you a virtual account number, routing number and sometimes even your bank name and address. Reproduce this information verbatim.

Third, update your client with the following information. Be easy on the recipient: "Send payment to the following US bank account. Be sure to include everything. Some clients may require an invoice or a W-8BEN form that verifies that you are not a tax paying agency of the United States. You may need this form on your platform, or you can get it off the IRS site.

Fourth, don't run out and buy anything while you're waiting for the payment. The majority of transfers are done in 1 to 3 business days. After the dollars show up in your platform account, determine the currency you want to be named. In the event that you are planning to convert, compare the exchange rate offered by the platform with the parallel rate. Only when you need naira, should you convert out of a dollar.