Choosing how customers pay is one of the first decisions for any online store or service business. The right options depend on where your business is registered, where your customers are, and which currencies you want to receive. Here is an overview of what we usually recommend.
Selling in Nigeria
Paystack and Flutterwave are the most widely used gateways. Both accept local cards, bank transfers and USSD, and both have plugins for WooCommerce and integrations for Shopify. Customers in Nigeria are used to paying by bank transfer, so offering it at checkout, not just card, can noticeably improve completed orders.
Selling in the UK
Stripe and PayPal are the usual choices, with Apple Pay and Google Pay available through them. UK customers expect a smooth card checkout and increasingly use wallets on mobile. Card payments must meet Strong Customer Authentication rules, which modern gateways handle for you.
Selling in the US
Again Stripe and PayPal cover most needs, with Apple Pay, Google Pay and sometimes buy-now-pay-later options. US customers expect to pay in US dollars with as few steps as possible.
If you are a Nigerian business with overseas customers
This is where it gets more complicated. Gateways set rules on which countries’ businesses they serve. For example, Stripe does not currently onboard businesses registered only in Nigeria, though that can change, so always check each provider’s current list of supported countries. Options to consider:
- Enabling international card payments on Paystack or Flutterwave, subject to their approval and settlement rules
- PayPal for clients who prefer it, checking current limits for your account type
- Invoicing larger clients for payment into a domiciliary account
- A company registered in the UK or US, which some businesses set up when overseas sales grow
Fees, currency conversion and how quickly you receive the money vary a lot between these options, so compare them on your real order sizes.
Tips for any checkout
- Show prices in the customer’s currency where you can
- Offer the payment methods your customers actually use, not every method available
- Test the full checkout on a phone before launch, including failed payments
- Make delivery costs and timelines clear before the payment step
This article is a general overview, not financial or legal advice, so confirm details with your payment provider and accountant. When you are ready to build, we set up payment gateways on WooCommerce and Shopify for businesses in all three countries. Tell us where your customers are and we will recommend a setup.
