Paystack for Nigerian sellers — fees, payouts & the mistakes that cost you money

1. What Paystack actually charges

Local Nigerian cards: 1.5% (capped at ₦2,000). International cards: 3.9% + ₦100. Bank transfer & USSD are usually free or very low. Build the 1.5% into your prices so a ₦10,000 sale still leaves you with the margin you planned.

2. Settlement times

Paystack settles to your Nigerian bank account on a T+1 schedule (next working day). Weekend and public-holiday orders land the next business day. Don't promise a supplier the money the same evening.

3. Refunds

Refunds are one-click from BazaarFlow. The money is pulled from your pending balance first, so keep at least ₦5,000 float there. A refund shows up on the buyer's card within 5–10 working days — set that expectation clearly to avoid support pings.

4. Chargebacks

A chargeback is when a buyer disputes a payment with their bank. You get 7 days to respond with proof of delivery. Always keep: dispatch receipt, delivery photo, and the WhatsApp/email confirming the buyer received it. Sellers who upload proof win the majority of chargebacks.

5. The three mistakes that cost sellers money

1. Underpricing. Forgetting to bake Paystack's 1.5% and BazaarFlow's platform fee into your price.
2. No delivery proof. Hand-off with no photo means you lose almost every chargeback.
3. Wrong bank account. Double-check your payout account in settings — a one-digit typo delays payouts by weeks.

6. When to move off "personal account"

Once you consistently do ₦200k+ / month, register with CAC and switch your payout to a business account. Business accounts unlock higher daily payout limits and let you claim VAT input on packaging suppliers.