Upwork and Fiverr are popular platforms for Nigerian freelancers to find international clients. But getting your money out — actually receiving it in Nigeria — requires understanding the withdrawal options available.
Upwork offers several withdrawal methods. Not all are available in Nigeria, and they have different fees and speeds.
1. Payoneer (Recommended for Nigeria)
The most popular option for Nigerian Upwork freelancers. Payoneer is available in Nigeria and lets you receive USD into a Payoneer account, then withdraw to your Nigerian bank.
2. Wire Transfer (Direct Bank Transfer)
Upwork can send USD directly to your Nigerian bank via wire transfer.
3. Paystack (Not available)
Unfortunately, Paystack is not an Upwork withdrawal option.
1. Payoneer (Most Popular)
Same as Upwork — connect your Payoneer account to receive Fiverr earnings.
2. Bank Transfer
Fiverr supports bank transfers to Nigerian banks in some cases. Check your Fiverr account settings for availability.
3. Fiverr Revenue Card
A prepaid Mastercard that you can use directly or withdraw to a bank. Available in Nigeria.
1. Create a Payoneer account (payoneer.com)
2. Connect Payoneer to both Upwork and Fiverr
3. When withdrawing, choose "Transfer to Bank" in Payoneer to send to your Nigerian account
4. Keep some funds in your Payoneer USD account as a buffer
Many Nigerian freelancers earn from both platforms (Upwork/Fiverr) and direct clients. Managing invoices and payments across both can get complicated.
For direct clients, use Soloist to send invoices and track payments. For marketplace earnings, track the withdrawals in Soloist's expense/income tracker. This gives you a complete picture of your total freelance income for tax purposes.
Income earned on Upwork or Fiverr is still taxable in Nigeria — even though it comes from international clients. Report all marketplace earnings as part of your annual income when filing your tax return.
Keep records of your withdrawals from Payoneer to your Nigerian bank account as documentation.