The Hidden Cost of Manual Payments That No One Talks About

Why Are Nigerian Businesses Still Chasing Payments?
Let’s fix this cash flow chaos—one direct debit at a time.

If you’ve ever run a small business in Nigeria, you’ve probably had this experience: You deliver your product or service perfectly… and then spend weeks (or months) trying to get paid.

Sound familiar?

You're not alone. From schools and salons to logistics companies and cooperative societies, late payments are one of the biggest headaches Nigerian businesses face today. And it’s not just annoying—it can seriously mess up your entire cash flow.

The Real Cost of "I'll Pay You Soon"

For a lot of SMEs, getting paid takes anywhere from 60 to 120 days. Yep. That’s two to four months of waiting—while bills pile up, staff expect salaries, and restocking becomes nearly impossible. It’s a cash flow rollercoaster, and it’s exhausting.

Just ask Mrs. Agbaje, a school owner in Ibadan. Every term, she reminds parents to pay school fees, but payments trickle in at snail speed. By mid-term, she’s dipping into her own pocket to pay teachers and buy learning materials. Sound fair? Not at all.

Or take a logistics company. A single client delaying payment by a week could ground their operations—affecting deliveries for everyone else. Delayed payments don’t just slow down one business—they ripple across entire networks.

Why Is This Still a Thing?

The short answer? Old-school payment methods.
A lot of businesses still rely on cash, manual transfers, or even—brace yourself—handwritten records. Not only are these methods slow and chaotic, they’re also super unreliable.

• Cash = high risk and reconciliation nightmares.
• Manual transfers = missed promises and mix-ups.
• Handwritten notes = good luck finding that one payment from “Chinedu, April 3rd.” 🙃

Meanwhile, business owners are stuck sending payment reminders, screenshotting account numbers, cross-checking bank apps, and praying for alerts. Honestly, it's too much.

So... What’s the Fix?

Here’s the good news: technology has entered the chat.

That’s why we built PaywithAccount—a simple tool that lets business owners automate collections. Your customers give a one-time permission, and their payments are automatically deducted at the right time. No more awkward reminders, no more ghosting, no more “my app didn’t go through.”

It’s stress-free for the business. It’s predictable for the customer. Win-win.

Since launching, we’ve seen it help all kinds of businesses—schools, transport cooperatives, service providers, even religious organisations. People are tired of chasing payments. And we don’t blame them.

Why This Matters (A Lot)

Here’s a stat to chew on: SMEs make up 48% of Nigeria’s GDP and employ over 80% of the workforce. So yeah, they’re kind of a big deal.

But if these businesses are constantly cash-strapped because of delayed payments, how are they supposed to grow? Or even survive?

This issue is personal to many of us. Everyone knows someone who owns a small business—your sister who runs a fashion brand, your dad’s mechanic, your neighbour’s catering biz. When their cash flow suffers, entire households feel it.

We can’t afford to keep ignoring this.

Let’s Build a Better Way to Get Paid

At OnePipe, we believe payments should just work.
You shouldn’t have to beg or babysit customers to get what you’ve earned.

With PaywithAccount, we’re giving business owners a better way:
✔️ Easy setup
✔️ Direct debit from customers’ bank accounts
✔️ Less stress, more structure

No more guessing. No more reminding. Just smooth, reliable payments—on time, every time.

So if you’re tired of chasing money and ready to start planning like a boss, maybe it’s time to give PaywithAccount a spin.