Earn from TikTok in Nigeria without a US bank account

Introduction

When Nigerian creator King Kaly pioneered the first TikTok Live Box battle featuring celebrities like Peller, Sabinus, and M’kido, the Nigerian TikTok community went absolutely wild. The live battles saw participants winning hundreds of thousands of TikTok coins (worth real money), and suddenly everyone realized: this TikTok thing is serious money. The comments across Twitter and Instagram? Pure chaos. Half the people were celebrating the wins and strategizing how to participate, the other half were asking the real question: “But how do you even collect the money from TikTok?”

If you’ve been creating content on TikTok, whether it’s comedy skits, dance challenges, beauty tutorials, or just your regular hot takes, you already know the platform pays. What you might not know is how to actually get that money into your Nigerian bank account when TikTok insists you need a US bank account to receive payments.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to travel abroad or know someone in America to start earning from TikTok. With Cleva, you can open a US-based dollar account right here in Nigeria, receive your TikTok payments directly, and transfer the money to your local bank account, all from your phone.

Let’s break down exactly how this works.

The real deal about making money on TikTok as a Nigerian creator

Nigerian creators are finding creative ways to turn their TikTok presence into actual income. Here’s how they’re doing it:

1. Live gifts during streams: When you go live on TikTok, your viewers can send you virtual gifts that convert into real money. Some creators are making between ₦50,000 to over ₦10 million per live session, depending on their audience size and engagement.
   
2. Brand partnerships: Local and international companies are actively looking for Nigerian TikTok creators to promote their products. These deals can range from ₦100,000 for micro-influencers to millions for established creators.
   
3. Affiliate commissions: You promote products or services through your content and earn a percentage every time someone buys through your link. Many creators are quietly making ₦500,000+ monthly from this alone.
   
4. TikTok Creator Rewards Program: Although not officially available in Nigeria yet, many creators access this through international accounts and earn based on views and engagement.
   
5. Selling your own products or services: From fashion items to online courses, TikTok has become a free marketing machine for Nigerian entrepreneurs. Many have made millions of naira from selling their products on Tiktok.

The challenge? Most of these payment options require you to link a foreign bank account, specifically a US bank account in many cases.

Why your GTBank or Access Bank account won’t work

If you’ve tried setting up payments for TikTok or receiving money from international brands, you’ve probably hit a wall. Here’s what typically goes wrong:

1. TikTok and most payment platforms don’t accept Nigerian accounts: When you’re signing up to receive payments, the system literally won’t let you proceed with a Nigerian bank account. It’s not personal, it’s just how their payment infrastructure works.
   
2. Your money gets stuck in conversion fees: Even when you manage to receive international payments through traditional Nigerian banks, the exchange rates are usually terrible. You might lose 10-30% of your earnings just in conversion charges and fees. It then begs the question, “ Am I working for the bank or for myself?”
   
3. Payments take forever to arrive: International transfers through regular banks can take 5-7 business days (sometimes longer). And during that time, you’re constantly wondering if the money will actually show up.
   
4. Verification issues: Many platforms require address verification and banking details that match their system requirements, something Nigerian accounts often can’t provide.

This is why so many talented Nigerian creators are leaving money on the table. They’re creating viral content, building audiences, but can’t figure out how to actually collect their earnings.

How Cleva solves the TikTok payment problem for Nigerian creators

Cleva gives you a real US-based bank account that you can open and manage entirely from Nigeria. Think of it as your American bank account, except you don’t need to step foot in America to get it.

Here’s what makes Cleva the perfect solution for TikTok creators:

1. Real US bank account in your name

You get actual US account details (account number and routing number) that work with TikTok, PayPal, and any platform that requires a US bank account.

2. Zero conversion fees

This is huge. While other platforms charge you to convert your dollars to naira, Cleva doesn’t. You get to convert your dollar earnings to naira at the most affordable exchange rates and for free.

3. Instant naira withdrawals

Once your TikTok payment hits your Cleva USD account, you can convert to naira and send it to any Nigerian bank account instantly. No more 5-day waiting period.

4. Spend directly in dollars

Got your Cleva virtual dollar card? Use it to pay for subscriptions, ads, or online purchases without converting to naira first, and enjoy a seamless international payment experience with our best-in-class virtual dollar card.

5. Peer-to-peer transfers with Cleva tag

Other creators or brands can send you money instantly using your unique Cleva tag. With the Cleva tag, there’s no need for long account numbers.

6. Industry-leading low fees

Cleva gives you the fairest fees in the industry. Fees are capped at a $1 minimum and $10 maximum. If you receive up to $100, you pay just $1.  If you receive as high as $5,000, you will never pay more than $10 as fees. There are no hidden charges at any stage. You can use our pricing calculator to see the exact amount you will receive when you get paid through Cleva.

7. Earn rewards on every transaction

Cleva Points rewards you for using the platform. Your points are not just numbers but can be redeemed as dollars that you can use however you like.Your earnings literally earn you more earnings.

8. Y Combinator-backed and FinCEN registered:

Your money is protected by the same security standards as major fintech companies in the US.

9. No monthly maintenance fees

Many virtual bank accounts charge monthly fees. Cleva doesn’t. Your account stays free forever.

Step-by-step guide: Setting up Cleva to receive TikTok payments

Let me walk you through exactly how to get started. Basically, this process typically takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Step 1: Download and create your Cleva account

Download the Cleva app on App Store or Google Play Store and sign up using your email address and phone number. The entire registration takes about 3 minutes.

Step 2: Complete your identity verification

Cleva needs to verify your identity for security and regulatory compliance. You’ll need to provide your BVN, upload a clear photo of any government-issued ID (your international passport, driver’s license, NIN slip, or voter’s card), take a quick selfie for facial verification. The verification process is automated and is usually almost immediate if all information checks out.

Step 3: Access your US dollar account

Once you’re verified, you can request for your US-based USD account and it’ll be generated in your Cleva app within minutes. Go to your dashboard and you’ll see your US account details including your account number and routing number. 

Step 4: Link your Cleva account to TikTok

Now comes the important part. When TikTok asks for your bank account details to receive payments, enter your Cleva USD account information exactly as it appears in your app. This works for TikTok Creator Rewards, brand payments, and any other international payment system.

If you’re working with brands who want to pay you via bank transfer or PayPal, simply provide them with your Cleva USD account details or link your Cleva account to your PayPal.

Step 5: Start receiving and managing your money

When payments come in, you’ll get instant notifications on your Cleva app. Here’s what you can do with your earnings:

1. Convert to naira: Tap the convert button, enter the amount, and the naira equivalent appears in your naira wallet at the current exchange rate. No hidden fees.

2. Transfer to your Nigerian bank: Send money from your Cleva naira wallet to any Nigerian bank account. Transfers arrive within seconds, not days.

3. Keep it in dollars: If you’re saving up for something or waiting for better exchange rates, you can leave your money in your USD account. It’s your choice.

4. Spend with your dollar card: Use your Cleva virtual dollar card for Netflix, Amazon, ads on Facebook or Google, or any online payment that requires a US card.

What you need to know before you start

1. TikTok payments can take time: Even with your Cleva account set up, TikTok usually processes payments monthly or based on their schedule. Be patient.
   
2. You need to meet platform requirements: For TikTok Creator Rewards, you typically need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. For live gifts, you need 1,000 followers.
   
3. Focus on engagement, not just followers: Brands care more about how engaged your audience is than your follower count. 5,000 active, engaged followers are worth more than 50,000 ghost followers.
   
4. Build relationships with brands: Don’t just wait for TikTok to pay you. Reach out to brands whose products you genuinely like and pitch collaboration ideas.
   
5. Keep creating consistently: The creators making real money on TikTok aren’t posting once a week. They’re showing up daily with content their audience actually wants to see.

Conclusion

Every day you wait is another day of leaving money on the table. Nigerian creators are making real income from TikTok right now, and the only thing stopping you from joining them is not having the right payment infrastructure.

Cleva removes that barrier.

Your content, creativity and time has value. Now you can capture all of that and turn it into actual money in your bank account.

Ready to start? Create your Cleva account today for free and unlock your earning potential. The opportunity is right here. The question is: are you going to take it?