Invoicing Clients in South Africa, from Nigeria

The six fields SARS requires

A valid South African tax invoice must show all of the following. This is not stylistic — an invoice missing a required field is not a valid tax invoice, and your client cannot claim the input VAT on it.

• The words "Tax Invoice", "VAT Invoice" or "Invoice" on the document.
• Supplier name, address and VAT registration number.
• Recipient name and address — and above the threshold for a full tax invoice, their VAT number.
• A sequential invoice number and the date of issue.
• A description of the goods or services, with quantity or volume.
• The value, the VAT charged and the total — or the total with a statement that it includes VAT at 15%.

As a Nigerian supplier you will not be showing South African VAT, but the structural requirements — sequential numbering, both parties identified, itemised description, unambiguous totals — are exactly what makes your invoice usable at their end.

South Africa rates

What you charge from Nigeria

Zero-rated as an export of services: 0% Nigerian VAT, input VAT still reclaimable. Your South African client handles any import VAT obligation under their own rules. State the export treatment on the invoice.

Getting paid

EFT is the backbone of South African business-to-business payment, with instant EFT and card common for smaller amounts. Paystack and Flutterwave both operate in South Africa, and Stripe is realistic where the client is used to card.

Rand is volatile enough that the currency you invoice in is a commercial decision rather than a formality. Billing in dollars moves the exposure to the client; billing in rand keeps it with you and may win the work.