For many African entrepreneurs, receiving international payments is one of the most difficult parts of running a business. You may create a great product, deal with a client abroad, or export your services globally, still struggle to get paid in dollars without losing a portion of your income due to conversion fees or complex banking requirements.
Challenges of Creating a Business Dollar Account
Traditionally, setting up a dollar account for your business has not been easy. Most banks require physical visits, complex documentation and long waiting periods before approval. Even after that, businesses often face:
- Forced currency conversion that instantly converts dollar flows into Naira, erasing the value of their hard-earned income.
- Restrictions on receiving international transfers, especially from popular platforms like Wise, Deal or Payoneer.
- Limited access to online tools to manage team payments, prepare statements, or separate personal and business funds.
- Hidden or high fees that make getting money expensive, especially for small businesses or freelancers transitioning to agencies.
These challenges leave many entrepreneurs frustrated and financially limited, making it difficult to scale globally or reinvest earnings.
Cleva: An Easy Way to Manage Business Payments
Cleva, the cross-border payments company that helps Africans earn and spend globally, has officially launched Cleva Business Accounts, a new solution that simplifies the way African businesses receive and manage international payments.
With this launch, Cleva is tackling one of the biggest challenges facing African entrepreneurs, which is the inability to reliably receive, hold and manage USD funds from global clients. Many businesses today rely on platforms that automatically convert international payments into local currency, resulting in value loss, limited flexibility, and stunted growth.
Cleva Business Account solves this by allowing verified businesses to open both USD accounts that work seamlessly for local and international transactions.
Who is it designed for?
Cleva Business accounts are designed for, but not limited to:
- Freelancer Making changes to agencies that need to begin receiving client payments under their business name.
- Startup Hiring remote teams or managing global clients.
- Creative and digital agencies Providing services such as design, marketing and software development.
- e-commerce brand Selling to customers overseas.
- Exporter and Logistics Business Receiving payments from global buyers.
- consulting firms Which handle large cross border transactions.
If your business earns, spends or saves dollars, Cleva is made for you.
Where you can receive payment
Your Cleva Business account can receive funding from leading global platforms and clients, including:
- any US bank
- Upwork (with zero withdrawal fees)
- Part
- Payoneer
- manner
- paypal
- Stripe (via connected platform)
- Direct customer transfers from the US.
This makes Cleva ideal for businesses that work with international clients or operate across borders.
Benefits of using Cleva Business Accounts
Cleva Business accounts are designed for, but not limited to, freelancers transitioning to agencies, startups managing global teams, SMEs with clients abroad, and exporters dealing with large cross-border transactions.
Key benefits include:
- Keep your business funds in USD: Businesses can now keep their earnings in USD, avoiding forced conversions and protecting revenues from currency volatility.
- Receive stablecoins and hold as USD: Receive stablecoins like USDT and USDC in your Cleva Business account and hold them as USD, giving you more flexibility in how you receive your funds.
- Receive payments from customers abroad: Cleva helps your business receive international payments easily and securely, so you can focus on growing your business instead of chasing payments
- Upwork Fee Waiver: Withdraw your earnings directly into your Cleva Business account and enjoy zero withdrawal fees when you get paid through Upwork.
- Access to Cleva Virtual Dollar Card: Get paid for subscriptions, tools, and ads globally from Google, AWS, Canva, and other platforms.
- Zero Conversion Fee: Convert between USD and NGN instantly without hidden fees or delays.
- Be financially organized: Separate business income from personal expenses and access professional details that make accounting and reporting easier.
- Act with confidence: Accept large payments without the stress of currency limits or conversion delays.
- Access business tools: Prepare account statements for bookkeeping, tax filing and investor documentation.
As mentioned earlier, you can link your business account with the Clava Virtual Dollar Card for easy online memberships and business expenses in USD.
How to Open a Business Dollar Account on Cleva
Opening a business account with Cleva only takes a few steps:
1. Visit www.getcleva.com/business and click “Create Account”.
2. Select “Registered Business” as your account type.
3. Fill in your business details and upload the required documents.
4. Complete the Know Your Business (KYB) verification process.
5. Once verified (usually within 48 hours), you will receive your USD account details.
If you would like more details about the process or transaction limits, visit the Business Account FAQ section here.
Cleva currently supports the registration of both Nigerian and US businesses, which requires standard incorporation documents and proof of address.
conclusion
The launch of Cleva Business Accounts reflects Cleva's broader mission to empower businesses to operate confidently in the global economy. With features such as multi-currency accounts, the ability to receive and hold dollar and stablecoin payments in USD, access to virtual dollar cards, zero conversion fees, and seamless USD to NGN transfers, Cleva makes cross-border payments simple and efficient.
Cleva also offers the lowest and most competitive fees in the industry, ensuring that more of what your business earns stays with you. With benefits like Upwork fee waivers and dedicated business support, Cleva gives you everything you need to manage global payments with confidence.
Sign up your business here today and experience smarter, faster business banking.
