Nigerian freelancers lose money every year not because they lack skill, but because they start work without a contract. Here's how to fix that, with a free template you can use today.
A freelance contract does three things:
1. It sets clear expectations. Scope, deadlines, payment terms, and revision limits — all agreed before work starts. No more "I thought that was included."
2. It protects you legally. In Nigeria, a signed agreement — even a digital one — is legally enforceable. If a client refuses to pay, a contract is your evidence.
3. It filters bad clients. Serious clients sign contracts without complaint. Clients who resist signing are telling you something important.
One signed contract is worth more than ten WhatsApp agreements.
### 1. Your Details and the Client's Details
Full legal name, business name, address, and contact information for both parties. If the client is a company, include their CAC registration number if you have it.
### 2. Project Description
Be specific. Not "design work" but "design a 5-page website for ABC Company including homepage, about page, services page, blog, and contact page." The more specific, the better protected you are.
### 3. Deliverables
List exactly what you will hand over. For a designer: source files, final PDFs, specified dimensions. For a developer: deployed code, GitHub repository, documentation. Leave nothing vague.
### 4. Timeline
Include:
### 5. Payment Terms
This is the most important section. Include:
### 6. Revision Policy
Define how many rounds of revisions are included and what constitutes a revision vs. a new request. Example: "Two rounds of revisions included. Additional revisions billed at ₦15,000 per hour."
### 7. Ownership and Rights
Who owns the work after payment? Standard practice: client owns the final deliverable after full payment. You retain the right to display it in your portfolio unless the client requests confidentiality.
### 8. Cancellation Policy
What happens if the client cancels mid-project? Recommended: deposit is non-refundable. Work completed to date is billed at your hourly rate.
### 9. Confidentiality (Optional)
If you're handling sensitive client information, add a simple NDA clause: "Both parties agree to keep all project information confidential."
### 10. Signatures
Full name, signature, and date from both parties. Digital signatures are legally valid in Nigeria.
---
FREELANCE SERVICE AGREEMENT
This agreement is between:
Freelancer: [Your Full Name], [Your Business Name] ("Service Provider")
Client: [Client Full Name], [Client Company Name] ("Client")
Project: [Brief Project Description]
---
1. SERVICES
The Service Provider agrees to provide the following services:
[Detailed description of deliverables]
2. TIMELINE
3. PAYMENT
4. REVISIONS
[X] rounds of revisions included. Additional revisions billed at [Rate] per hour.
5. OWNERSHIP
Full ownership of deliverables transfers to Client upon receipt of final payment. Service Provider retains the right to display work in portfolio.
6. CANCELLATION
Deposit is non-refundable. If Client cancels after work begins, all work completed to date will be billed at [Hourly Rate].
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
Both parties agree to keep project details confidential.
---
Signed:
Service Provider: _________________ Date: _______
Client: _________________ Date: _______
---
In 2026, there's no reason to print, scan, and email contracts. Digital signing is faster, more professional, and legally valid in Nigeria.
Option 1: Soloist (recommended)
Soloist lets you create, send, and get contracts signed digitally in minutes. Your client gets a link, signs online, and you both receive a copy automatically. No printing, no WhatsApp back-and-forth.
Option 2: DocuSign or HelloSign
International options that work in Nigeria. Free tiers available but limited. Better for occasional use.
Option 3: PDF + Email
Convert your contract to PDF, send it to the client, ask them to sign and return. Slower and harder to track, but works.
Starting work before the contract is signed. The contract only protects you if it's signed before work starts. If the client pressures you to start immediately, that's a red flag.
Being too vague about scope. "Website design" is not a scope. "5-page website with the pages listed above, delivered as working code on your hosting" is a scope.
Not including a deposit clause. Never start a project without at least 30-50% upfront, especially with new clients. This filters out time-wasters and protects you if the client disappears.
Using a foreign template. UK and US contract templates reference laws that don't apply in Nigeria. Use a template that references Nigerian law or keep it neutral.
Forgetting the revision limit. Without a revision limit, some clients will revise indefinitely. Define it upfront.
A freelance contract doesn't have to be a 20-page legal document. The template above covers everything you need for most Nigerian freelance projects.
The most important thing is that it's signed before work starts.
If a client refuses to sign a basic contract, that tells you everything you need to know about how they'll behave when it's time to pay.
Start every project with a signed contract. Your future self will thank you.
---
*Need to create and send contracts digitally? [Soloist](https://usesoloist.com) lets you build, send, and get contracts signed in minutes — free to start.*