nairaBay FAQ
Everything buyers and sellers ask about posting, payments, delivery and Bay# verification.
🚀Getting started
- How do I sell online in Nigeria with nairaBay?
- Tap Snap & Post, add a photo of the item, fill in the title, price and location, then enter your phone number. Your listing goes live in seconds — no account, no password.
- What do I need to start selling?
- A phone with a camera (or any saved photo), a Nigerian or international phone number, and a price in mind. That's all.
- Can I sell from my phone only?
- Yes. nairaBay is built mobile-first for budget Android phones and low data. You can also install it to your home screen and post even when your connection drops — the listing uploads once you're back online.
- Do I need a website or a shop?
- No. Your Bay# page acts as your shop front and shows every item you have listed.
- Does it cost anything to list?
- No. Posting on nairaBay is free.
💳Payments
- How do I get paid?
- You and the buyer agree directly — usually cash at the meetup or a bank transfer. nairaBay does not hold or process money.
- What is a fake bank alert and how do I avoid it?
- Scammers send an SMS or screenshot that looks like a credit alert. Never trust the message. Open your banking app, refresh your balance and confirm the money has actually landed before you hand over the item.
- Is payment on delivery safe?
- It is safe when you or a trusted dispatch rider collects the cash before releasing the item. Avoid sending goods ahead of payment to someone you have not met.
- A buyer wants to overpay and get change back — is that okay?
- No. Overpayment with a request for a refund is one of the most common scams. Refuse it and report the Bay# if it continues.
- Can I sell without a bank account?
- Yes — meet in public and take cash. Count it in a safe, well-lit place before completing the handover.
🛵Delivery & logistics
- How do I deliver items to buyers?
- Most nairaBay deals are hand-to-hand at a public meetup. For other towns, use a dispatch rider or a park/courier service and agree who pays before you ship.
- Who pays for delivery?
- Whatever you both agree — just state it clearly in your listing, e.g. 'price excludes delivery'.
- What if the buyer refuses the item at delivery?
- Let buyers inspect before payment so this rarely happens. If you ship, ask for the delivery fee upfront so you are not out of pocket.
- Do you handle returns?
- No. Used items are sold as seen, so describe faults honestly and let the buyer inspect. Agree any return terms between yourselves before money changes hands.
✅Verification & your Bay#
- What is a Bay#?
- It is your seller identity, built from the last four digits of your phone number — for example bay2342. Buyers use it to find all your listings on one page.
- How do I verify my phone number?
- Text the word VERIFY to +234 702 639 0848 from the same number you used to post. Verification usually confirms within a minute.
- Can I sell before verifying?
- Yes. Your listing stays live for a 24-hour grace period so buyers can still see it while you confirm.
- What happens after 24 hours if I don't verify?
- The listing is hidden from the feed. Verify your number and it becomes visible again.
- I typed the wrong phone number — can I change it?
- Yes. Open the /verify page or your listing's verification panel, edit your number and re-request verification before the timer ends.
📜Rules & limits
- What am I not allowed to sell?
- No weapons, drugs, stolen goods, live animals, counterfeit products, human parts, or anything illegal in Nigeria. See the nairaBay Code for the full list.
- Can I sell an item for someone else?
- Yes. Choose 'selling for owner' as the reason for selling — but you are responsible for the listing and the handover.
- How long does my listing stay live?
- As long as you keep it active. Verified listings do not expire automatically; unverified ones are hidden after 24 hours.
- What happens if someone reports my Bay#?
- Our team reviews the report. Genuine sellers are unaffected; repeated scam reports get the Bay# removed from nairaBay.
🛒For buyers
- How do I contact a seller?
- Open the listing and chat inside nairaBay, or tap the WhatsApp button to message the seller directly.
- How do I know a seller is real?
- Look for the verified badge on the listing, check their Bay# page for other items, and always inspect the item in person before paying.
- What should I do if a listing looks like a scam?
- Do not send any money. Use the Report button on the listing to flag the Bay# for our team.
- Why does a listing show 'new seller'?
- It means the Bay# was created in the last 24 hours. It is not automatically a bad sign — just take extra care and meet in public.