FirmBrik doesn’t hold or move your money
We’re a marketplace and record-keeper, not a bank, not a payment processor, not an escrow service. When you pay a seller or get paid by a buyer, the money moves between the two of you directly using whatever channel you agree on (mobile money, bank transfer, Wise, Sendwave, in-person cash). FirmBrik records the milestone so there’s a paper trail, but the funds never touch us.
Why we do it this way
FirmBrik launched as a directory + project tracker, not a money transmitter. Holding funds across six African markets would require licences and compliance work that would have delayed launch by 12-18 months. We chose the faster route: give buyers and sellers the structure they need (verified profiles, agreed milestones, signed offers, dispute mediation) and let them move money on the rails they already use.
The trade-off is honest: we can’t guarantee a refund if something goes wrong, because we never had the money to begin with. What we DO provide is enough information up-front, and enough record-keeping after, that good-faith buyers and sellers rarely run into trouble.
If you’re paying for something
Reach an agreement on the listing
Make an offer, the seller accepts (or counters), you reach a price + timeline. FirmBrik records the agreement.
See the seller's payment channels
Once your offer is accepted, FirmBrik shows you the seller’s preferred ways to be paid: MTN Mobile Money number, bank account, Wise tag, etc. Each has a Copy button so you don’t have to retype anything into your banking app.
Pay them directly using one of those channels
Open your mobile-money menu / bank app / remittance app. Send the agreed amount to the recipient shown. Save the SMS or receipt.
Come back to FirmBrik and tap "I’ve sent payment"
FirmBrik notifies the seller that funds are on the way and records the milestone as paid. The seller confirms receipt on their side and the deal moves to its next stage.
If you’re receiving money
Set up your payment channels once
Go to your Payouts tab and add the ways you want to be paid. Mobile money, bank, remittance app, whatever you use. We never show these on your public profile; only buyers with an accepted offer on one of your listings see them.
Accept offers as you normally would
Buyer makes an offer → you review, counter, accept. Once accepted, FirmBrik unlocks your payment channels for that specific buyer.
Receive money in your account / phone as you normally would
Buyer pays you off-platform. Same SMS confirmations, same banking-app entries you'd get for any other transfer. FirmBrik doesn't intermediate.
Confirm the payment on FirmBrik
When the buyer marks the payment as sent, you'll get a notification asking you to confirm receipt. Confirming closes the milestone and moves the deal forward.
Installments and milestones
Big deals (a plot of land, a build project) usually move in stages. FirmBrik supports that natively. You can agree on a deposit + installments for a land sale, or per-milestone payments for a build project. Each milestone gets its own “I’ve sent payment” / “I’ve received it” cycle, so you both have clean records of what’s been paid and what’s outstanding.
We strongly recommend phased milestones for any deal over a few thousand dollars. They reduce risk on both sides: the buyer never has all their money out the door, the seller doesn’t hand over title / keys / completed work without seeing the next tranche land.
What happens if something goes wrong
FirmBrik can’t refund a payment we never received.
That’s the honest version of our dispute policy. If a deal goes sideways, buyer sends money and the seller ghosts, or seller delivers and the buyer refuses to pay the final installment, FirmBrik will:
- Mediate: hear both sides, review the milestone trail and any evidence (chat logs, photos, receipts), and state the platform’s view of who’s in the right.
- Suspend the bad actor’s profile so they can’t do it again to someone else.
- Where applicable, refer the matter to local authorities or the relevant ombudsman.
We can’t move money on your behalf. That’s why the pre-payment verification checklist matters: prevention is the only protection we can offer.
Does FirmBrik charge a fee?
Not on the payment itself. There’s no transaction fee skimmed from your transfer. FirmBrik plans to monetise through verification services, premium listings, and value-add features like title-verification reports. Listing on the platform and using the milestone tracker is free at launch.