last Updated on November 17, 2023
Do you live in the UK and you want to send some money back home to Nigeria? If you’re looking for the cost-effective and secure way to do this. Here’s how to send money to Nigeria from the UK using money transfer apps and services.
The internet with smartphones has made almost everything hassle-free and made a lot of services at everyone's fingertips. Especially Sending or transferring money from one country to another has become way easier than before.
10 years ago, the only way to send money to Nigeria from UK would have been through credit unions like Western Union. But this method had a bunch of issues, like huge fees and the back and forth of going to a bank.
Now with the fintech revolution and cryptocurrency adoption, if you’re looking for how to send money to Nigeria from UK, it has never been easier. But in Nigeria that isn’t exactly the case.
Sending money to Nigeria is currently hard because of the strict money transfer regulations currently in place by the CBN based on non-compliance with anti-money laundering rules.
This guide will show you how to send money to Nigeria from the UK and the different methods of transferring money from the UK to Nigeria. You’ll also learn how to keep your money transfer fees low, and how to make secure and fast money transfers to your recipient. Here are the best apps to send money to Nigeria from UK.
- WorldRemit
- RIA Money Transfer
- Eversend
- SendCash
- Remitly
- Azimo
- TransferGo
- Paystack
- Send by Flutterwave
- WirePay
- Changera
- Grey
- Sendwave
- MoneyGram
- WesternUnion
1. WorldRemit
WorldRemit is one of the best platforms people in different countries use to send money to Nigeria from the UK. With Worldremit you can send money to Nigeria as cash pickup or as a bank transfer and as an airtime popup. However, you can only send a bank transfer to Dollar accounts (domiciliary accounts) in Nigeria.
The banks in Nigeria you can send money to are: Fidelity, FCMB, First Bank, Access Bank, and Ecobank. The mobile money wallets you can send money to in Nigeria with WorldRemit are Opay and PagaTech. Even though sending to mobile wallets is not possible right now because of the new CBN directive.
The maximum amount of money you can send to Nigeria with WorldRemit is around ₦7,000,000 per transfer and per day for bank transfers. However, the limits depend on the country you’re sending from and the payment method you intend to use.
2. RIA Money Transfer
RIA Money Transfer is one of the biggest money transfer services in the world. It is available in 314,000 locations around 144 countries worldwide. Other than its money transfer service, RIA Money Transfer also offers bill payments, debit card services, money orders and tracking.
RIA money transfer has partnered with Nigerian banks like Diamond Bank, First Bank, Skye Bank and Ecobank to make sending money from other countries to Nigeria easy.
RIA Money Transfer charges are clear and there are no hidden charges; If you want to send money with RIA, you’ll need to register for a RIA account by visiting RIA online.
After registering for a RIA account and it has been authorized, you can now send money to Nigeria. RIA offers three payment methods for sending money to Nigeria, they are by bank account, debit or credit card. You can also track your transaction till the money reaches the recipient.
The person collecting the money needs to prove their identity via a Nigerian national identity card, driver`s license or international passport. Also provide the pin given by the sender. And also state the amount of money the sender sent.
The RIA Money Transfer Limit for Nigeria is $500.
3. Eversend
Eversend is a multi-currency e-wallet that allows anyone to exchange, save and send money instantly at the best possible rates – within and beyond Africa.
You can send instant bank transfers to bank accounts in Nigeria with the Eversend app.
Eversend claims to save up to 70% in fees and foreign exchange. Eversend also allows you to create a virtual debit card and shop online, instantly. You can load the virtual debit card in any currency and shop in USD.
The app also allows you to hold and exchange multiple currencies including USD, EUR, NGN, KES, UGX, RWF and GBP.
You can send money to Nigeria from UK with Eversend
Some other countries you can send money to Nigeria from with eversend are:
Africa: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda.
Europe: Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Rest of the World: Australia, Canada, India, Kuwait, South Korea, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States.
4. Sendcash Africa
Sendcash is an easy way for people to send money to Nigerian bank accounts from the UK anywhere in the world within minutes using Crypto via your bank card, Apple Pay, Cash App or a Crypto wallet.
It’s a great platform for sending money to family and friends who are in Nigeria or for those receiving money from clients abroad as a freelancer or creatives in Nigeria.
Sendcash is fast, affordable and requires no sign-up. Just input the account number you want to send money to and you’re good to go. Transfers on Sendcash can take between a few minutes to four hours based on liquidity and current rates.
Sendcash has 2 transfer methods. Via a Bitcoin wallet and USDC with Wyre (Bank Card or Apple Pay). The transaction limit when using a Bitcoin wallet is $2500 while the limit with Wyre is $1000.
If you’re using a Bitcoin wallet for the transfer, Sendcash doesn’t charge a fee but the external crypto wallet you use might charge a fee.
5. Remitly
Latest updates: Remitly only delivers USD bank deposit and cash pickup transfers to GT Bank and Polaris Bank.
Remitly is another good international money transfer service you can use to send money to Nigeria from the UK.
Remitly is a great digital alternative to traditional money transfer services like Western Union and Money Gram, as it makes sending money to Nigeria fast, secure and relatively inexpensive.
You can send money to Nigeria from UK using the Remitly online money transfer service or the Remitly app on your smartphone or tablet.
Remitly can only transfer money to your recipient in Nigeria via cash pickup or bank deposit in US dollars (USD). To receive money in bank deposits from Remitly, the recipient will need to own a domiciliary account.
You can still send to Nigeria from the following countries using Remitly:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- United States of America
- The United Kingdom
6. Azimo
Azimo is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to send money to Nigeria from the UK. With Azimo you can send money to Nigeria from the UK via cash pick-up and to Dollar (USD) and Pound (GBP) accounts in Nigeria via SWIFT.
Azimo claims to be 77% cheaper than other money transfer providers.
When sending money to Nigeria from the UK with Azimo, your recipient will receive an email with pick-up instructions when the transfer is ready for collection. An OTP SMS will be sent to the recipient number provided. Without it, your recipient will not be able to collect their cash at the pick-up location.
When sending money with Azimo the payment methods are Debit or credit card, Bank transfer via online banking (not available in countries like Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden or Australia), and SOFORT (not available in countries like Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy or the Netherlands).
Note: You can only use your own card to pay. If you’re using online banking to pay for your transfer, always send money from an account in your name and remember to include the reference number. Azimo does not offer its services in the USA and Canada, but it is very good for money transfers from the UK and Europe to Nigeria.
7. TransferGo
TransferGo is an affordable international money transfer company that you can use to send money to Nigeria from the UK. The company currently serves 22 currencies across over 47 countries.
TransferGo is a licensed and authorized payment institution regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and supervised by HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) in England, so they have the same security standards as any commercial bank does.
TransferGo delivers high-quality money transfers with speed, ease and excellent value.
Their pricing is based on very competitive currency rates, and how quickly you want the money you send to arrive at its destination, and that’s it.
See: Paystack vs Flutterwave: Which is Better for You?
8. Paystack
Paystack is a payment company operating in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. While Paystack isn’t a money transfer service, it offers a way for anyone outside Nigeria to send money to people in Nigeria who have a Paystack account.
If the person you want to send money to in Nigeria from the UK has a Paystack account, they can send you a paystack payment link that they can create in their Paystack dashboard.
You’ll have to make the payment with a debit or credit card. Paystack is used by Nigerian(African) businesses, creatives and freelancers to collect payments and sell products and services worldwide using online stores.
Paystack is a good alternative to money transfer services and their issues.
Also See: How to Start an Ecommerce Business in Nigeria
9. Send by Flutterwave
Send by Flutterwave is a money transfer service that allows people with Flutterwave accounts to receive funds from anywhere in the world.
Send allows barter accounts, mobile money wallets, bank accounts, and even cash pick-up locations.
With Send by Flutterwave, you can make instant money transfers from various countries around the world. You can transfer funds using different options to send money to local bank accounts and mobile money wallets as well.
You can find out more about this company in our Flutterwave Review.
10. WirePay
Wirepay is an app that lets you send money to Nigeria from the UK, Ghana and 18 other African countries using fiat from anywhere in the world. This app also lets you buy discounted airtime and create custom virtual cards to spend money online.
Wirepay lets you receive, hold, and exchange money in more than 20 currencies around the world for free. This money transfer app accepts Nigerian Naira, US Dollars, GHS, ZAR, KES, XAF, XOF.
Wirepay US Dollar deposit limit is one thousand dollars ($1,000) per transaction. While Wirepay Naira’s deposit limit is five hundred thousand Naira (₦500,000) per transaction.
However, using the Pay with Bank Transfer option is unlimited.
Fees for funding or depositing Wirepay Wallet with US Dollar & other currencies ATM Card is 5%. While Naira Cards are charged 1.4%. These card charges by Wirepay are capped and will not exceed ₦2,000.
For Bank Transfer: When using the Wema Bank transfer, you will be charged a 2% fee on the amount you deposit.
11. Changera
Changera is another interesting fast and secure app that lets you send money to Nigeria from UK or anywhere in the world. The app also lets you pay bills and create virtual dollar cards in Nigeria.
You can send money to your friends and family in Nigeria with this app from African countries, the US and Europe.
You can fund your Changera wallet through your card or through a bank transfer.
12. Grey
Grey was formerly Aboki. The Grey platform provides foreign bank accounts to Africans. You can send money to Nigeria from UK with Grey as long as the person has a Grey account.
You can also convert your money between different currencies on the Grey app as well as send money online from Africa to the UK and other European countries with ease.
13. Sendwave
With Sendwave you can quickly and safely send money to Nigeria from UK. You can send money into a domiciliary account in Nigeria that is an Access, GTB, UBA, and First Bank dom account. Or you can send USD cash pickup to anyone in Nigeria to be collected at any Access, Fidelity, Zenith or GTB Bank branch.
The recipient just needs the voucher code that Sendwave sent to them, their BVN, a valid form of identification, and their phone number. The recipient doesn’t need to have an account with any of the banks to collect the USD cash.
Sendwave is also very affordable and has over 600K users. Also for every $1 you send to Nigeria from UK, Sendwave will give the recipient an extra N5 (Naira). So if you send $50, your recipient will receive $50 + N250 extra.
14. MoneyGram
Moneygram is one of the oldest and most reliable ways to send money to Nigeria from UK. MoneyGram has over 350,000 agent locations around the world and partners with 400 banks around the world.
Moneygram is referred to as the second-largest global Money Transfer service so you can be sure that if you send money to Nigeria with MoneyGram, your money will definitely reach its intended destination.
15. WesternUnion
We all know about Western Union. It’s still one of the best ways to send money to Nigeria from UK. Regarded as the biggest money transfer service in the world, Western Union is still a great option for sending money if you don’t mind visiting a bank.
Send Money To Nigeria From UK: Best Choice
Now that we’ve reviewed the different available providers for sending money to Nigeria from the UK, here’s a list of the best options to Send Money to Nigeria from UK or Europe:
Sendwave, Azimo, Remitly, Sendcash, Changera, Wirepay and TransferGo are good options for sending money to Nigeria from UK and most European countries.
Best Option to Send Money to Nigeria From USA or Canada
Worldremit is a great option for sending money to Nigeria as well as Eversend and SendCash.
Send Money from India to Nigeria
If you want to send money to Nigeria from India, your best bet is likely Western Union, you can also try Sendcash and WorldRemit.
Send Money to Nigeria from South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana and other African Countries
Sendcash, Eversend and WorldRemit are your best bets for sending money to Nigeria from other countries like South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, and Ghana.
What to Consider When Choosing an International Money Transfer App to Send Money to Nigeria
It can be difficult to pick out from the available options when sending money to Nigeria but there are a few factors you can use to make a quick decision.
Factors like the speed of transfers, cost, convenience, location or customer support.
1. The Total Cost of a Transfer: Atimes people send money to Nigeria and their recipient receives a lesser amount. The cause is the cost of hidden fees. These fees are snuck into transfers mainly through the exchange rate but also depend on your payment option.
So make sure you read and understand the operations money transfer provider you intend to use or you find a money transfer platform that displays all their fees upfront. It will save you a lot of issues.
2. Consider Transfer Speed when you Send Money to Nigeria: The speed at which a recipient will receive money sent from another country can go a long way to determine which money transfer service you choose. Some money transfer services take longer than others to deliver money to your recipient. In an emergency, the faster ones should be your go-to.
3. Geographic location: Not every money transfer service or app is available everywhere. Most of them are limited to certain countries. So make sure that you find the ones that are suitable for the country or location you reside in.
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