Send money from the UK to Nigeria
See today's GBP→NGN rate, compare every service on fees, speed and delivery, and see what your recipient keeps after cash-out fees and taxes — before you send.
Today's GBP→NGN exchange rate
This is the reference interbank rate — the starting point before each service's fee and margin.
Interbank rate updated 19 Jul 00:00 UTC (less than 1h ago)
Calculate for your amount:
The UK is one of Nigeria's biggest remittance sources after the US, and the route is among the most price-competitive anywhere. Naira volatility since the 2023 float makes the live rate decisive here — a tighter exchange margin can outweigh a lower advertised fee, so compare the final amount received.
Sending from the UK: funding, speed & rules
From the UK, transfers are funded over Faster Payments — a bank push that usually settles in seconds — or by debit card. Open-banking "pay by bank" is increasingly the default in UK remittance apps, cutting card fees. Because Faster Payments is near-instant and free to the app, UK-funded sends are often both quick and cheap.
UK payment firms are authorised by the FCA as e-money or payment institutions and must safeguard customer funds. The UK–Africa route is one of the most established in the world; LemFi and Lemonade Finance were built around it. Nigeria senders in London, Birmingham and Manchester typically move money several times a month.
Our verdict: the best way to send the UK to Nigeria
Best for the lowest total cost to Nigeria
LemFi and Sendwave: paying from your bank here is both free and instant, so the cheapest apps are also among the fastest. The apps that waive the up-front fee and keep the tightest rate margin net the most, especially as the money drops into a fintech wallet or a bank account over the country's instant rail, usually within seconds.
Best for speed to an OPay or PalmPay wallet or a bank account
Sendwave, LemFi and Remitly's Express tier: every funded send clears in seconds, and the money drops into a fintech wallet or a bank account over the country's instant rail, usually within seconds — so a send can complete end to end in minutes.
Best for large transfers and rate transparency
Wise: even a large transfer settles instantly, so the only variable left is the exchange-rate margin.
Best for cash pickup / a recipient without a wallet
WorldRemit and Western Union: cash pickup matters less here because almost everyone receiving has a wallet or a bank account, but their agent networks pay out cash if your recipient has no wallet.
Best for Nigeria wallet support
The listed services deliver to the local mobile-money wallet or a bank account; some add cash pickup — compare the final amount received.
In plain terms: Because paying from your bank here is both free and instant, the right pick from the UK to Nigeria mostly comes down to your amount: LemFi and Sendwave for the lowest cost, Wise when the FX margin dominates on a large send, WorldRemit and Western Union if your family has no wallet. Either way, the money drops into a fintech wallet or a bank account over the country's instant rail, usually within seconds, and a bank deposit of ₦10,000 or more carries Nigeria's one-off ₦50 EMTL stamp duty.
Comparing the services: fees, rates, speed & delivery
| Service | Fee model | Rate | Speed | Delivery | Best for | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | Transparent percentage fee, shown upfront | Mid-market (interbank) rate | Often within ~24h | Bank deposit; some mobile money | Transparency and larger sums | Go to Wise → |
| Remitly | Low or zero fee by speed tier | Competitive; promo rates for new users | Instant (Express) to a few days (Economy) | Bank, cash pickup, mobile money | Flexible delivery and cash pickup | Go to Remitly → |
| WorldRemit | Very low; often free to some destinations | Competitive margin over mid-market | Instant to about an hour | Bank, cash, mobile money, airtime | Multi-route reach and an established network | Go to WorldRemit → |
| Sendwave | Usually zero up-front fee | Earns on the rate margin (~1-3% over mid-market) | Instant to minutes | Mobile money focused | Ultra-fast mobile money delivery | Go to Sendwave → |
| LemFi | Typically $0 on core African routes | Small markup over mid-market | Instant to minutes | Bank and mobile money | Fast zero-fee app-to-app, African focus | Go to LemFi → |
| Taptap Send | Small flat or percentage fee by route | Solid rates | Minutes | Bank and mobile money | Low-cost app transfers | Go to Taptap Send → |
| Western Union | Higher and variable fee | Wider rate margin | Flexible, including instant cash | Huge agent network: cash, bank, mobile | Cash pickup reach | Go to Western Union → |
Some provider links are referral links, marked sponsored. They never change the figures or the order shown.
Which services reach Nigeria's mobile wallets
In Nigeria, mobile money means OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint or a bank account — the table shows what each service actually reaches: wallet, bank account or cash pickup.
| Service | Mobile money OPay / PalmPay | Bank | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Remitly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| WorldRemit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sendwave | ✓ | — | — |
| LemFi | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Taptap Send | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Western Union | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
What your recipient actually gets in Nigeria
Cash-out / withdrawal cost
Receiving is free, but Nigeria charges a ₦50 EMTL stamp duty on incoming bank deposits of ₦10,000 or more (taken once). On fintech wallets (OPay, PalmPay), withdrawals and transfers carry their own small fees. So the recipient keeps almost everything, but these small costs exist.
Receiving to a bank vs a wallet
In Nigeria, your recipient can receive into a bank account or a fintech wallet — OPay, PalmPay or Moniepoint — depending on what the service offers. Bank deposits arrive over NIP (NIBSS instant rail), often within seconds.
Choosing the right receive channel matters: a direct deposit to OPay or PalmPay is often instant and handy for spending, while a bank account suits larger sums.
How to send: methods, limits & safety
Funding and delivering the send
From the UK, Faster Payments funding is free and settles in seconds, so most sends are quick AND cheap — open-banking "pay by bank" even removes card fees. The leg into Nigeria follows immediately on mobile-first apps; bank deposit stays for larger sums.
Transfer limits & KYC
In the UK, signup needs photo ID and address, and apps are FCA-authorised with safeguarded customer funds. Caps rise with verification. For a first large send to Nigeria, expect an extra verification step.
Official vs parallel rate to Nigeria
Interbank official rate; the parallel applies the tracked P2P premium. Interbank rate updated 19 Jul 00:00 UTC (less than 1h ago). Premium source: Bybit P2P USDT/NGN median (top trimmed-50%).
Full parallel-rate tracker →Other routes to Nigeria
Frequently asked questions
How do I fund it and which app from the UK to Nigeria?
How long does a transfer to Nigeria take?
Is money received taxed in Nigeria?
Bottom line
Bottom line: every funded send clears in seconds and the money drops into a fintech wallet or a bank account over the country's instant rail, usually within seconds. Compare LemFi and Sendwave first on the final amount received, switch to Wise for large sums, and WorldRemit and Western Union if cash pickup is needed. With Faster Payments, funding from the UK is rarely the bottleneck.
We describe each service's published model (fees, rates, speed, delivery) from public information, without reproducing live quotes or marketing copy. Always check the final fee and rate in the app before sending.