Send money from the EU to Nigeria
See today's EUR→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 EUR→NGN exchange rate
This is the reference interbank rate — the starting point before each service's fee and margin.
Interbank rate updated 29 Jul 12:00 UTC (2h ago)
Calculate for your amount:
The euro-area–Nigeria route draws on Nigerian communities across Italy, Germany, Spain and Ireland. Sending in euros, there is no currency conversion until the cross-border leg, so the whole cost sits in the EUR→naira margin and the receive-side fee — and with the naira floating since 2023, that margin is where routes are won or lost.
Sending from the EU: funding, speed & rules
From the euro area, transfers settle over SEPA — SEPA Instant where supported, crediting the app in ten seconds, or standard SEPA within a business day. Funding is a euro bank transfer or a debit card; there is no FX step within the euro zone before the cross-border leg.
EU payment institutions hold passported EMI licences valid across the single market and are supervised under PSD2. The Nigeria diaspora across France, Italy, Spain and Germany sends in euros; SEPA's low domestic cost keeps the euro leg cheap, so the cost sits in the FX margin and the receive side.
Our verdict: the best way to send the EU to Nigeria
Best for the lowest total cost to Nigeria
LemFi and Sendwave: moving euros to the app costs nothing and the money only changes currency at the very last step, so the rate margin makes up essentially the whole cost. 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: the home-currency step is immediate, 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: with no euro-side cost, a large send turns purely on 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 moving euros to the app costs nothing and the money only changes currency at the very last step, the right pick from the EU 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 euro area, funding is over SEPA — SEPA Instant credits the app in ten seconds — with no FX step before the international leg. The cost therefore shifts to the EUR→local FX margin and the Nigeria cash-out. Compare the final amount received, not the euro leg.
Transfer limits & KYC
In the EU, apps hold passported EMI licences under PSD2 and verify identity at signup (ID, sometimes proof of address). Caps rise with verification. For a first large send to Nigeria, expect extra verification.
Official vs parallel rate to Nigeria
Interbank official rate; the parallel applies the tracked P2P premium. Interbank rate updated 29 Jul 12:00 UTC (2h 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 EU to Nigeria?
How long does a transfer to Nigeria take?
Is money received taxed in Nigeria?
Bottom line
Bottom line: the home-currency step is immediate 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. In euros, the cost isn't the SEPA leg but the FX margin — that's where to compare.
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.