Send money from Nigeria to Benin
See today's NGN→XOF 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 NGN→XOF exchange rate
This is the reference interbank rate — the starting point before each service's fee and margin.
Interbank rate updated 2 Aug 09:00 UTC (less than 1h ago)
The CFA franc is pegged to the euro (fixed 655.957) — the moving side of this rate is the NGN.
Calculate for your amount:
The Nigeria–Benin route is a very active INTRA-AFRICAN route, driven by intense cross-border trade (Lagos-Cotonou is one of West Africa's densest axes) and by family ties across the border. It's a naira send over NIP into an intra-African app (NALA, Sendwave) that delivers to MTN MoMo Benin or Moov Money. The naira floats against the CFA franc (XOF) — NGN → XOF swings widely, and that's the lever that decides. PAPSS also serves this route bank-to-bank for traders.
Sending from Nigeria: how it works from a naira account
In Nigeria, intra-African sends start from a naira account (a bank or a fintech wallet: OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint) funded over NIP — the NIBSS instant rail that settles within seconds. Apps like NALA, Sendwave or Taptap Send accept the naira debit by USSD or NIP button, then run the international leg into MTN MoMo, Airtel Money or WAEMU wallets. The naira was FLOATED in mid-2023 and swings widely against other African currencies — so the day's rate matters as much as the fee on the final amount.
Nigerian providers are supervised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) and Payment Service Bank (PSB) rules. For sends to Benin, signup requires a BVN (Bank Verification Number) and an ID. On NGN → RWF / XOF routes, compare the FINAL AMOUNT received for your amount — the margin on the floating naira can be much bigger than the headline fee.
Our verdict: the best way to send Nigeria to Benin
Best for the lowest total cost to Benin
NALA and Sendwave: starting from a naira account over NIP costs the few naira of the instant debit plus the intra-African app's fee — no USD leg and no correspondent bank. The apps that waive the up-front fee and keep the tightest rate margin net the most, especially as it lands on MTN MoMo or Moov Money — the two dominant wallets — often within minutes at the fixed EUR-XOF rate (655.957).
Best for speed to an MTN MoMo or Moov Money wallet
NALA, Sendwave and Taptap Send: NIP settles within seconds and delivery to the destination wallet follows in minutes, and it lands on MTN MoMo or Moov Money — the two dominant wallets — often within minutes at the fixed EUR-XOF rate (655.957) — so a send can complete end to end in minutes.
Best for large transfers and rate transparency
Wise: on a large naira send, the floating NGN → local rate decides the final amount — compare two or three services and don't trust the headline fee.
Best for cash pickup / a recipient without a wallet
Western Union: agent cash pickup is still useful in rural Benin, but the wallet covers most daily payments, but their agent networks pay out cash if your recipient has no wallet.
Best for Benin wallet support
NALA and Sendwave take the naira debit and deliver to MTN MoMo Benin or Moov Money within minutes; PAPSS also serves bank-to-bank for traders. Geographic proximity makes this route particularly active.
In plain terms: Because starting from a naira account over NIP costs the few naira of the instant debit plus the intra-African app's fee — no USD leg and no correspondent bank, the right pick from Nigeria to Benin mostly comes down to your amount: NALA and Sendwave for the lowest cost, Wise when the FX margin dominates on a large send, Western Union if your family has no wallet. Either way, it lands on MTN MoMo or Moov Money — the two dominant wallets — often within minutes at the fixed EUR-XOF rate (655.957), and receiving on MTN MoMo or Moov Money is free; the only cost is the agent cash-out fee, plus Benin's TAF (tax on the fee) shown in-app at the time of the transaction.
Comparing the services: fees, rates, speed & delivery
| Service | Fee model | Rate | Speed | Delivery | Best for | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NALA | Low flat fee; intra-Africa focus | Tight margin on NGN → RWF/XOF wallets | Minutes to destination wallet | MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, Moov | Intra-Africa app with naira-origin support | Go to NALA → |
| Sendwave | Usually zero up-front fee | Earns on the rate margin | Minutes to mobile money | Mobile money focused | Fast wallet delivery on intra-African routes | Go to Sendwave → |
| Taptap Send | Small flat or percentage fee | Solid rates on African pairs | Minutes | Bank and mobile money | Low-cost app transfers | Go to Taptap Send → |
| Wise | Transparent percentage fee, shown upfront | Mid-market rate where the pair is supported | Hours to ~24h | Bank deposit primarily | Transparency on larger NGN sends | Go to Wise → |
| Western Union | Variable fee by amount and channel | Wider rate margin | Flexible, including instant cash | Agent network: cash, bank, mobile | Cash pickup if the recipient has no wallet | Go to Western Union → |
Some provider links are referral links, marked sponsored. They never change the figures or the order shown.
Is Nigeria → Benin on PAPSS? And the naira–CFA question
Honest fact: Benin is NOT yet live on PAPSS (unlike Nigeria). So the rails are: MTN MoMo's cross-border "To Africa" service (Benin is among its destinations; a send fee of about 3% via momo.ng), and Western Union / MoneyGram / Ria for cash. The Sèmè-Kraké land border makes informal cash movement common, but a traced digital rail is safer.
The naira–CFA double answer: the CFA franc (XOF) is pegged to the euro at a fixed 655.957, but the NAIRA floats — so a Lagos → Cotonou send has TWO rates in play: the official naira rate and the parallel rate. That gap, not the XOF peg, is what weighs on the real cost. Naira official vs parallel rate →
Which services reach Benin's mobile wallets
In Benin, mobile money means MTN MoMo or Moov Money — the table shows what each service actually reaches: wallet, bank account or cash pickup.
| Service | Mobile money MTN MoMo / Moov Money | Bank | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| NALA | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Sendwave | ✓ | — | — |
| Taptap Send | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Wise | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Western Union | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
What your recipient actually gets in Benin
Cash-out / withdrawal cost
In Benin, receiving on MTN MoMo or Moov Money is free. The recipient's cost comes at WITHDRAWAL at an agent, charged by amount band. On top of that is the TAF (Taxe sur les Activités Financières) Benin applies on mobile-money FEES — that is, a percentage of the fee, not of the amount received — shown in-app at the time of the transaction. Keeping the money on the wallet to pay avoids both the withdrawal fee and the TAF applied to it.
Receiving to a bank vs a wallet
Benin runs on MTN MoMo and Moov Money — the two dominant wallets — with Wave Mobile Money added in November 2024 on a low-fee model. The West African CFA franc (XOF) is pegged to the euro at the fixed 655.957 XOF per €1, so a euro send from France carries no FX risk.
Since 30 September 2025, BCEAO's PI-SPI system has made individual wallet-to-wallet transfers within the WAEMU zone free and instant — handy once the money lands in Benin if your family wants to move it on within the region (Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, etc.).
How to send: methods, limits & safety
Funding and delivering the send
From Nigeria, funding starts from a naira account (a bank or fintech wallet: OPay, PalmPay, Moniepoint) debited over NIP — the NIBSS instant rail — within seconds. Intra-African apps like NALA, Sendwave or Taptap Send accept that debit and deliver to Benin wallets (MTN MoMo, Airtel Money or Moov for Benin; MTN MoMo or Airtel Money for Rwanda) in minutes. The naira has floated since mid-2023, so the NGN → local rate swings widely — compare the final amount received.
Transfer limits & KYC
In Nigeria, signup requires a BVN (Bank Verification Number) and an ID. IMTOs are CBN-supervised. For a first large send to Benin, expect the additional documentation the CBN requires above its monthly thresholds.
Other routes to Benin
Frequently asked questions
Which app should I use to send to Benin from Nigeria?
How long does a transfer to Benin take?
Is money received taxed in Benin?
Bottom line
Bottom line: NIP settles within seconds and delivery to the destination wallet follows in minutes and it lands on MTN MoMo or Moov Money — the two dominant wallets — often within minutes at the fixed EUR-XOF rate (655.957). Compare NALA and Sendwave first on the final amount received, switch to Wise for large sums, and Western Union if cash pickup is needed. On NGN routes, the floating rate makes the final amount unpredictable — compare two or three apps before sending.
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.