Nigeria is the highest recipient of international remittances in Africa, with inflows worth $19.56 billion in 2023 and accounting for around 5.2% of its GDP.
According to a World Bank report, Nigeria accounted for about 35% of the region’s total inflows in the same year. However, this marked a decline from the $20.12 billion received in 2022.
These funds are more than just statistics, they serve as lifelines for millions of households, covering essentials such as food, education, healthcare, and housing. With inflation eroding purchasing power at home, diaspora remittances are becoming even more critical to family survival and small business support.
In 2024, Nairametrics reported that Africa received over $95 billion in remittances, Nigeria continued to rank as a key remittance hub, driven by its diaspora community of over 20 million people with Egypt, and Morocco leading as top recipients
IOM Nigeria’s Chief of Mission, Sharon Dimanche disclosed Nigeria received $20.93 billion in remittances in 2024, an 8.9% increase from the previous year.
Nigeria’s strong performance in remittance inflows has been largely supported by digital remittance apps, which have become the dominant channels for sending money home.
These platforms are preferred for their speed, convenience, competitive exchange rates, and ability to reach both banked and unbanked Nigerians through banking networks and mobile money systems.
“Nairametrics Research drew insights from staff evaluations, user reviews, download data, and expert opinions to inform its findings.”
Here is a list of the top 10 remittance apps Nigerians use in 2025:
Afriex enables users to move money globally in more than 50 currencies. The platform allows users to open USD, GBP, or EUR accounts in their own name, making it easy to receive payments from international clients and global platforms.
Beyond sending money to family and friends, freelancers, remote workers, content creators, and businesses can easily receive payments from clients and partners worldwide in a seamless and cost-effective way
The service is available in over 50 countries, including the USA, Canada, the UK, EU countries, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
According to details on the Afriex app, sending $100 USD to Nigeria attracts no fees, with transfers processed in seconds. At the rate of 1 USD = 1,528.69196 NGN, the recipient would receive N152,869.20.
On the Google Play Store, Afriex has been downloaded over 500,000 times, with customers rating the app 3.7 out of 5.
