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:
Nala – 500,000+ downloads
Nala enables users to send money from Europe, the UK, and the US to multiple countries across Africa and Asia, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Gabon, and Congo Brazzaville.
The app allows users to compare exchange rates before sending, with 95% of transactions delivered in seconds to mobile money wallets and bank accounts. Users can also set up repeat transfers for added convenience.
According to details on the Nala app, sending $100 USD to Nigeria at a rate of 1 USD ≈ 1,526.72 NGN. The recipient would receive N 152,672.
On the Google Play Store, Nala has been downloaded over 500,000 times, with customers rating the app 4.6 out of 5.
Afriex – 500,000+ downloads
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.
LemFi – 1 million+ downloads
LemFi operates across more than 30 countries, enabling remittances from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and several European countries including France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Transfers can be sent to destinations such as Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Ghana, China, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Brazil, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and others.
The platform also functions as a multi-currency wallet, allowing users to hold and exchange funds in major currencies such as Euros, British Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, and United States Dollars.
According to details on the LemFi app, sending $100 to Nigeria currently gives recipients N153,400, at an exchange rate of $1 = N1,534. Transfers come with zero fees, meaning the sender is charged exactly $100, and the full amount is converted. The estimated arrival time for funds is between 3 to 5 minutes.
On the Google Play Store, LemFi has been downloaded over 1 million times, and customers have rated the app 3.0 out of 5.
LemFi is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under RightCard Payment Services Ltd (a LemFi brand company).
Grey – 1 million+ downloads
Grey allows users to send, receive, exchange, and manage multiple currencies in one app. The platform also enables users to open foreign UK, US, and EU bank accounts directly from their phone at no cost.
With Grey, users can send money to freelancers, business associates, and loved ones anywhere in the world.
Users can withdraw funds to their bank accounts instantly or within a few business hours, depending on the currency.
According to details on the Grey app, sending $100 USD to Nigeria gives recipients N151,024. The platform supports real-time rates and multiple currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, KES, EGP, and TZS, with over 40 currencies available.
Examples of other rates include 1 KES = 0.01 GBP, 1 USD = 48.08 EGP, 1 TZS = 0.00 GBP, and 1 EUR = 149.51 KES.
On the Google Play Store, Grey has been downloaded over 1 million times, and customers have rated the app 4.4 out of 5.
Send App by Flutterwave – 1 million+ downloads
Send App by Flutterwave allows users to send money quickly and securely to multiple countries across Europe, Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Supported European countries include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Spain.
In Africa, transfers are supported to Cameroon, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia.
According to details on the Send App, sending $100 USD to Nigeria gives recipients N151,653.02, at an exchange rate of $1 = N1,516.5302. The transfer comes with no fees, meaning the sender pays exactly $100. Funds are delivered directly to Nigerian bank accounts within minutes.
On the Google Play Store, Send App by Flutterwave has been downloaded over 1 million times, and customers have rated the app 4.5 out of 5.
Send App is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Flutterwave technology solutions limited.
Sendwave – 5 million+ downloads
Sendwave supports transfers across a wide range of countries and currencies. In Africa, the service covers Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda.
In Nigeria, Sendwave only transfers to USD bank accounts and USD cash pickup options. According to details on the app, a transfer of $100 to Nigeria currently gives recipients N153,306, with an exchange rate of $1 = N1,533.05. The platform charges no transfer fees.
The platform partners with major providers across Africa, including M-Pesa, MTN, Airtel, and others, to ensure smooth and reliable transactions.
On the Google Play Store, Sendwave has been downloaded over 5 million times, and customers have rated the app 3.8 out of 5.
Sendwave is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Chime Inc.
Paysend – 10 million+ downloads
Paysend allows users to send money to over 170 countries, including Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, and many more, offering fast and transparent transfers with low or zero fees.
According to details on the Paysend app, sending $100 to Nigeria currently gives recipients N152,913 at an exchange rate of $1 = N1,529.1336. The transfer comes with zero fees, ensuring that the full amount reaches the recipient. Funds should arrive within one business day.
The platform also allows card-to-card transfers, sending money directly to Visa, Mastercard, or UnionPay cards with a flat transparent fee of just £1, €1.50, or $1.99.
On the Google Play Store, Paysend has been downloaded over 10 million times, and customers have rated the app 4.2 out of 5.
Paysend is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under PAYSEND PLC
Taptap send – 10 million+ downloads
Taptap Send enables users to transfer money to more than 56 countries worldwide, covering Africa, Asia, North America/Caribbean, and South America.
In Nigeria, transfers can be received through bank accounts such as Access Bank and Fidelity Bank, mobile wallets like MTN and Orange Money, or cash pickup at select partner banks.
According to details on the Taptap Send app, a transfer of $100 (USD) to Nigeria currently gives recipients N153,300, with an exchange rate of $1 = N1,533.00. The platform also ensures that the full amount is received with no transfer fees deducted.
On the Google Play Store, Taptap Send has been downloaded over 10 million times and holds a 4.5-star customer rating.
Taptap send is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under TAPTAP SEND UK LIMITED
Remitly- 10 million+ downloads
Remitly supports transfers to 170 countries and territories around the world.
In Nigeria, it transfers to more than 570 financial institutions, covering a wide network of commercial banks, mortgage banks, microfinance banks, and payment service banks. This includes leading names such as Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), and United Bank for Africa (UBA), ensuring that recipients across the country can access funds with ease.
According to details on the Remitly app, a transfer of $100 to Nigeria currently gives recipients N156,501, with an exchange rate of £1 = N2,103.09. The platform also ensures that the entire £100 goes to the recipient without deductions.
On the Google Play Store, Remitly has been downloaded over 10 million times and customers have rated the app 4.7 out of 5
Wise – 10 million+ downloads
Wise is a global money transfer platform that allows users to send funds to multiple countries with transparent fees and real-time exchange rates.
According to details on the Wise app, sending $100 to Nigeria currently gives recipients N148,902.15, with an exchange rate of $1 = N1,531.60. The rate is guaranteed for 8 hours, giving users flexibility before completing the transfer.
For this transfer, when paying with a connected bank account ACH (Automated Clearing House, the U.S. electronic bank-to-bank payment system), the platform charges a fee of $0.17 for the ACH transaction and $2.61 as Wise’s service fee. This brings the total included fees to $2.78, which is 2.78% of the transfer amount. The estimated arrival time for funds is in seconds.
On the Google Play Store, Wise has been downloaded over 10 million times, and customers have rated the app 4.8 out of 5.
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