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:
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
