How to send a bank transfer to Nigeria with MAJORITY

To send a bank transfer to Nigeria with MAJORITY, enter your recipient's 10-digit NUBAN account number, their account name, and their bank, then confirm the exchange rate and amount in the app.

Quick answer

A bank transfer moves US dollars from your account directly into your recipient's Nigerian naira (NGN) bank account. Recipients always receive naira, the settlement currency for this destination. You will need your recipient's full account name as it appears at their Nigerian bank, their bank's name, and their 10-digit NUBAN (Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number). Once you confirm the amount and exchange rate in the app, transfers to Nigerian banks are usually available within minutes.

What you need to know

1. A bank transfer deposits NGN directly into your recipient's account at a Nigerian bank such as Access Bank, GTBank, UBA, First Bank, or Zenith Bank.
2. Nigeria settles in naira only — your US dollars convert to NGN at the rate shown in the app, and that is what lands in your recipient's account.
3. The standard Nigerian account identifier is the NUBAN (Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number): a 10-digit number that uniquely routes a deposit to a single account at a single Nigerian bank.
4. You will need all three recipient details (account name, bank name, and 10-digit NUBAN) before you start.
5. The live exchange rate and the NGN amount your recipient will receive are shown in the app before you confirm the transfer.
6. Bank transfers are included in the membership at $0 per transfer; the membership itself is $5.99 per month.

What you need before you start

A bank transfer to Nigeria requires three pieces of recipient information. Before you open the app, ask your recipient to share the following:

1. Account name. The full name on the Nigerian bank account, exactly as the bank has it on file. Nigerian banks verify the account name against the NUBAN before processing an inbound transfer, so even a small spelling difference can cause a delay.
2. Bank name. The Nigerian bank that holds the account — for example, Access Bank, GTBank, UBA, or Zenith Bank. The app displays a dropdown of all supported banks when you set up the recipient.
3. 10-digit NUBAN. Your recipient's NUBAN appears in their bank's mobile app, on a bank statement, or in the bank's USSD menu. The 10 digits identify the bank and the individual account. If the number has fewer or more than 10 digits, it is not a valid NUBAN.
4. Your government-issued ID on file. Your verified ID is required as the sender. Once your account is opened, this step is done and does not need to be repeated for each transfer.

Double-check the NUBAN with your recipient before confirming. A transfer sent to the wrong NUBAN may take several business days to investigate and return.

Nigerian banks supported for bank transfers

Bank transfers are supported to 16 Nigerian banks spanning major commercial banks, regional banks, and pan-African institutions with a strong Nigerian footprint. The table below shows a representative selection.

The app shows the full current list when you add a recipient. If your recipient's bank is not in the dropdown, ask whether they hold an account at one of the supported banks listed above and other supported banks.

Step-by-step: send a bank transfer to Nigeria

The entire process takes place inside the app. The steps below cover a first-time bank transfer to a new recipient.

1. Open the app and tap Send money.
2. Select Nigeria as the destination country.
3. Select Bank transfer as the delivery method. Bank transfer is the available delivery option for Nigeria.
4. Add your recipient. Enter their full account name, select their Nigerian bank from the dropdown, and enter their 10-digit NUBAN. Save the recipient so you can reuse the details next time.
5. Enter the USD amount you want to send. The app immediately shows the current USD-to-NGN exchange rate and the exact naira amount your recipient will receive.
6. Review the transfer summary. Confirm the recipient account name, the bank, the NUBAN, the USD amount, the NGN amount, the exchange rate, and the estimated delivery time before tapping confirm.
7. Authenticate with your PIN or biometrics and submit the transfer.
8. Track the transfer on the activity screen. A notification arrives when the funds are released and another when they are credited to your recipient's Nigerian bank account.

If anything looks off on the summary screen, do not confirm. Tap back, correct the detail, and review again before submitting.

How long a Nigeria bank transfer takes

Transfers to Nigerian banks are usually available within minutes once submitted. Nigerian interbank settlement runs through the NIP (NIBSS Instant Payment) system operated by NIBSS (Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System), which processes transactions around the clock.

A few things can slow delivery:

• First transfer to a new recipient. Some banks apply an additional compliance check on the first inbound transfer to an account.
• Mismatched account details. An account name that does not match the NUBAN on file at the receiving bank triggers a verification hold. Nigerian banks perform name-validation checks on inbound transfers, so the account name must match exactly.
• Large amount. Transfers above certain thresholds may be reviewed for compliance before posting.
• Bank system downtime. Like any network, individual Nigerian banks occasionally experience maintenance windows that delay posting.

The in-app estimated delivery time reflects the most accurate number for your specific transfer.

What it costs to send a bank transfer to Nigeria

A bank transfer to Nigeria through the membership has two cost components: the monthly membership and the exchange rate.

1. The monthly membership is $5.99 per month. It includes money transfers in supported countries, including Nigeria, with no per-transfer fee at the member tier.
2. The exchange rate is the rate at which your US dollars convert to Nigerian naira at the time you confirm the transfer. The rate and the resulting NGN amount appear in the app before you submit, so you see exactly what your recipient will receive before you commit.

There is no per-transfer fee on bank transfers to Nigeria at the member tier. Because recipients receive naira, the NGN amount shown in the app is the amount that lands in their account — no additional local conversion step applies.

What to do next

1. Ask your recipient to share their 10-digit NUBAN, full account name as it appears at their bank, and bank name.
2. Open the app, tap Send money, select Nigeria, and select Bank transfer.
3. Add the recipient using the details from step 1, enter the USD amount, review the exchange rate and NGN total, and confirm.
4. Save the recipient. After the first successful transfer, repeat sends take only a few taps.

Related MAJORITY resources

MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants in the US that includes money transfers to more than 30 countries, including Nigeria. Bank transfers to Nigeria deposit naira directly into your recipient's account at one of 16 supported Nigerian banks, with the exchange rate and estimated delivery time shown before you confirm. There is no per-transfer fee at the member tier, and the membership is $5.99 per month.

• Send money to Nigeria
• Open a MAJORITY account

Frequently asked questions

What is a NUBAN and where does my recipient find it?

A NUBAN (Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number) is the 10-digit account identifier used by Nigerian banks to route interbank deposits. Your recipient can find their NUBAN in their bank's mobile app, on a bank statement, or through their bank's USSD menu. It is the account number Nigerian banks use to receive transfers from other banks.

Does my recipient receive naira or US dollars?

Your recipient receives Nigerian naira (NGN). When you send from your account in US dollars, the app converts the amount to NGN at the rate shown on the confirmation screen. That naira amount is what posts to their account — there is no additional conversion at the Nigerian bank.

Which Nigerian banks are supported for bank transfers?

Bank transfers are supported to 16 Nigerian banks, including Access Bank, GTBank, UBA, First Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Sterling Bank, FCMB, Wema Bank, Polaris Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria, Providus Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Keystone Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and other supported banks. The full list appears in the app when you add a recipient.

How long does a bank transfer to Nigeria take?

Transfers to Nigerian banks are usually available within minutes. The NIP (NIBSS Instant Payment) system processes Nigerian interbank transfers around the clock. Delays can occur if account details do not match, if it is the first transfer to a new recipient, or if the receiving bank has a maintenance window. The in-app estimate is the most accurate number for your transfer.

Is there a fee to send a bank transfer to Nigeria?

There is no per-transfer fee on bank transfers to Nigeria at the member tier. The monthly membership is $5.99 and includes money transfers to supported countries, including Nigeria, at no additional per-transfer charge. The exchange rate at the time of confirmation applies, and both the rate and the NGN amount are shown in the app before you submit.

Can I send cash pickup or a mobile wallet transfer to Nigeria?

No. Bank transfer is the available delivery method for Nigeria. Your recipient needs an account at one of the 16 supported Nigerian banks to receive the transfer.

What happens if I enter the wrong NUBAN or account name?

If the NUBAN points to a closed or non-existent account, the transfer is typically held and returned to your balance after the receiving bank rejects it. If the account name does not match the NUBAN on file, Nigerian banks may reject or hold the transfer for verification. Contact support through the app if a transfer does not arrive as expected.

Disclosures

The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. ("Axiom"), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. Non-deposit products or services such as money transfers and telecom services are not FDIC-insured.

MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.