How to Send Dollars to a Domiciliary Account in Nigeria (2027)

The short answer

Remittance apps can no longer pay US dollars into a Nigerian domiciliary account. The Central Bank of Nigeria's revised guidelines for International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) of 31 January 2024, and the follow-up circular effective 1 May 2026, require licensed money transfer operators to pay recipients in Nigeria in naira only. That covers apps such as LemFi, Taptap Send, Sendwave, Remitly and WorldRemit.

If your recipient needs dollars, the route that still works is a direct international bank wire (SWIFT) from your bank abroad to their domiciliary account. Bank-to-bank wires are not IMTO transfers, so the naira-only payout rule does not apply to them.

Your options today

1. SWIFT wire from your bank abroad (USD stays USD).

• Your bank sends dollars through the correspondent banking network to the recipient's dom account.
• Costs: an outgoing wire fee from your bank (often USD 25 to 50), possible intermediary bank charges, and a receiving charge in Nigeria.
• Time: usually 1 to 3 business days.
• Best for: larger amounts.

1. Send naira with a remittance app. For most family support, sending naira to a regular bank account is faster and cheaper. Compare live rates in our calculator.
2. Naira cash pickup (small amounts). WorldRemit, Remitly, Western Union and MoneyGram offer cash pickup. Under CBN rules it is paid in naira and capped at roughly USD 200 equivalent per payout.

Should you send dollars or naira?

Send dollars by wire if:

• the recipient needs to pay something in dollars, such as school fees abroad or a foreign supplier
• the amount is large enough that a USD 25 to 50 wire fee is a small share of it

Send naira by app if:

• the money will be spent in Nigeria anyway (rent, school fees, family support)
• the amount is small, where wire fees would eat a big share
• speed matters: app transfers usually arrive in minutes

Details you need for a SWIFT wire to a dom account

To avoid rejections or delays, collect:

• Account name: exactly as it appears on the recipient's BVN-linked account.
• Account number: the 10-digit NUBAN number of the USD domiciliary account, not their naira account.
• Bank name and SWIFT/BIC code of the receiving Nigerian bank.
• Intermediary (correspondent) bank details, if the Nigerian bank provides them. Ask the recipient's bank for its current USD correspondent instructions.
• Purpose of payment, for example family support.

Before you send

• Check the receiving side. Confirm with the receiving bank that the dom account can accept inward SWIFT transfers, and what it charges.
• Ask your own bank for the full cost, including the exchange rate if your account is not in USD.
• US paperwork: for amounts of USD 3,000 or more, US banks and money transmitters must record extra identifying information. That is normal paperwork, not a problem.
• Big transfers: large or unusual transfers may prompt questions about the source of funds at either end. Keep statements handy.

Common problems

• Wrong account. The wire goes to the naira account number instead of the dom account and is converted or returned.
• Missing intermediary details. This delays the wire by days.
• Name mismatch. The name doesn't match the account, so the receiving bank holds the funds.