๐ Western Union for sending money to Nigeria
Western Union has the largest agent network in Nigeria (5,000+ locations). Cash pickup is near-instant. The most expensive option for bank transfers, but the most reliable for cash pickup in remote areas.
USD fee: $7.99Markup: 2.00%1-3 daysโญ 3.5 Trustpilot
๐ธ How much naira will your family receive?
Compare 10 platforms โ see which delivers the most naira.
1.๐
Wise
Fee $2.40 ยท Rate โฆ1,398.5 ยท Minutes-24hrs
โฆ696,015
BEST RATE
2.๐ฃ
LemFi
Fee $0.00 ยท Rate โฆ1,392 ยท Minutes
โฆ696,000
3.๐
Afriex
Fee $0.00 ยท Rate โฆ1,390 ยท <20 seconds
โฆ695,000
4.โซ
Grey.co
Fee $1.50 ยท Rate โฆ1,394 ยท Minutes
โฆ694,510
5.๐ก
Chipper Cash
Fee $0.00 ยท Rate โฆ1,386 ยท Minutes
โฆ693,000
6.๐ต
Remitly
Fee $3.99 ยท Rate โฆ1,388 ยท Minutes (Express)
โฆ688,168
7.๐ข
WorldRemit
Fee $3.99 ยท Rate โฆ1,385 ยท Minutes-1 day
โฆ686,716
8.๐ด
MoneyGram
Fee $4.99 ยท Rate โฆ1,378 ยท 1-2 days
โฆ682,110
9.๐
Western Union
Fee $7.99 ยท Rate โฆ1,380 ยท 1-3 days
โฆ679,240
๐ก Choosing Wise over Western Union delivers โฆ16,775 more.
Over 12 monthly transfers: โฆ201,300 saved โ about 1 months of Yaba rent.
Rates marked โESTโ are computed from each provider's typical fee structure and an approximate mid-market rate. Always confirm the live quote in the provider's app before sending.
โ Pros
- 5,000+ agent locations in Nigeria
- Cash pickup near-instant
- Trusted brand โ 170+ year history
- Highest transfer limits
- Works in remote areas without banks
โ Cons
- Most expensive fees ($7.99+)
- 2% exchange rate markup
- Bank transfers slow (1-3 days)
- App experience dated
- Total cost ~3.6% on $500
Compare with other providers
See how Western Union stacks up against the rest
| Provider | USD fee | Markup | Total cost* | Speed | Delivery | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
๐Wise Best overall โ most transparent, cheapest for large transfers. | $2.40 | 0.50% | 0.98% | Minutes-24hrs | Bank | โญ 4.4 Trustpilot |
๐ฃLemFi Zero flat fee โ best for frequent small transfers. | $0.00 | 0.80% | 0.80% | Minutes | BankWallet | โญ 4.5 Trustpilot |
๐ตRemitly Best first-time offer โ promotional rate beats everyone else on transfer #1. | $3.99 | 1.50% | 2.30% | Minutes (Express) | Bank | โญ 4.6 Trustpilot |
๐ขWorldRemit Best for cash pickup and airtime โ most delivery options. | $3.99 | 1.00% | 1.80% | Minutes-1 day | BankWalletCashAirtime | โญ 3.8 Trustpilot |
โซGrey.co Best for Nigerian remote workers โ virtual USD/GBP accounts. | $1.50 | 0.60% | 0.90% | Minutes | Bank | โญ 4.3 Trustpilot |
๐กChipper Cash Best for P2P within Africa โ zero fee between Chipper users. | $0.00 | 1.00% | 1.00% | Minutes | BankWallet | โญ 3.8 Trustpilot |
๐ Western Union Largest cash pickup network โ best for recipients without bank accounts. | $7.99 | 2.00% | 3.60% | 1-3 days | BankCash | โญ 3.5 Trustpilot |
๐ดMoneyGram Second-largest cash network โ Walmart partnership in the US. | $4.99 | 1.50% | 2.50% | 1-2 days | BankCash | โญ 3.6 Trustpilot |
๐Afriex Fastest โ under 20 seconds. Virtual USD accounts for freelancers. | $0.00 | 0.50% | 0.50% | Under 20 seconds | Bank | โญ 4.2 Trustpilot |
๐OPay Best for receiving into mobile wallet โ no bank account needed. | โ | 0.50% | โ | Instant | BankWallet | โญ 4.0 Trustpilot |
* Total cost on a $500 USD transfer = flat fee % + exchange-rate markup. Excludes bonus-rate first-transfer promotions.