Does Wise Work in Nigeria? What You Can and Cannot Do

As a Nigerian working or freelancing abroad, there might have been a couple of times when a client asked if you accept payments on Wise. Of course, you can’t just say “Yes”, especially if you haven’t checked first-hand, “Does Wise work in Nigeria?”.

The quick answer is yes, you can open a Wise account in Nigeria, but the extent of what you can do is limited. Before agreeing to accept salary, tips, or gifts on Wise, you might want to pause to see if the platform can meet you where you are.

Here’s the ideal end goal: you can cash out your balance to a Nigerian bank account easily, so your digital earnings stay liquid for day-to-day spending. Let’s find out if Wise is the one, or if there’s a less restrictive alternative.

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Does Wise Work in Nigeria? Yes, But…

In a nutshell, you can tell your employer or client that Wise does work in Nigeria, but in a limited capacity.

The first layer of assessment is: “Can I open a Wise account in Nigeria?”. Thankfully, there’s no hurdle in that.

However, once the question gets to, “Can I receive money with Wise in Nigeria?”, things become a bit complex, and I’ll address this later.

The truth may alter users’ perceptions of Wise as a platform, especially for those who call it a neobank. They’re not exactly wrong - but a better term to describe Wise is a financial technology (fintech) solution with neobank-like features.

It’s easy to see where people get the idea, since Wise is designed to be a superapp covering end-to-end financial management. Wise in Nigeria performs particularly well in cross-border transactions and currency exchanges, which have become the livelihoods of Nigerian diaspora communities.^[1]

But since the platform was built and regulated within the British financial system, its full functionality is primarily accessible if you’re in Europe and the UK.

In Nigeria, Wise doesn’t directly hold a license from the country’s financial supervisory authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but it still legally operates as a Money Service Business (MSB).

Although Wise is available in Nigeria, its path toward legal recognition in the country hasn’t been entirely smooth, and you may have heard about past tensions between the platform and Nigerian regulators. If you’re missing the full story, here’s a brief timeline to clarify what happened:

As you can see, Wise has periodically adjusted its operations in response to changing local conditions. On a more positive note, the CBN has ratified the International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) guidelines, making it easier for services like Wise to structure their offerings around Nigerian financial rules.

That said, you can’t use Wise for full financial autonomy. While you can open a Wise account in Nigeria with zero friction, certain limitations mean the platform can only take you so far.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what you can and cannot do on the Nigerian version of Wise:

Table: Wise’s feature availability in Nigeria

So, if you’re a freelancer, a contractor, or a remote worker, you cannot receive payments on Wise in Nigeria or perform other common activities. For Nigerian users overall, Wise primarily serves as a remittance platform rather than a payment account.

On top of what's listed above, Wise’s zero-tolerance crypto policy can be a structural barrier in a country that ranks second globally in digital asset adoption. The company’s Terms and Conditions strictly prohibit crypto-related activities, and violations will result in permanent account closure.

But it’s not the end of the road for Nigerian freelancers who prefer getting paid in USDC. There are Wise alternatives that can actually help preserve and stabilize the value of your earnings. Ogvio, for instance, pegs your balance to USD/EUR (your choice), so your hard work isn’t slowly eroded by inflation.

📚 Read More: Wise Alternatives

At this point, the question of where Wise is available in Nigeria is settled. As one of the world’s most active remittance markets, it’s reasonable to expect platforms like Wise to offer more than bare-bones access. While the service does deliver on global outbound transfers, its usefulness quickly tapers off once you look beyond basic remittance needs.

Let's try to understand what you can do on Wise and how far you can go.

Create an Account and Pass KYC

The idea of Wise's “availability” can be vague when it comes to the actual scope. Some platforms don’t even let you get past the most basic level, which is account creation. Thankfully, Nigerian users can move forward with no hassle.

So when one asks, “Can I open a Wise account in Nigeria?”, likely, their real concern is how to actually do it. Here’s a quick walkthrough to give you an illustration:

Even if you’re finally registered, you’re not quite “done” yet. The next course of action is: “How to verify Wise account in Nigeria?”.

Without completing KYC, access to international remittance is blocked, which is the only feature presently available to Nigerian users. This requirement is consistent with CBN regulations, which mandate all financial institutions to verify users as part of anti-money laundering (AML) controls.

In some cases, verification happens automatically during your first bank transfer. Just make sure the name on your personal bank account matches the name on your Wise account.

Once your transfer amount exceeds €15,000, Wise will ask you to provide a valid government-issued ID. This could be:

• Your passport (photo page only);
• Your national ID card (both sides);
• Your driver’s license (both sides).

When you send larger amounts, make frequent transfers, or use certain currencies, Wise might also request proof of address and additional documents explaining how you obtained the funds.

Send Money Abroad

In Nigeria and many parts of the world, Wise is known as an international money transmitter. So, yes, you can absolutely use this platform to send financial support to your loved ones abroad (but not within the same country), be it for daily needs or tuition fees.

However, there’s a catch: NGN is not supported for sending, so you can only send in one of 28 other supported currencies (as of writing), including popular options like EUR and GBP. But don’t worry, Wise will convert the funds to NGN before they reach your recipient’s account.

On top of that, Wise allows users to receive in more than 80 currencies, with GBP, INR, and USD being among the most frequently used.

As a sender, make sure that your recipient’s details are accurate and complete. Wise will ask for their full name (English characters only), bank code, and 10-digit account number.

If you enter incorrect information, the transfer may get delayed or cancelled, and the bank will return your money. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, as refunds can take time to reach your account.

Per transfer, you can send up to 95 million NGN, which gives you enough wiggle room for daily expenses and higher-value transactions. Though, as mentioned earlier, higher transfer amounts are usually subject to additional verification.

In reality, Nigerians prefer making low-value transactions, so they tend to be cost-sensitive. Wise typically offers competitive fees, especially with its free internal transfers. But in Nigeria, such features are unavailable. Due to limited payout channels, fees are steeper than average.

Meanwhile, available payment methods will refresh based on your selected currency pair. To give you an example, for sending NGN-USD, the available options are ACH and wire transfers. Fees range between 0.7% to 1.2%, but FX rates remain true to mid-market standards.

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Edge Cases for Nigerian Wise Users

Now, before I go on and tell you the restrictions in place for Wise in Nigeria, there are special use cases that can be helpful, provided you know the right workaround - whether you’re a Nigerian living inside or outside of the country.

And no, I’m not talking about “hacks” that cross legal boundaries. Rather, they’re safe and legitimate methods that adhere to Wise’s operating framework.

Receive Money

Can you receive money with Wise in Nigeria? Yes, you can, but NOT directly on the platform. This small wording difference can make a huge change when you get to practice.

Wise still facilitates transfers to Nigeria. However, the funds won’t be credited to your Wise account, since Nigerian users can’t hold a balance on the platform.

But the mystery isn’t solved yet: where will the money go? The service will send it to your Nigerian bank account. Therefore, as a recipient, having a Wise account isn’t obligatory.

That’s why I call this an “edge case”. Next time your client or employer asks if they can pay you on Wise, they technically can’t pay into your personal account. Instead, you can tell them they can use Wise to route the funds to a local bank account. Monitoring the progress of the transfer is also transparent using the receipt provided by Wise.

The whole setup is rather unconventional, but I’d say it’s pretty convenient. The funds go straight to your bank account, and since cash is still the primary payment method in Nigeria, you can easily withdraw them at an ATM afterward.

Receiving payments through Wise as the middleman can also be helpful if your relative in Canada, the US, or the UK wants to send money to Nigeria, since the country records some of the highest remittance inflows globally.^[2]

Fees might not be the lowest, but your recipient keeps most of the remittance value thanks to Wise’s competitive FX rates.

Nigerians Living Abroad

People regularly move across borders for work, education, or other purposes. Nigerians, for one, are part of a highly mobile and productive diaspora, often pursuing careers in healthcare, technology, or tourism. A smaller segment also relocates abroad for higher education, professional training, or business opportunities.

If you are a Nigerian in any of those groups and need a financial app for storing and transferring funds, you might be eligible to sign up for Wise and unlock a wider range of features based on where you live.

These include features that are geo-blocked in Nigeria, such as spending with the Wise card, holding multiple currencies, or earning interest on your savings.

Again, this additional functionality isn’t automatically “given out”; you’ll need to confirm whether they’re supported in your country of residence and if you meet the relevant criteria.

Here’s a starting checklist to assess your qualification, but it shouldn’t be treated as a definitive decision:

Navigating these legal requirements is undoubtedly complex, and every country has its own rules governing residency status. If you face any trouble, Wise’s customer support line is open.

And as with life, the only constant is change. If you later return to Nigeria or move elsewhere, certain features you once had access to may no longer be available. The Wise card is a prominent example.

The card will remain valid until its expiry date, even if you have moved out of the region where it was issued. However, your ability to replace, reissue, or continue using the card depends on how Wise works in your new location.

That is because the Wise card’s license is country-specific, so a change in residency status effectively affects its availability.

What You Can’t Do on Wise in Nigeria

These actions do not work for Wise in Nigeria. If they are important to you, I suggest considering an alternative sooner rather than later.

Receive Money With Account Details

It’s been established before that, in a narrow technical sense, you can receive money or get paid with Wise. Now, let’s take a look at the other side of the coin: why you can’t get paid on Wise.

The main clue lies in account details, which are credentials linked to the USD, GBP, or any currency you hold as a balance inside Wise. Nigerian users don’t have access to these in the first place, so they can’t generate them to receive peer-to-peer (P2P) or business payments.

Hold and Convert NGN or Multiple Currencies

Many digital-native and global users are drawn to Wise for its multi-currency offering. Unfortunately, Nigerian users cannot manage NGN on Wise or store balances in any other currency.

And as you’ve read before, NGN is not natively supported as a sending currency. Meaning that it’s not available for conversion on the platform, either.

This isn’t a rule that Wise enforces selectively, but rather a response to Nigeria’s strict foreign exchange controls. Wise isn’t the only one struggling with this. Other platforms, like Payoneer, WorldRemit, and Remitly, do not provide native NGN wallets, nor do they allow you to set up multi-currency holding accounts.

📚 Read More: Ogvio VS Wise

Spend Abroad With the Wise Card

If you see yourself as a globetrotter from Nigeria, well, the Wise card won’t be your match.

Wise has a debit card that you can use at any checkout points that accept Mastercard. It’s particularly popular for spending among frequent travelers. Eligible users can withdraw up to $200 in cash each month for free from a wide ATM network, or swiftly freeze the card when they’re back home from their trip.

Too bad none of those are available to Nigerian users, who can’t order the card physically or use it for spending at brick-and-mortar merchants. Exceptions apply if you’re a Nigerian with a valid residency in the country where the Wise card is issued.

Earn With the Assets Feature

Wise is not only for holding, sending, and spending, but also for earning. From all the functionality, though, only sending is possible in Nigeria.

Users in the region cannot earn interest with Wise because they can’t open a USD, GBP, or EUR account. Supposedly, Wise allocates a portion of your balances (if you agree) to government-backed assets. As with any investment-related product, some level of risk is still involved.

Open a Wise Business Account

Wise’s business account offers scalability for entrepreneurs operating across borders. It’s branded as an all-in-one solution for making payments, getting paid, spending, and earning returns in multiple currencies.

However, for SME owners, corporate leaders, or teams in Nigeria, those capabilities are largely out of reach at the moment.

Regional restrictions can be a challenge, but it’s not wise (pun intended) to take shortcuts through informal channels. There are other platforms that perfectly work in Nigeria, for personal or business use.

Introducing Ogvio: Best Wise Alternative in Nigeria

In practice, Wise works in Nigeria, but most features locals need for their financial lifeline are unsupported.

Sending in NGN is not possible; USD or EUR appears as a workaround, not as a value-pegging strategy. Crypto functionality is off the table under the platform’s internal policies, even though reality shows that most Nigerian freelancers depend on USDC to manage currency volatility.

Against this backdrop, new entries like Ogvio serve use cases that Wise does not currently support in Nigeria or many parts of the world, keeping your financial setup intact wherever you go.

Ogvio is a neobank that centers on two core ideas: fast execution and low cost. It cuts off intermediaries, operates on a high-speed settlement system, and relies on local payment networks. In Nigeria, that means free bank transfer top-ups in NGN and EUR/USD pegging to cushion against currency devaluation.

Even if your balance stays inside a digital-first system, Ogvio provides many routes to liquidate funds quickly. Bank transfers do not move by operating hours, and credits reach your balance within 24 hours or less. If you want to skip fees without sacrificing speed, Ogvio’s DM-style internal transfer lets you send money using a simple @Tag.

Cash may still be king in Nigeria, but a growing share of the population, especially young digital workers, use crypto to get paid for their services. Ogvio supports the Base network, where USDC acts as the bridging currency.

Funds move effortlessly between crypto and fiat without the usual currency-conversion friction. You get a 1:1 FX quote with no hidden charges and the flexibility to cash out to NGN at any time. What you see is what you pay.

If you don’t want to move money yet, Ogvio keeps your funds in place and offers in-platform crypto trading. BTC, ETH, and a selection of assets are available for portfolio rebalancing.

📚 Read More: Ogvio Review

Safety is non-custodial - only you have control over your assets, not even Ogvio. Every communication is protected by the highest-grade encryption (as of writing), and transactions are confirmed only after a successful PIN entry.

Ogvio’s reach extends to 160+ countries, and remote areas are not left behind. This broad geographical coverage is part of the package, whether you own a personal or a business Ogvio account.

Local or multinational teams, small or large, can keep their financial flows in one system for efficiency: process payroll in Ogvio, and your recipients receive their salaries or earnings on the same platform.

Every business has its needs, and sometimes that calls for specialized solutions. Ogvio can give you custom-rate transfers, API integrations, and any specific add-on or modification to help your operation go further.

Side-by-side, here’s how Ogvio and Wise compare in terms of feature availability in Nigeria:

Table: Ogvio VS Wise, compared in Nigeria

It’s clear who wins in terms of compatibility - but make sure your chosen platform is compatible with your circumstances. Besides features, compare charges. Both Ogvio and Wise use the mid-market FX rates. Wise doesn’t have internal transfers in Nigeria, but Ogvio does, making it cheaper for those who frequently move money in and out.

How to Use Ogvio in Nigeria

Using Ogvio is a realistic option if you don’t wish for compatibility issues with local or global currencies, digital assets, or payout channels. Here’s how you can get started.

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Create an Account

Signing up on Ogvio is easy. Follow these steps:

And that’s it. You now have access to your Ogvio’s dashboard.

Deposit Money

Wise works in Nigeria, but, unlike Ogvio, you cannot store your balance there. So, here’s how you can add money to Ogvio, where your funds will be kept in EUR or USD to hedge against local currency fluctuations. No worries, once you withdraw them, they’re automatically converted to Nigerian Naira.

• Bank Transfer. Deposit NGN in seconds from your bank account.
• Card Transfer. Use your debit/credit card, digital wallets, or other local options.
• Crypto Transfer. Add funds to your Ogvio’s wallet address.
• Receive From Ogvio User. Share your @Tag to receive money without a fee deduction.
• Request a Payment Link. Request payments from your employer, client, or friends for splitting bills.

Pick a method that best suits your use case and what you’re most comfortable using.

Do not forget to double-check each line of details before finalizing your top-up. Funds will show up in your account as USD or EUR Coins, which hold the same value as the actual dollar and euro.

Send Money

Since Ogvio is a neobank, you can keep your money safely there and swap it with supported tokens. Or, you can make an online transfer, either to yourself (to external accounts) or another user.

Your money is on its way. You can go to the [Activity] tab to check the status of your transfer.

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Conclusions

Does Wise work in Nigeria? The answer will either give you a sigh of relief or a dose of disappointment. Well, it does, but only for sending money abroad.

Even then, NGN isn’t supported as an on-ramp currency. On the front end, switching to USD, EUR, or any other available currency seems easy. But even with good FX rates, forced currency detours introduce extra fees and spreads in the background.

And if you explore Wise in Nigeria a bit further, you’ll find there are more limitations than capabilities. The service works great as a cross-border money transferring solution, but not as a payment or an end-to-end financial management tool.

Scientific References

1. Hernandez-Coss, Raul E., B., Chinyere U. E.: 'The UK-Nigeria Remittance Corridor: Challenges of Embracing Formal Transfer Systems in a Dual Financial Environment (English)';

2. Oluwafemi A., Ayandibu O. A.: 'Impact of Remittances on Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects'.

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