If you live in Nigeria and need to send money abroad, it may be tough to decide the best means. However, it’s important to note that there are several ways you can send money from Nigeria to the USA. Besides traditional banking methods, there are now a lot of international payment platforms online to help move funds from Nigeria to the USA.
These platforms have made it possible to send money to the USA from your computer or mobile device without leaving your home’s comfort. These transactions are generally more cost-effective than traditional banking options like Western Union and directly sending funds via your local bank.
This article explores the best means to send money to the USA from Nigeria and the factors to consider before choosing a payment platform.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Money Transfer Platform
It’s essential to consider some crucial factors when considering the money transfer service to use. There are so many important factors that contribute to making a payment platform the best choice.
Exchange Rates and Conversion Services
To get the best value for your international transfers, you must consider the exchange rate offered by the platform. Knowing the exchange rate is especially significant when sending large sums but applies to lower ones. Fair exchange rates will help you save money while sending money abroad.
• Transaction Charges
Like exchange rates, it’s essential to consider the transaction costs of your money transfers from Nigeria to the USA. Even though every platform applies a service charge to your transfer, the rates differ based on the platform, the remittance amount, the payment method, etc.
International Payment Options
You need to choose a platform that provides several payments and withdrawal options for your international transfer. It’s best to have options to explore than being boxed into one transfer option.
Local and International Laws
It is best to keep abreast of local and international laws regarding international transfers. If you are in Nigeria, ensure your transactions are allowable under Central Bank laws.
Transfer Limits
Every legitimate transfer platform has a transfer limit for its customers. Most platforms have limits for single transactions and total monthly transfers. Before using a medium to transfer money from Nigeria to the USA, find the transaction limits to know which is suitable for the amount of money you wish to send.
The Reputation of Money Transfer Platforms
More important than anything else is the reputation of the platform you intend to use. Ensure to use a platform that has gained the public’s trust and is known for good service. Such brands tend to have more favorable rates and charges and offer excellent online money transfer services. A good way to get a sense of a brand’s reputation is by reading honest customer reviews online on trusted platforms like TrustPilot.
Speed of Transaction
If quick transactions are a priority for you, you need to consider when your loved one/employee will receive money once you send it. Reputable money transfer platforms usually process their international transfers in 2 to 3 business days. However, some payment options could take considerably longer or shorter times to complete. You should note that quicker transactions may incur more service charges or lower exchange rates than usual.
Customer Support
Most online money transfer platforms may not have physical offices near you. Thus, these platforms must have a reliable, 24-hour customer support team. Also, this team should be accessible via mail, chat, and call. It’s in your best interest to avoid platforms without robust customer service channels.
How to Send Money to a USA Bank Account from Nigeria
There are several ways to send money from Nigeria to the USA. However, these different means fall mainly under two groups, namely:
- International Bank Transfers
- Online Money Transfer Platforms
1. Online Money Transfer Platforms
Online platforms have become an increasingly popular way to send money online from Nigeria to the USA. They provide a convenient means to send money to your employees, loved ones, or charities. You can use several money transfer providers like PayPal, Payoneer, Wise (formerly TransferWise), and SendCash to send money to the USA from Nigeria. However, out of these numerous platforms, more Nigerians prefer the services of Payoneer for its convenience, competitive rates, security, and several other favorable features.
Using Payoneer for Money Transfer from Nigeria to the USA
To get a headstart on our review of their excellent services, you can check out the customer ratings of Payoneer online. Payoneer has become the most preferred and trusted method to send money from Nigeria to the USA. All you need to do to initiate a transfer is create and verify a Payoneer account in a few simple steps and then send money to your USA recipient.
Simply fund your Payoneer account, and you can send funds in dollars or local currency to the USA. You can also send USD if you have funds in your Payoneer USD balance. When you open a Payoneer account in Nigeria, you receive a local US bank account.
Payoneer receives 2% of every amount transferred via credit card. However, this amount reduces to 1.2% when you become a VIP member. This platform integrates with many popular brands, including Airbnb, Amazon, and Upwork. It’s a fantastic platform for freelancers to receive payments and for international businesses to complete international transactions. These businesses can send payment requests to their customers, who can pay for services with their bank cards. The site features a simple layout that is easy to understand and use by even first-time customers.
Features
There are a couple of features that make Payoneer the best bet when it comes to sending money from Nigeria to the USA. With Payoneer, you can make a wire transfer or ACH transfer to people in several countries from Nigeria, including the USA. You can also hassle-free send funds in different currencies to the receiving Payoneer account.
Payoneer’s layout makes monitoring and managing your transfers and transactions easy. You get an overview of your balances and many other details from the dashboard. Transferred funds can reach the recipient in only two hours but can take 1-5 business days to get to the local bank account based on some factors. Payoneer also issues a virtual or physical debit card to its customers to make payments online and in physical stores.
Pros
- No hidden fees
- Available in over 200 countries
- Over 150 currencies are available
- Secure payments
- Competitive fees
- Easy-to-use app
- Responsive customer support
Cons
- $15,000 transfer limit
- No physical bank offices
2. International Bank Transfers
Transferring money to the USA from a Nigerian bank is quite simple but might come at a steep cost. You will encounter abysmal exchange rates if you wish to carry out a bank transfer in Nigerian Naira (NGN) to a US bank account.
Also, you can send money to the USA from Nigeria using services like Western Union and World Remit. When you send money through Western Union, the recipient must go to a Western Union location close to them for a cash pickup. To do so, they will need to provide a 10-digit number called MTCN and identification or answer a secret question you provide. Alternatively, the recipient can receive it as a bank deposit.
There are over 40,000 Western Union locations in the US, so your recipient can easily find one close to them. Sending money with western union incurs transfer fees starting from NGN 4,500, and you should still expect less-than-favorable exchange rates.
Other services are available at your local bank to facilitate such international transactions. Contact customer support at a local Nigerian bank to see what options are available.
Alternatives to Payoneer
Regarding sending funds from Nigeria to the USA, Payoneer remains the top choice. Platforms like Paypal provide limited services for Nigerians and have low customer ratings. Wise is another platform you can use to send money internationally from Nigeria. They are accessible in over 80 countries, and customers can transact with over 50 currencies, including USD.
Why Choose Payoneer?
Payoneer remains the most reliable means to send money from Nigeria to the USA. With Payoneer, you get secure online money transfers all the time. They also have high transaction limits and different ways to receive and send money.
Conclusion
Before sending money to the USA from Nigeria, you need to compare the available options to see which platforms give more bang for your buck. This article highlights the necessary factors you should consider before choosing a money transfer platform to use.
Payoneer is the best means of sending money from Nigeria to the USA. It is simple, convenient, and doesn’t attract excessive fees to transfer money. There are other means of sending money to the USA from Nigeria, like local bank transfers, Western Union, WorldRemit, etc. however; none offer as much value and convenience as Payoneer.
Also, for small business and outsourced teams, this is a solid choice.
Paul Martinez is the founder of EcomSidekick.com. He is an expert in the areas of finance, real estate, eCommerce, traffic and conversion.
Join him on EcomSidekick.com to learn how to improve your financial life and excel in these areas. Before starting this media site, Paul built from scratch and managed two multi-million dollar companies. One in the real estate sector and one in the eCommerce sector.