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The short answer
Often yes. Licensed money transfer operators that accept asylum documents can send for section 22 and refugee permit holders; Mama Money's Nigeria page says it accepts a 'refugee or asylum document' to register, with a standard limit of R25,000 a month. Independent operators are capped by the Reserve Bank at R5,000 per transaction per day and R25,000 a month.
Yes, in many cases. Holders of a section 22 asylum seeker permit or a refugee status document can send money to Nigeria through licensed money transfer operators that accept those documents, and Mama Money says on its Nigeria page that it accepts a 'refugee or asylum document' to register. What you can send, and whether a bank will act for you, depends on the provider, the validity of your document and the limits on the provider's licence. This guide sets out what is confirmed and what to check.
The legal channel is the same for everyone
South African exchange control routes every foreign exchange transaction through an authorised dealer (a bank) or an authorised dealer in foreign exchange with limited authority (an ADLA, which includes money transfer operators). The Reserve Bank's Currency and Exchanges Manual says Regulation 2(1) 'expressly prohibit[s] foreign exchange transactions other than through an Authorised Dealer'. There is no separate informal route for permit holders, and using an unlicensed agent carries the same risk for you as for anyone else.
Money transfer operators
For most asylum seekers and refugees, a licensed money transfer operator is the practical channel. What we could confirm:
- Mama Money registers senders in its app with 'any passport, foreign or South African ID, refugee or asylum document' and a selfie, and pays out in Nigeria to bank accounts (it names Access, OPay, First Bank, GTBank, UBA and Zenith) and to wallets. It states a standard sending limit of R25,000 a month and an upgraded limit of R100,000 a month, and lets you pay by EFT or in cash at shops including Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Spar, Makro and Game. See our step-by-step Mama Money guide.
- Licence ceiling. Independent money transfer operators (Category Three ADLAs) are limited by the manual to R5,000 per transaction per day within R25,000 per applicant per calendar month. Firms set their own limits within whichever licence category they hold.
- Other firms such as Mukuru publish their own document lists; check each firm's registration page, as we have not confirmed them here. See Mukuru's documents to register.
Banks
Sending a SWIFT payment from a bank first needs a South African bank account. Whether a bank will open or keep one for a section 22 permit holder is a matter of each bank's identification rules, and we found no bank or regulator page in October 2026 that set this out, so we do not say which banks do. Ask the branch directly, take your original permit, and see our guides on FICA documents for foreign nationals and what happens when a permit expires.
Exchange control also matters at a bank. The manual defines foreign nationals as people from outside the Common Monetary Area temporarily resident in South Africa, and handles their personal transfers in a separate section from the residents' allowance. Ask the bank how it classifies your permit and what proof of income it needs.
Keep your document current
Providers check identity documents against the details on each transfer. Mama Money's help centre notes that collections fail when 'the name on the recipient's ID' does not match the details provided exactly, and the same principle applies to sender documents. If your permit has expired or is awaiting renewal, a provider may block transfers until you upload a valid one. Renew before expiry where you can, and update the document in the app as soon as you have the new one.
On the Nigerian side
The person receiving does not need any South African status. If they receive into a Nigerian wallet, Mama Money's page lists daily receiving limits by tier: ₦50,000 with a NIN or BVN, ₦200,000 with both, and ₦5,000,000 with both plus address verification. Bank accounts are not limited in the same way. Under the Central Bank of Nigeria's 2026 foreign exchange manual, as reported, money transfer operator payouts are made in naira.
What to check first
- Your permit or refugee document is valid and the name matches exactly what you type in the app.
- The provider accepts your document type for registration.
- The provider's monthly limit covers what you plan to send.
- The recipient's account name and number are correct.
- You keep the transfer reference until the money arrives.
Paying in cash
If you do not have a bank account, Mama Money lets you pay for a transfer in cash at Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Spar, Makro, Game and Flash: create the order in the app, receive an SMS reference and pay the exact amount at the till. That keeps the transfer inside the licensed system. Do not hand cash to informal agents; see the rules on cash agents.
Where Pryme fits
A relative in Nigeria with a Pryme account receives into a naira account like any other; naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank. Pryme is not a South African authorised dealer. Read how Pryme works for what the account offers.
Questions people ask
Can asylum seekers use Mama Money?
Mama Money's Nigeria page says it accepts any passport, foreign or South African ID, refugee or asylum document for registration.
What is the limit for sending money on an asylum permit?
It depends on the provider. Independent money transfer operators are capped at R5,000 per transaction per day and R25,000 a month; Mama Money states R25,000 a month standard.
Can I open a bank account with a section 22 permit?
Each bank sets its own identification rules. We found no official page listing which banks do; ask the branch with your original permit.
What if my asylum permit has expired?
Providers may block transfers until you upload a valid document. Renew and update the app as soon as you can.
Sources
- Mama Money: Send money to Nigeria · accessed Oct 2026
- Mama Money Help Centre: Cash-Out Collection Issues (updated 10 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- SARB: Currency and Exchanges Manual for Authorised Dealers (8 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TheCable: CBN foreign exchange manual 2026 (3 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.