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The short answer
If your child and the parent who looks after them live in Nigeria, you cannot make a new application to the UK Child Maintenance Service. Maintenance is then usually a private arrangement between parents, which is not enforceable until it is made legally binding. Paying on a fixed day, paying big costs such as school fees directly, and keeping every receipt protects both of you.
Many Nigerian parents in the UK support a child who lives in Nigeria with the other parent or with grandparents. Some arrangements follow a separation, some are by choice while a parent works abroad. Either way, the questions are the same: how much, how often, how to pay, and how to prove it later.
Why the Child Maintenance Service cannot help here
GOV.UK is clear on the main point. If the child and the parent with main day-to-day care live abroad, "you cannot make a new application to the Child Maintenance Service." The CMS is built for children living in the UK.
GOV.UK sets out what remains:
- A private arrangement between the parents. GOV.UK notes it cannot be enforced until it is made legally binding.
- Reciprocal enforcement (REMO): the UK has agreements with several countries whose courts can enforce UK maintenance decisions. GOV.UK keeps the list in a separate publication and does not name Nigeria on its main page, so check that list before relying on it.
- Court action, which depends on where each parent lives and where any original decision was made. Scotland and Northern Ireland follow their own processes.
If there is a dispute, or the other parent wants a formal order, a Nigerian family lawyer can explain which court in the child's state deals with maintenance. This article is information, not legal advice.
Agreeing an arrangement that works
Most families settle on a private arrangement. Writing it down, even in a simple signed note or an email both parents reply to, prevents arguments later. Cover:
- A monthly amount, in naira or pounds, and what it covers (food, transport, clothing, pocket money).
- Large costs paid separately: school fees, medical bills, exam fees. Say who pays what share.
- The payment day and the account it goes to.
- A review point, such as each new school year, when the amount is revisited.
- What happens in an emergency, and who confirms the need.
Naira or pounds?
A fixed pound amount protects your budget but means the naira the carer receives moves with the exchange rate. A fixed naira amount gives the household a steady figure but your cost in pounds changes. Some parents fix the naira amount and review it every few months.
Paying regularly and on time
Regular maintenance works best when it arrives on the same day each month. Set a reminder or a scheduled transfer, and choose a payout the carer can use easily, normally a naira bank account in their own name. Paying into one named account, rather than whoever asks that month, keeps the record clean.
For school fees, pay the school's own account against its invoice, as our guide on paying Nigerian school fees directly from the UK explains. It removes doubt about where the money went and gives you the school's receipt in your own name.
Keeping records
Records matter for three reasons: they settle disagreements between parents, they support you if a court is ever involved, and they help with UK tax questions about gifts.
- Keep every transfer confirmation showing date, amount, recipient and reference. Use a reference such as "Child maintenance March 2026".
- Keep invoices and receipts for fees and medical bills you pay directly.
- Keep the written agreement and any later changes.
- Store everything in one folder, by year.
On tax, GOV.UK's Inheritance Tax guidance treats regular payments from your income that do not reduce your standard of living as exempt "normal expenditure out of income". Maintenance usually fits that pattern, and a steady record makes it easier to show. This is general information; take advice for your own position.
When things go wrong
If payments become a source of conflict, keep paying the essentials directly (school, health) while the arrangement is discussed, and keep proof. If the other parent asks for a much larger amount, ask for the costs behind it. If you are the parent who is not receiving support, GOV.UK's options above, and a Nigerian lawyer, are the starting points.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Personal account, opened from the UK, holds naira and pounds in one place (multicurrency). You convert with Swap when you choose, with the rate shown first, and pay the carer or the school from your naira balance. You can also generate a verifiable statement of your payments through our partner VerifyDoc.ai (receipts), which anyone can check is genuine and unaltered.
Questions people ask
Can the CMS collect child support for my child in Nigeria?
No. If the child and the parent with day-to-day care live abroad, GOV.UK says you cannot make a new application to the Child Maintenance Service.
Is a private child maintenance arrangement legally binding?
Not on its own. GOV.UK says a private arrangement cannot be enforced until it is made legally binding, for example through a court.
Should I send child support in naira or pounds?
Either works. A fixed naira amount gives the household a steady figure; a fixed pound amount protects your budget. Many parents fix naira and review it every few months.
What records should I keep when paying maintenance from the UK?
Transfer confirmations with dates and references, invoices for fees you pay directly, and the written agreement. Keep them by year.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Child maintenance if a parent lives abroad · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Inheritance Tax gifts · 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.