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The short answer
You instruct your Nigerian bank to send a SWIFT transfer from the domiciliary account to your UK IBAN and your bank's BIC. Under the CBN FX Manual in force since 1 June 2026, self-funded domiciliary holders can send up to US$10,000 a day without Form A. Expect a SWIFT charge in Nigeria (for example US$25 plus 0.5% at Standard Chartered, or £15 for pounds at Union Bank), possible correspondent deductions, and a receiving fee in the UK.
A domiciliary account in Nigeria holds foreign currency: usually US dollars, pounds or euros. If you now live in the UK, moving that balance to your UK bank is a SWIFT transfer, the same network banks use for most cross-border payments. The mechanics are simple once you know which details to give and which charges to expect on each side. This guide covers the transfer itself; for the wider question of moving naira savings, see moving your savings from Nigeria to the UK legally.
What the rules allow
The CBN's Foreign Exchange Manual (fourth edition) took effect on 1 June 2026. According to a 24 June 2026 summary by Pavestones on Mondaq, it removed the Form A requirement for outward transfers by holders of self-funded domiciliary accounts and allows direct telegraphic transfers of up to US$10,000 a day. 'Self-funded' matters: banks look at how the balance got there. Union Bank, for example, lists a separate 2% charge on transferring balances that came from cash deposits. Ask your bank whether your balance qualifies before you plan dates.
The details your Nigerian bank will need
- Beneficiary name
- Exactly as it appears on your UK account.
- Beneficiary address
- Your UK address. Lloyds Bank asks senders for the full name and address as well as the IBAN and BIC.
- IBAN
- Your UK IBAN, which contains your sort code and account number. Barclays says it is on your statement or can be generated online.
- BIC (SWIFT code)
- Your UK bank's code; Barclays UK publishes BARCGB22, for example.
- Currency
- The currency to send. Sending pounds from a pound account to a sterling account avoids a conversion.
- Who pays charges
- Bank forms ask whether you, the recipient, or both pay. Barclays advises agreeing this between sender and recipient in advance.
Your Nigerian bank will also want your instruction signed or approved through its channel (branch form, internet banking with token, or email instruction for diaspora customers where the bank allows it), and valid ID on file. Since this is a transfer to your own account abroad, say so in the payment reference.
What the published fees look like
Nigerian banks set their own outward charges. These are the figures on pages we opened in October 2026:
| Bank | Published outward charge | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Chartered Nigeria | SWIFT cost recovery US$25 + 0.5% commission, plus offshore charges | June 2026 price guide |
| Union Bank | SWIFT US$22, £15, €18 (commission lines on the page conflict) | Live page, Oct 2026 |
| Keystone Bank | Telex US$25 on domiciliary accounts | Live page, Oct 2026 |
Beyond the sending bank's fee, a correspondent bank in the middle may deduct a charge. Lloyds warns that the overseas bank 'may use an agent bank' whose fee comes out of the amount, so less arrives than was sent. These deductions are not published in advance.
The UK end
Your UK bank may charge to receive. Lloyds charges £2 for incoming payments up to and including £100 and £7 above that (euro payments from the EEA are free). If dollars arrive into a sterling account, Lloyds converts them on the day it pays them in, using its standard rate with a margin over the wholesale rate: 3.55% for amounts up to £10,000, falling in bands to 1.50% from £250,000.
Worked example: £5,000 from a pound domiciliary account
Example only, using Union Bank's and Lloyds' published charges; your banks may differ.
- You send £5,000 from a Union Bank pound domiciliary account. SWIFT charge: £15, debited from your account, so £5,015 leaves the account in total if you choose to pay the charges.
- No currency conversion: pounds go to a sterling account.
- Lloyds receiving fee for a payment over £100: £7.
- If no correspondent deducts anything, £4,993 lands in your Lloyds account. Total cost: £22, or 0.44% of £5,000.
Send dollars into a sterling account instead and the conversion margin can cost more than both bank fees combined: 3.55% of a £5,000-equivalent payment is about £178.
Timing and tracing
For non-euro payments from outside the EEA, Lloyds says it cannot control timing, which depends on when and how the sending bank sends the payment. If money has not arrived, ask your Nigerian bank for the SWIFT confirmation and the UETR, the unique end-to-end tracking reference. Lloyds needs the UETR and the sender's reference to investigate.
What to check first
- Is your balance self-funded and transferable, and is there a cash-deposit surcharge?
- What is the bank's SWIFT charge and commission for your currency, in writing?
- Does your UK account accept that currency, or will it be converted on arrival?
- Do you have proof of where the money came from, in case the UK bank asks? See why UK banks ask.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account, which can be opened from the UK, holds naira, dollars, pounds and euros with local account details for each, so money can stay in the currency it arrived in until you choose to convert with Swap; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Outside Nigeria, these services are provided through regulated partners. See the multicurrency account and, for the Nigerian product itself, domiciliary account vs multicurrency account.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to send money from a domiciliary account to the UK?
It depends on the bank. Standard Chartered Nigeria's June 2026 guide lists US$25 plus 0.5% commission; Union Bank lists US$22, £15 or €18. A correspondent bank may deduct a fee and your UK bank may charge to receive, for example £7 at Lloyds for payments over £100.
Do I need Form A to transfer from my domiciliary account?
Not for self-funded domiciliary accounts under the CBN FX Manual in force from 1 June 2026, according to Pavestones' summary. The daily limit is US$10,000.
How long does a SWIFT transfer from Nigeria to the UK take?
No fixed time is published. Lloyds says timing for non-EEA payments depends on the sending bank. Ask for the UETR if it is late.
Can I send dollars into my UK pound account?
Yes, but the UK bank converts them on arrival at its own rate. Lloyds applies a 3.55% margin on amounts up to £10,000. A currency account in dollars avoids the forced conversion.
Sources
- Mondaq (Pavestones): Key regulatory update, the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026 (24 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Standard Chartered Nigeria: Service Fees and Price Guide (June 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Union Bank: Domiciliary Account · accessed Oct 2026
- Keystone Bank: Personal accounts · accessed Oct 2026
- Lloyds Bank: Receive money from outside the UK or in a foreign currency · accessed Oct 2026
- Barclays: How do I receive money from abroad? · 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.