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The short answer
The simplest set-up is one account in Abuja that can receive dollars, pounds or euros directly, so relatives abroad send in their own currency and you convert only what you need, when you need it. Agree in advance what the money is for, such as rent, AEDC tokens or school fees, and pay those bills straight from the account so everyone can see where it went.
In many Abuja households, part of the monthly budget comes from a son in Manchester, a sister in Houston or a cousin in Dublin. The money usually arrives in an awkward way: converted at whatever rate the sending service chose, landing in an account in a relative's name, then forwarded again to whoever pays the bills. Each step costs money and creates confusion. A cleaner set-up saves fees, reduces arguments and makes it easier for the sender to see that support is being used as intended.
Decide what the money is for
Before changing any accounts, agree the purpose. Support that is 'for the house' is hard to track; support split into named uses is easy.
| Use | How often | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Rent or rent savings | Monthly into savings, yearly to landlord | Landlord or landlord's lawyer |
| AEDC electricity tokens | Weekly or monthly | AEDC, through a bills app |
| School fees | Each term | The school's account |
| Estate service charge | Yearly or quarterly | Estate manager |
| Upkeep and food | Monthly | The household |
Our national guide on paying bills for family in Nigeria with a monthly system explains how to run this as a routine.
Receive it in the currency it was sent
When a relative abroad sends naira, the conversion happens on their side, at a rate they may not see clearly until it is done. When they send pounds or dollars to an account in Abuja that can hold them, the money arrives as sent and you decide when to convert. That gives you two advantages:
- You can convert only what you need this month and keep the rest in its original currency.
- You can see the rate and the fee before you convert, rather than finding out afterwards.
Whether your relatives should send dollars or naira depends on what you are paying for and how soon. Should family abroad send dollars or naira? weighs this up, and how to receive money from abroad, step by step covers the account details senders need.
Worked example: a Gwarinpa household
Example only. Mrs Okafor lives in Gwarinpa. Her daughter in the UK sends £400 at the start of each month for her mother's bills, and £1,200 in March towards the annual rent renewal.
- The monthly £400 arrives in the GBP balance of Mrs Okafor's account and stays in pounds.
- Each Monday she converts enough for the week's AEDC tokens and groceries, seeing the rate and fee first.
- Before the school term begins, she converts the school fee amount and pays the school directly.
- The March £1,200 is converted closer to the rent date and moved into a rent savings pot.
- Every quarter she shares receipts for the main payments with her daughter.
Paying AEDC directly matters more than it sounds. Abuja households on Band A feeders pay the highest tariff for a promised minimum of 20 hours of supply a day, so token spending can be a large monthly line. Paying from the account, rather than handing cash to someone to buy tokens, means each purchase has a reference if a token fails or supply disputes arise.
Agree the reporting in advance
Support from abroad works best when both sides know what to expect. The person sending money wants to know it reached its purpose; the person in Abuja does not want to feel audited. A simple agreement made once avoids awkward conversations later:
- Which bills the money covers, and roughly how much each costs in a normal month.
- What happens to money left over: kept for next month, saved towards rent, or used at the household's discretion.
- How often receipts are shared, for example once a quarter for the larger payments only.
- Who to call, and how, if an unexpected cost comes up, such as a broken pump or a hospital bill.
Writing it down in a shared message is enough. It also helps if the sender abroad changes, or if a second relative starts contributing.
Protect the family from scams
Money flowing between family members is a target. Common patterns include hacked WhatsApp accounts asking relatives abroad for 'urgent' transfers, fake school or hospital bills, and callers posing as bank staff. Some rules that help:
- Agree a code phrase, or always confirm unusual requests by a voice call on a known number.
- Pay schools, landlords and estate managers directly to accounts you have confirmed, not to new accounts given by message.
- Never share one-time codes or your transaction PIN, even with family.
- If something feels wrong, wait. Genuine emergencies can survive a ten-minute check.
See money transfer scams targeting the diaspora for more.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Personal Account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR, with local account details for each, so relatives abroad can pay in their own currency. Money stays in the currency it arrived in until you use Swap, which shows the rate first and the fee on its own line, and converts only when you approve. Naira deposits are held by Solid Allianze Microfinance Bank, licensed by the CBN and insured by the NDIC up to the applicable limit. From the same account you can pay AEDC tokens and other bills, and send verifiable receipts to the family member abroad. See how multicurrency accounts work.
Questions people ask
How can my children abroad send money to me in Abuja?
They can send to a Nigerian account that receives their currency directly, or send naira. Receiving in their currency lets you convert later and see the rate first.
Is it better to receive dollars or naira from abroad?
It depends on when you need to spend it. Holding the original currency gives you control over when to convert; naira is simpler if the money is for this week's bills.
Can someone abroad pay my AEDC bill?
Yes. They can send you money for tokens, or you can pay AEDC directly from an account that holds the money they sent, keeping the reference for each purchase.
How do I stop scammers posing as my relative abroad?
Confirm unusual requests by calling a known number, agree a code phrase, and never pay to a new account sent by message without checking.
Sources
- Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) · accessed Oct 2026
- ICIR: How customers can seek compensation over poor power supply - NERC (Apr 2024) · 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.