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The short answer
Most Nigerian employers can pay you in naira into a Nigerian account, or in US dollars into a domiciliary account if they hold dollars; paying straight into an Australian account means an international transfer from their bank. If you are an Australian tax resident, the ATO expects you to declare employment income from overseas as if it were earned in Australia, converted to Australian dollars, so keep payslips and conversion records.
Four ways the money can reach you
| Option | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Naira into your Nigerian account | Normal payroll; you convert or spend later | Your conversion cost and timing |
| USD into your Nigerian dom account | Employer pays from its own dollar account | Your employer needs dollars; you then send onward |
| International transfer to your Australian bank | Employer's bank sends a SWIFT payment | Bank charges, FX margin, the bank's documents for the outward payment |
| Payment through a contractor or payroll platform | Common when you are a contractor | The platform's fees and whether you are still an employee |
Ask early which one your employer's bank and payroll can support. Many Nigerian payrolls only run in naira.
If you are paid in naira
Naira salary paid into your Nigerian account is the simplest for the employer and often the most work for you. You then decide when to convert, and moving naira out of Nigeria is not as simple as moving dollars: there is no general allowance that lets a person living abroad buy dollars with salary naira. Many people in this position keep the naira for Nigerian costs (family support, school fees, building) and fund Australian life from Australian income. If you need it in Australia, read converting naira savings to AUD first.
If you are paid in US dollars
Dollars paid into your domiciliary account are easier to move. Reports of the CBN's 2026 Foreign Exchange Manual by TheCable and TheNigeriaLawyer say ordinary domiciliary holders have unrestricted access to their balances, can make telegraphic transfers of up to $10,000 a day, and no longer need Form A for remittances from self-funded accounts. You can then send the dollars to your Australian bank, which will convert them to Australian dollars unless you hold a foreign currency account.
Whether a Nigerian employer can pay staff in dollars at all depends on where its dollars come from and on its own advisers; we have not found a CBN statement on USD salaries for staff working wholly abroad, so do not assume it is settled.
The Australian tax side
The ATO says Australian tax residents must declare all income earned in Australia and overseas. For employment income from overseas, its page says to declare it "as if it were earned in Australia". If Nigerian tax was taken from your pay, you may be able to claim a foreign income tax offset, but the ATO notes the offset will not always equal the tax you paid, and you need records proving the tax was paid.
Temporary residents are treated differently: the ATO says most of their foreign income is not taxed in Australia, but income from employment or services can still be. Salary for work you do while living in Australia is the case to check carefully. See the residency test and remote work for a Nigerian company.
The Nigerian side
The NGEX diaspora guide published through NiDCOM says non-residents are taxed in Nigeria only on Nigerian-source income, and that services physically performed outside Nigeria are not taxable unless you are tax resident there. If your employer is still deducting PAYE, ask its payroll team why; this is information, not tax advice.
Questions to settle with your employer
- Are you still an employee, or are you being moved to a contractor arrangement? That changes payslips, pension and tax deductions.
- Will the employer keep paying your RSA pension contributions, and into which PFA account?
- Who bears bank and conversion charges if they pay you abroad?
- Which pay date applies, and how will a late or short payment be fixed?
Records the ATO will expect
- Payslips or a letter from the employer showing gross pay, deductions and pay dates.
- Bank statements showing each payment arriving.
- The exchange rate you used for each payment. The ATO allows rates prevailing at the time or an average rate, and if a currency is not in its tables you may use any reasonable externally sourced rate.
- Proof of any Nigerian tax deducted, if you claim an offset.
Worked example (illustrative rates only): you earn ₦1,500,000 a month. Using an example average rate of ₦1,000 per A$1, that is A$1,500 a month, or A$18,000 over a twelve-month income year. If the example rate moved to ₦1,100 per A$1 halfway through, and you used monthly rates instead, six months would convert at A$1,500 and six at A$1,363.64, giving A$17,181.82. Pick one method and apply it consistently.
Where Pryme fits
If your employer pays in naira and you want the choice of when to convert, a Pryme Personal account gives you a naira account number for salary, held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, alongside USD, GBP and EUR. Swap shows the rate and the fee before you approve, and every conversion has a record you can keep for the ATO. See multicurrency and verifiable statements. Outside Nigeria, Pryme works through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can my Nigerian employer pay my salary into an Australian bank account?
It can if its bank will send an international transfer, but many Nigerian payrolls only pay naira locally. Ask what the employer's bank supports and what it charges.
Do I pay Australian tax on salary from a Nigerian company?
If you are an Australian tax resident, the ATO says you declare foreign employment income as if earned in Australia. Temporary residents have different rules; check the ATO's pages.
Is it better to be paid in naira or dollars?
Dollars into a domiciliary account are easier to move abroad under the 2026 FX Manual. Naira suits money you will spend in Nigeria.
What exchange rate do I use for my tax return?
The ATO allows rates at the time of each payment or an average rate; for currencies not in its tables, any reasonable externally sourced rate. Keep a record of the rates you used.
Sources
- ATO: Australian resident for tax purposes - foreign and worldwide income (last updated 15 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- ATO: Foreign and temporary resident income (last updated 8 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- ATO: Foreign exchange rates overview (last updated 14 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TheCable: CBN foreign exchange manual 2026 (3 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TheNigeriaLawyer: CBN grants domiciliary account holders unrestricted access to dollar balances (2 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NGEX / NiDCOM: Diaspora guide to Nigeria's 2026 tax reforms (Jan 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.