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The short answer
Most Nigerian employers pay salary in naira into a Nigerian account, so the money reaches you in the US in two steps: naira lands in Nigeria, then you convert and move it. Under the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026, holders of self-funded domiciliary accounts can send direct transfers of up to USD 10,000 a day, while licensed money transfer operators may not, in general, carry personal money out of Nigeria. As a US resident you report worldwide income to the IRS, and Nigerian accounts may need an FBAR.
Working for a Nigerian company from Houston, Atlanta or New Jersey is now common, and the paperwork usually lags behind the job. The employer runs a naira payroll; you pay rent in dollars. This guide walks through how the money actually travels, the points where it is converted, and what each country expects you to report. Nothing here is tax advice: it is a map of the rules with the sources named.
How the salary is usually paid
A Nigerian employer will normally pay you the same way it pays staff in Lagos: a naira credit to a Nigerian bank account in your name. Some employers with foreign-currency income agree to pay part of the salary in US dollars into a Nigerian domiciliary account, and a few will wire dollars to a US account. Which of these is possible depends on the employer's own bank and its access to foreign exchange, so ask payroll which route it can support before you sign.
- Naira into a Nigerian account. The simplest for the employer. You carry the conversion and transfer cost.
- US dollars into a Nigerian domiciliary account. The employer buys or holds the dollars; you then decide when and where to move them.
- Wire to a US bank account. The employer sends an international transfer through its bank. Your US bank may charge an incoming wire fee; see what US banks charge to receive USD.
The FX steps between Lagos payroll and a US account
If you are paid in naira, three things happen before money can be spent in the US: the naira is converted to dollars, the dollars sit somewhere you control, and they are transferred abroad. Each step has its own cost: the conversion rate against the mid-market rate, any conversion fee, and the transfer fee on the way out.
The rules on the transfer step changed in 2026. According to a June 2026 summary of the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026 by Pavestones, the Form A requirement was removed for outward remittances by holders of self-funded domiciliary accounts, and those holders may make direct telegraphic transfers of up to USD 10,000 per day. Separately, the CBN's March 2026 circular on diaspora remittances, as summarised by Techeconomy, keeps licensed money transfer operators (IMTOs) focused on inbound money paid out in naira, with outbound transfers generally prohibited. In practice, that means the usual path for your own salary is a domiciliary account and a bank transfer, not a remittance app run in reverse.
A worked example
Example only, with round numbers. Suppose your net salary is ₦1,500,000 a month and you let three months build up: ₦4,500,000. At an illustrative rate of ₦1,500 to the dollar (not a current rate), that is USD 3,000 before costs. If you convert at a rate 1% worse than that, you receive about USD 2,970; a USD 30 outgoing transfer fee and a USD 15 incoming wire fee would leave USD 2,925. The same three costs apply whatever the real rate is on the day, so it pays to see each one before you approve.
| Step | Example amount |
|---|---|
| Three months' net salary | ₦4,500,000 |
| At an illustrative ₦1,500 per USD | USD 3,000 |
| After a 1% worse conversion rate | USD 2,970 |
| Less example outgoing fee (USD 30) | USD 2,940 |
| Less example incoming wire fee (USD 15) | USD 2,925 |
Tax and reporting on both sides
Nigeria
The NGEX diaspora guide hosted by NiDCOM states that income for services physically rendered outside Nigeria is not taxable in Nigeria unless you are a Nigerian tax resident. Residence under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 is broad: PwC's summary lists domicile, a permanent home available to you, habitual abode, 183 days in a 12-month period and substantial economic or family ties as tests. An employer may keep deducting PAYE out of habit, so raise it with payroll and keep your own records of where you worked.
United States
The IRS says US residents' worldwide income is subject to US tax and must be reported on a US return. A Nigerian employer does not run US payroll, so nothing is withheld for the IRS; how you pay tax during the year is a question for a US tax preparer. If your Nigerian accounts together exceed USD 10,000 at any point in the year, the IRS FBAR page says you file FinCEN Form 114. See whether a Nigerian account counts as a foreign financial account.
What to check first
- Ask payroll which currency and account types it can pay into, and whether it can split salary.
- Confirm with your Nigerian bank the outward transfer process and charges on a domiciliary account.
- Decide whether you need dollars monthly or can let naira build up for some of your costs in Nigeria.
- Keep payslips and statements for both tax systems, and note the highest balance in each account for FBAR.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account can be opened from the US and holds NGN and USD side by side, each with local account details, so a naira salary can land and stay in naira until you choose to convert with Swap; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank. See how the multicurrency account works.
Questions people ask
Can my Nigerian employer pay my salary straight into my US bank account?
Only if the employer's bank can send an international wire and the employer can source the dollars. Many will pay naira into a Nigerian account instead. Ask payroll what it supports.
Do I still pay Nigerian tax if I work for a Nigerian company from America?
The NGEX guide hosted by NiDCOM says income for services physically rendered outside Nigeria is not taxable in Nigeria unless you are a Nigerian tax resident. Residence tests are broad, so check your own position.
How much can I send from my domiciliary account to the US per day?
A June 2026 summary of the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026 says self-funded domiciliary account holders may make direct transfers of up to USD 10,000 per day. Your bank may apply its own process.
Does the IRS tax my Nigerian salary?
The IRS says US residents' worldwide income is subject to US tax and must be reported. Foreign tax credits and other reliefs are a question for a US tax preparer.
Sources
- Key regulatory update in Nigeria: the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026, Pavestones via Mondaq (24 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- What CBN's naira-only remittance policy means, Techeconomy (28 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NGEX diaspora guide to Nigeria's 2026 tax reforms, hosted by NiDCOM · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria: individual taxes on personal income, PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (last reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Taxation of resident aliens, IRS (last reviewed 25 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), IRS (last reviewed 30 Jul 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.