AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
HSBC UK says you can send an international payment of up to £50,000 (or the currency equivalent) online, and up to £10,000 by phone, or £10 million by phone for Premier customers. Its Global Money Account sends up to £50,000 a day in the app. For more than these limits, speak to HSBC before you start: plan the payment, the channel and the documents together.
Large payments to Nigeria are common for people buying land, building a house, paying school fees for several children or moving savings home. If you bank with HSBC UK, the first practical question is how much you can send in one go. This guide sets out the limits HSBC states on its international payments page as at October 2026, and how to plan a payment that is bigger than them.
The limits HSBC states
| Channel | Limit stated by HSBC |
|---|---|
| Online banking | Up to £50,000 or currency equivalent |
| Telephone | Up to £10,000 (£10 million for Premier customers) |
| Global Money Account (app) | Up to £50,000 a day |
| Branch | Not stated on the page |
The online figure is shown as a ceiling for an online transfer; the page does not say whether it applies per payment or per day, while it does say Global Money's £50,000 is per day. HSBC's help text also notes that transfer providers may set limits that are daily, monthly or yearly. Check the limit your online banking shows before you plan around it.
What it costs at this size
HSBC charges £5 per payment to a bank outside the EEA, except for Premier, Private Banking and Global Money payments. At £50,000 the fee is small. The cost that matters is the conversion charge built into the HSBC exchange rate if you send pounds that are converted, plus any charges taken by intermediary or receiving banks, which HSBC says may apply outside the EEA.
Example only: on £50,000, each 1% of exchange margin costs £500. A margin 0.5 percentage points narrower saves £250, which is fifty times the £5 fee. Compare the rate shown against the mid-market rate at the same moment before you approve. Our guide to the FX margin explains the method.
Sending more than £50,000
There is no single answer on HSBC's page for amounts above its stated limits. These are the realistic routes, and the questions to ask for each.
Ask HSBC how it wants the payment made
Call or visit before you start. Ask whether the amount can be sent in branch, whether a single payment is possible, and what HSBC will want to see. Banks must understand the purpose of a transaction and, where needed, where the money came from: regulation 28 of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 requires firms to assess the purpose and intended nature of a transaction and to monitor source of funds where necessary.
Split the payment over several days
If the limit is daily, two or three payments on separate days may fit. Each payment would carry the £5 fee unless you are exempt, and each is converted at the rate on the day, so the total naira received will vary. Splitting a payment to avoid checks is a different matter: it tends to draw more questions, not fewer. Tell the bank what the total is and why.
Premier and phone
Premier customers have a stated phone limit of £10 million. If you hold Premier, this is the channel HSBC's page points to for very large amounts.
The payment reason field
HSBC asks for a payment reason on every international payment. On a large transfer, make it specific: "purchase of land in Abuja, deposit to vendor's solicitor" says far more than "family". A clear reason that matches the documents you hold is the simplest way to avoid a payment being held for questions. If you are sending to your own account in Nigeria, say so, and use the account name exactly as the Nigerian bank holds it.
A worked example
Example only. You have £120,000 from the sale of a flat to send to your Nigerian account, and you are not a Premier customer. If your online limit is £50,000 per day, three payments on three days (£50,000, £50,000 and £20,000) would carry £15 in HSBC fees in total. If the rate moved between the first and third day, the naira received on each payment would differ. Before the first payment, have the completion statement and solicitor's letter ready; see sending house sale money to Nigeria.
What to check first
- The limit your online banking shows today, and whether it is per payment or per day.
- Whether the Nigerian account can receive the currency you send. A domiciliary account receives pounds or dollars; a naira account receives naira.
- The recipient details HSBC asks for: exact account name, SWIFT or BIC, account number, recipient's and bank's addresses, payment reason and reference.
- Your evidence of where the money came from, ready before you call.
Our explainer on documents for £20,000 or more lists the evidence firms usually ask for. On the Nigerian side, receiving money from abroad in Nigeria covers what the receiving bank needs.
Where Pryme fits
With a Pryme account you can hold pounds and naira together and convert with Swap when the rate suits you. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve, and any limits that apply to your account.
Questions people ask
How much can I send to Nigeria online with HSBC?
HSBC's page says up to £50,000 or the currency equivalent online. Check your online banking for the limit that applies to your account.
What is the HSBC phone limit for international payments?
HSBC states up to £10,000 by phone, or up to £10 million for Premier customers.
Can I send £100,000 to Nigeria from HSBC in one payment?
Not online, based on HSBC's stated £50,000 limit. Ask HSBC whether it can be done in branch or by phone (Premier), or plan payments over several days, and have evidence of the source ready.
Does HSBC Global Money have a limit?
Yes. HSBC says Global Money sends up to £50,000 a day, with no HSBC fee. Check in the app whether naira is available for your payment.
Sources
- HSBC UK: International payments and money transfers · accessed Oct 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: Money Laundering Regulations 2017, regulation 28 · 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.