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The short answer
To let people in Nigeria pay you by an ordinary local transfer, you need a naira account in your own name with a 10-digit NUBAN account number. You can hold one while living in the UK if you have a BVN, or the NRBVN that NIBSS issues to Nigerians abroad. The payer sends naira as they would to anyone at home, and the money stays in naira until you choose to convert it.
Many Nigerians in the UK still have money coming from home: a relative repaying a loan, a buyer paying for goods, a tenant paying rent, a share of family income. Asking those people to send pounds is slow and costly for them. A naira account that accepts ordinary local transfers means the payer does what they already do every day, and you decide later what happens to the money.
How a local naira transfer reaches an account
Inside Nigeria, bank-to-bank transfers go to a 10-digit account number in the NUBAN format, together with the name of the bank or provider. Before the payer confirms, their app looks up the account and shows the account name. That name check is why payers trust a local transfer: they see who they are paying before the money moves. The full structure of the number, including its check digit, is explained in our guide to the NUBAN account number.
For you, three things follow. The account must be in naira, it must have a NUBAN, and the name on it must match the name your payers expect. If you give a buyer an account in a different name, many will hesitate, and some banks flag repeated mismatches.
What you need to hold one from the UK
Nigerian banks and licensed providers must verify identity before an account can receive money freely. The usual key is the Bank Verification Number (BVN). If you never enrolled before leaving, or your BVN is linked to details that have changed, the Non-Resident BVN is the route for people abroad.
- Where to apply: NIBSS says the NRBVN application is made online at nrbvn.com.
- Documents NIBSS lists: a valid ID, proof of residency abroad, a work ID or employment letter, a reference letter from a financial institution where applicable, and proof of income as an optional item.
- Timing: NIBSS says the NRBVN is issued within 72 hours after approval.
- Cost: NIBSS says fees are shown on the platform. In July 2025 the CBN described a $50 processing cost for the NRBVN, reported by Arise News; check the platform for the current figure before you pay.
Step-by-step detail for UK applicants is in getting a BVN or NRBVN from the UK, and the wider background is in NRBVN explained.
Your options, side by side
| Option | What it gives you | Points to check from the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Keep your existing Nigerian bank account | Same NUBAN payers may already have | Dormancy rules, OTPs to a Nigerian number, address on file |
| Open a diaspora or remote account at a Nigerian bank | A new NUBAN, often with a domiciliary account alongside | Which documents the bank accepts from abroad, and whether video KYC is offered |
| Use a multicurrency app that issues naira details | A NUBAN plus pound details in one place | Who holds the naira, how it is insured, and how conversion is priced |
None of these is right for everyone. A long-standing account that family already pay into is worth keeping alive. A new account makes sense if your old one is dormant, frozen for KYC, or tied to a phone line you no longer have.
Practical problems people hit from the UK
Dormancy
Accounts that go unused can be restricted. Zenith Bank's own FAQs, for example, say current accounts become dormant after six months without activity, while savings accounts do not. Rules differ by bank, so read your bank's terms and make a small transaction from time to time if you rely on the account to receive money.
One-time passcodes
Many Nigerian banks send codes to the phone number on the account. If that is a Nigerian SIM you no longer use, you can be locked out of the very account you want people to pay into. Our guide to getting Nigerian bank codes on a UK number covers the fixes.
Account tier and limits
Accounts opened with lighter KYC can carry lower balance and transaction limits. If a buyer's payment bounces or is held, the tier on your account is one of the first things to ask your bank about.
What to check first
- Confirm you have a BVN or NRBVN and that its name matches your passport.
- Decide which name payers will see, and use the same one everywhere you share details.
- Make sure you can receive login codes in the UK.
- Check how the naira is held and whether the deposit is covered by the NDIC up to the applicable limit.
- Know how you will convert to pounds when you need to, and how that conversion is priced.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Personal Account can be opened from the UK and holds naira, pounds, dollars and euros, each with its own local details, so Nigerian payers can send to a naira account number in your name. Naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, regulated by the CBN and insured by the NDIC up to the applicable limit. Money stays in naira until you use Swap; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. See how the multicurrency account works or open an account.
Questions people ask
Can I open a Nigerian naira account while living in the UK?
Yes, if you can complete identity checks from abroad. Most providers need a BVN; Nigerians abroad without one can apply for an NRBVN through NIBSS at nrbvn.com.
Do people in Nigeria pay any extra to send to my naira account if I live in the UK?
No different process is involved: it is an ordinary local transfer to a NUBAN, priced by the payer's bank as any local transfer is.
What happens if my Nigerian account goes dormant while I am in the UK?
Incoming transfers may be held or the account restricted until you reactivate it. Dormancy periods are set by each bank; Zenith Bank's FAQs give six months for current accounts.
Is naira money in my account insured if I live abroad?
Deposit insurance depends on the institution holding the money, not where you live. Ask who holds the naira and check that it is an NDIC-insured institution; cover applies up to the applicable limit.
Sources
- NRBVN: Non-Resident Bank Verification Number, NIBSS · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN: BVN registration still free in Nigeria, $50 fee for diaspora NRBVN processing, Arise News (Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Customer service FAQs, Zenith Bank · 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.