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The short answer
Yes. Nigerian banks send international wires by SWIFT, usually from a US dollar, pound or euro domiciliary account, to Canadian bank accounts. The sender needs your exact account name and number and your Canadian bank's own wire instructions. Expect an outward charge in Nigeria, possible intermediary deductions and an incoming wire fee in Canada, such as the $17.50 TD lists (March 2026).
How the wire works
A wire from Lagos to Toronto travels over the SWIFT network. The Nigerian bank debits the sender's domiciliary account, sends a payment message, and the money may pass through one or more correspondent banks before your Canadian bank credits your account. Because Nigerian banks wire foreign currency, not naira, the sender either already holds dollars or converts naira into dollars first. Under the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026, outward remittances from self-funded domiciliary accounts no longer need Form A, and direct transfers of up to US$10,000 a day are possible without exhaustive documentation (Pavestones Legal, June 2026).
If the sender only has naira
A parent or client who holds only naira cannot simply wire it abroad. They first need the bank to sell them foreign currency for an eligible purpose, with the forms the bank requires, or they must already have dollars in a domiciliary account they funded themselves. Many senders find it simpler to buy dollars into their own domiciliary account first and then wire them, so the outward transfer is from a self-funded balance. Ask the sending bank which applies before the money moves, because a transfer request on the wrong form can be returned and the conversion may not be reversible at the same rate.
Details the Canadian side must give
Get the incoming international wire instructions from your own bank, on its website, in its app or from a branch, and send them to the sender exactly as written. Wire forms in Nigeria generally ask for:
- Beneficiary name exactly as on your Canadian account. A mismatch is a common reason for a returned wire.
- Account number, and where your bank asks for it, your branch transit number and the bank's institution number.
- Bank name and address of your Canadian bank or branch.
- SWIFT/BIC code of your Canadian bank, from its wire instructions.
- Intermediary bank details, if your bank names a correspondent for US dollar wires.
- Your own address in Canada, which many payment messages require for the beneficiary.
- Purpose of payment, such as "personal savings transfer" or "family support".
Check what currency the receiving account holds. If you send US dollars to a Canadian dollar account, your bank converts at its own rate on arrival. A US dollar account in Canada avoids that; see opening a US dollar account at a Canadian bank.
Fees on both sides
| Where | Example from the institution's own page |
|---|---|
| Nigerian bank, outward | Union Bank lists SWIFT charges of 22 USD, 15 GBP or 18 EUR on its domiciliary current account (its page shows conflicting figures, so confirm); Keystone lists a US$25 telex charge |
| Nigerian bank, percentage charges | FirstBank says domiciliary holders with balances of US$30,000 or more pay transfer charges of at most 0.25%, with VAT on fees |
| Intermediary banks | May deduct a fee in transit; not published in advance by the sending bank |
| Canadian bank, incoming | TD lists $17.50 per wire received, charged in US dollars for US dollar wires (fee guide effective 5 March 2026) |
To limit deductions, ask the Nigerian bank whether it can send with charges paid by the sender for the full amount. Our guide to intermediary bank fees explains why amounts arrive short.
Worked example
Example only. Chidi's mother sends US$5,000 from her GTBank domiciliary account in Enugu to his TD account in Ottawa.
- Her bank's outward charge, at an example US$22, is billed to her on top, so the full US$5,000 leaves.
- An intermediary bank deducts an example US$15: US$4,985 reaches TD.
- TD deducts its US$17.50 incoming fee: US$4,967.50 is credited.
- Had the sender chosen to deduct her charge from the amount instead, a further US$22 would come off, leaving US$4,945.50.
How long it takes and how to trace it
Banks do not publish a fixed time for Nigeria to Canada wires, because the route through correspondents varies. Weekends, public holidays in either country and compliance reviews add time. If a wire is slow:
- Ask the sender for the transfer advice showing the SWIFT reference, often called the MT103 or UETR.
- Give that reference to your Canadian bank and ask it to trace the incoming payment.
- Check the beneficiary name and account number on the advice against your account.
- If your bank asks about the source of the money, answer promptly with documents; see questions from your Canadian bank.
For the sender's side of the process, see moving money from a domiciliary account to Canada.
Where Pryme fits
If family in Nigeria find a SWIFT wire slow or costly for smaller amounts, they can instead pay naira by local transfer to the naira details of a Pryme account you open from Canada. The account also holds USD, GBP and EUR with local details, and Swap converts when you choose, with the rate and fee shown before you approve. See multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
Can GTBank or Access Bank send money to my Canadian account?
Nigerian banks can send SWIFT wires from domiciliary accounts to Canadian accounts. Give the sender your Canadian bank's exact wire instructions.
What details do I give someone in Nigeria to wire me money?
Your exact account name, account number, your bank's SWIFT code, bank address and any transit or intermediary details on its wire instructions page.
How much does my Canadian bank charge to receive a wire?
It depends on the bank. TD, for example, lists $17.50 per wire received in its fee guide effective March 2026.
Why did less money arrive than was sent?
Intermediary banks and your own bank may deduct fees. Ask the sender to pay charges on their side and check your bank's incoming fee.
Sources
- Mondaq (Pavestones Legal): Key regulatory update, the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual 2026 (24 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Union Bank: Domiciliary Account · accessed Oct 2026
- Keystone Bank: Personal accounts · accessed Oct 2026
- FirstBank: FAQs · accessed Oct 2026
- TD Canada Trust: About Our Accounts and Related Services (effective 5 Mar 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.