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Part of the guideSending money to Nigeria: the real cost, explained
The short answer
To pay bills in Nigeria from abroad, pay the provider directly in naira rather than sending cash: buy electricity tokens with the meter number, airtime and data with the phone number, and cable TV with the smartcard number, and pay landlords, schools and hospitals into their own accounts against an invoice. You need a naira balance or a service that pays Nigerian billers, and you keep a receipt for every payment.
Much of the money the diaspora sends home is meant for something specific: keeping the lights on, a parent's phone topped up, the rent paid. Sending cash and trusting it reaches the bill works, but paying the bill directly is usually cheaper, faster and leaves a record. This article covers how to do it. For the cost of getting the money to Nigeria in the first place, see our guide to the real cost of sending money to Nigeria.
Why pay the bill rather than send cash
- The money does what it was meant to. An electricity token goes to the meter, not into a general pot.
- Fewer steps, fewer charges. One payment in naira, rather than a transfer to a relative, then a second payment by them.
- A receipt. Every token, recharge and transfer has a reference you can check if something goes wrong.
- Less pressure on family. Nobody has to queue, carry cash or explain where money went.
Bills in Nigeria are priced in naira. In 2024 the EFCC warned businesses, including estate developers and hotels, against charging in dollars, so even a landlord used to quoting in foreign currency should accept the naira equivalent. Paying in naira also means you control the conversion: you choose the provider and the moment, rather than leaving a relative to change money at whatever rate is on offer locally.
What you need for each bill
| Bill | What you need | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid electricity | Meter number and the electricity distribution company (DisCo) | The token is sent to you; forward it to the household to enter on the meter, or check whether it loads automatically |
| Postpaid electricity | Customer account number from a recent bill | Ask for a photo of the bill each month so you pay the right amount |
| Airtime and data | Phone number and network | Data bundles usually go further than airtime for internet use |
| Cable TV | Smartcard or IUC number and package | Renew before the due date to avoid reconnection delays |
| Rent | Landlord's or agent's account in their own or company name, tenancy agreement | Ask for a signed receipt for every payment |
| Hospital and medical | Invoice and the hospital's own account | Pay the hospital, not an individual staff member |
Keep a short list of meter, smartcard and phone numbers with names. A wrong digit on an electricity token is hard to reverse, so check before you pay. For school fees, which have their own risks, see paying school fees in Nigeria from abroad.
Ways to pay from abroad
There are three common routes. Which suits you depends on how often you pay and whether you hold naira yourself.
- From your own Nigerian account or app. If you have a naira account, most Nigerian banking apps pay electricity, airtime, data and TV directly. Nigerians abroad can now get a BVN online to open one; see our NRBVN explainer.
- Through a transfer provider with bill payment. Some remittance providers let you pay Nigerian billers from abroad. Check the provider is regulated where you live and compare the naira cost of the bill with the amount you pay.
- By sending to a trusted family member. Still common and sometimes necessary, but you lose the direct receipt. Ask for the token or receipt back each time.
Whatever the route, the money has to become naira somewhere, and the exchange-rate margin is usually the largest cost. Remittances through licensed transfer operators are paid in naira at a rate linked to the official market. Our explainer on why the rate you get differs from the headline shows how to check what you are paying.
Larger one-off bills
Emergencies, such as a hospital admission or a roof repair, are when money is most often sent in a hurry and least often checked. Ask for a written invoice or estimate, with the hospital's or contractor's name and account, before you pay. Hospitals usually have their own accounts and issue receipts; pay them directly rather than a staff member or a go-between. For building work, pay in stages against progress you can see, by photo or video if you are abroad. If the bill is large, remember that the recipient's account tier must allow the credit, and that your provider may ask where the money came from.
Worked example: a monthly household budget
Say you cover your parents' regular bills each month. The amounts below are illustrative, to show the arithmetic; actual tariffs and package prices vary by provider and change over time.
| Bill | Monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Prepaid electricity | ₦45,000 |
| Data bundles (two phones) | ₦15,000 |
| Airtime | ₦5,000 |
| Cable TV | ₦12,000 |
| Medicine and pharmacy | ₦23,000 |
| Total | ₦100,000 |
At CBN reference rates of about ₦1,758 per pound (24 September 2026) and ₦1,332 per dollar (8 October 2026), ₦100,000 is worth roughly £56.87 or $75.09. Over a year that is about £682. If the money first goes to a relative by a route costing 5%, and then a second bank transfer is made to pay each bill, the charges add up on every step. Converting once, at a low margin, and paying each bill directly in naira keeps more of the £682 for the bills themselves.
Make it a routine
Pick one day a month to pay all regular bills, keep the receipts in one folder, and ask the household to tell you if a meter or phone number changes. If someone sends new payment details for a landlord or hospital, confirm them by calling a number you already have; changed details are a common scam, covered in our guide to money transfer scams targeting the diaspora.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme lets you hold pounds, dollars, euros and naira in one multicurrency account, with activities outside Nigeria carried out through regulated partners, and convert with Swap at a rate you see before you confirm, with any fee on its own line. Airtime, data, electricity and cable TV payments are a Nigeria-only, naira service; whether they are available on your account is shown in the app. For rent and hospital bills, pay the landlord's or hospital's own account through a provider that can reach it.
Eva, the assistant in the app, can prepare a payment for you to review; nothing moves until you approve it. For the bigger picture on costs, see our full guide to sending money to Nigeria.
Questions people ask
Can I buy electricity tokens in Nigeria from the UK?
Yes, if you use a service that pays Nigerian electricity companies, such as a Nigerian banking app or a provider with bill payment. You need the meter number and the distribution company. Depending on the service, the token is sent to you to forward to the household or loaded for the meter, so check which before you pay.
How do I recharge a Nigerian phone number from abroad?
Use a Nigerian banking app or a provider that sells Nigerian airtime and data. Enter the phone number and network, choose airtime or a data bundle, and keep the receipt.
Should I pay rent in Nigeria in dollars?
No. Rent in Nigeria should be paid in naira, and the EFCC has warned businesses, including estate developers, against charging in dollars. Pay the naira equivalent into the landlord's or agent's own account and get a signed receipt.
Is it cheaper to pay bills directly or send money to family?
Paying directly usually costs less, because you convert once and avoid a second transfer, and you get a receipt for each bill. The biggest saving comes from converting at a low margin.
Sources
- Ripples Nigeria: EFCC warns schools, hotels and others against charging in dollars · accessed Oct 2026
- Kola King: CBN revised IMTO guidelines (January 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- AllAfrica: CBN bans foreign currency payments for diaspora remittances from 1 May 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- Within Nigeria: Exchange rate today, 3 October 2026 (pound and euro official rates) · accessed Oct 2026
- TechEconomy: Dollar to naira exchange rate, 8 October 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- Nairametrics: How the new CBN diaspora NRBVN works (May 2025) · 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.