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The short answer
You fund a German blocked account by sending euros by international (SWIFT) transfer to the reference your provider gives you, either through your bank's Form A process with naira, or from a domiciliary account that already holds euros or dollars. The deposit must land at no less than the required figure (€11,904 for 2026 per Make it in Germany), so send a margin above it and ask your bank to have charges paid by you rather than deducted in transit.
The three ways money usually leaves Nigeria
Whichever provider you chose, the provider only sees euros arriving. How those euros are bought and sent is decided on the Nigerian side. In practice there are three routes.
- Form A with naira
- You fund your naira account and your bank buys foreign currency for an approved purpose such as education, using a Form A application with supporting documents.
- Domiciliary account
- You already hold euros or dollars in a domiciliary account and instruct the bank to send euros by SWIFT.
- Foreign-currency balance elsewhere
- You or a sponsor hold euros in another account and send directly to the provider, if the provider accepts that sender.
Using Form A
Form A is the form Nigerian banks use for foreign-currency payments for invisible trade, which includes school fees and maintenance; our explainer on Form A and Form M covers the basics. Nairametrics reported on 4 June 2026 that the CBN's revised Foreign Exchange Manual, effective 1 June 2026, allows tuition of up to US$25,000 per semester to be paid to the institution, with maintenance billed separately and capped at US$5,000 per quarter paid to the student.
A blocked account is living money, not tuition, and it is paid to a provider rather than the university. How your bank classifies it, and whether it will send a full year in one transfer, is a question to put to your bank before you start. If it treats the deposit as maintenance under a quarterly limit, a single payment may not be possible, and you would need another route or a sponsor's foreign-currency balance.
Documents banks commonly ask for
Union Bank's own page on foreign exchange for school fees lists the admission letter or invoice, the school's bank details, a signed debit instruction, a completed Form A, a letter of indemnity if the applicant's name differs from the student's, valid ID, the student's international passport data page and, for postgraduate study, the first-degree certificate. Other banks ask for similar papers. For a blocked account, add the provider's payment instructions and the account confirmation showing your name and reference.
Paying from a domiciliary account
If you hold euros already, a SWIFT transfer from a domiciliary account is often simpler because no currency purchase is needed in Nigeria. If you hold dollars, the bank converts them to euros, usually at its own rate, before sending; ask what rate and fee will apply. Our guide to saving in dollars explains how domiciliary accounts work.
Avoiding a shortfall
The most common problem is a deposit that arrives a little short. Three things reduce what lands:
- Your bank's own transfer charge, if taken from the amount sent
- Intermediary or correspondent bank charges deducted in transit
- Conversion from dollars or naira at a rate lower than you expected
When you instruct the transfer, ask whether you can choose for charges to be paid by you (often shown as "OUR" on a SWIFT instruction) rather than shared or deducted from the amount. Even then, an intermediary may still take a fee, so send a margin.
Worked example
Example only. Chiamaka must show €11,904. Her bank says it will charge its fee separately and cannot promise that no intermediary deducts anything. She sends €12,200, a margin of €296 (12,200 − 11,904 = 296). If €40 is deducted in transit, €12,160 lands, still €256 above the minimum. If she had sent exactly €11,904, the same deduction would leave €11,864, which is €40 short, and the provider would not issue the confirmation until she topped up.
Timing the conversion
If you are buying euros with naira, the rate on the day decides how much naira you need. Do not plan with a rate you saw weeks earlier: check the current rate in your banking app or with your bank on the day you instruct the payment, and keep some naira in reserve in case it has moved. If your bank quotes a rate that is only valid for a short time, have the documents ready so the transfer is not delayed after you accept the quote.
Ask too what happens if the provider rejects or returns the payment, for example because the reference was wrong. A returned international payment can lose value twice, once in charges and again in conversion, so check every detail of the instruction before you sign it.
Steps
- Get the provider's payment details and reference, and save them as a PDF.
- Ask your bank which route applies (Form A or domiciliary), the documents needed and how long it takes.
- Ask how charges are handled and choose to pay them yourself if offered.
- Send the required figure plus a margin, quoting the reference exactly as given.
- Keep the SWIFT confirmation (often called an MT103) to trace the payment if it is delayed.
- Wait for the provider's receipt and blocking confirmation before you attend the visa appointment.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme lets you hold naira and euros in one account and convert with Swap, which shows the rate first and the fee on its own line before you approve. You can send from the currency balance you already hold. Foreign-currency services outside Nigeria are carried out through regulated partners. Confirm with your blocked-account provider that it accepts the transfer and the sender name before you pay.
Questions people ask
Can I use Form A to pay a German blocked account?
Banks process education payments under Form A, but a blocked account is living money paid to a provider. Ask your bank how it classifies the payment and whether a full year can go in one transfer.
Why did my blocked account receive less than I sent?
Usually because a bank charge or an intermediary bank fee was deducted in transit, or because of currency conversion. Send a margin above €11,904 and ask to pay charges yourself.
How long does a transfer from Nigeria to a blocked account take?
It depends on the bank and any compliance checks; several working days is common. Start at least three to four weeks before your visa appointment.
Can my sponsor pay the blocked account from their own domiciliary account?
Many providers accept third-party senders if the reference is correct, but rules differ. Check the provider's terms and keep the sponsor's transfer proof.
Sources
- CBN raises tuition fee remittance limit to $25,000 (Nairametrics, 4 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FX for school fees (Union Bank) · accessed Oct 2026
- Studying in Germany: visa and residence (Make it in Germany) · 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.