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The short answer
Pay a church, town union or age-grade levy directly to the body's own account and ask for its official receipt, rather than sending the money through a relative. Keep the levy notice that sets your share. For US tax, the IRS says contributions to foreign organisations are generally not deductible (with limited exceptions for certain Canadian, Israeli and Mexican charities), so a levy paid to a church or community in Nigeria will not usually reduce your US tax.
What these levies are
For many Nigerians abroad, the requests that come from home are not only from family. Churches launch building or harvest appeals. Town unions and community development associations set levies for roads, electrification or a town hall. Age grades and women's groups collect dues for ceremonies and welfare. Members abroad are often assessed at a higher rate, on the assumption that they earn in dollars.
These levies carry real social weight: they can decide whether you are seen as an active member of your community, and sometimes whether you can take part in events at home. They also come with a recurring problem: money sent through a relative to "pay the levy" that is never receipted by the body itself.
Before you pay: ask for the notice
- The levy notice or letter, from the body's officers, stating the purpose, the amount per member category and the deadline.
- The body's official bank account name and number, ideally on its letterhead.
- Who the treasurer and secretary are, and how receipts are issued.
- For a project levy, the budget and how progress is reported.
If the levy is collected by a branch abroad, such as a town union branch in Houston or a church's US chapter, ask whether the branch pays the home body in one sum and how it accounts to members.
Paying from the US
- Pay the body, not a person. Send to the account in the church's or association's registered name. If the only option offered is an officer's personal account, ask why and get it in writing.
- Quote a reference: your name, your family, and the levy name, so the treasurer can match the payment.
- Get the official receipt and keep it with the notice.
- Tell your family you have paid directly, so nobody pays twice.
In Nigeria, a ₦50 stamp duty applies from 1 January 2026 to electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more, deducted from the sender, according to a Techeconomy report. On the US side, your provider must show the fee, the exchange rate and the amount received before you pay (CFPB).
Worked example (illustrative figures)
A town union sets a road levy of ₦500,000 for members abroad and ₦100,000 for members at home. Three brothers in the US each owe ₦500,000, and their father at home owes ₦100,000. They agree to pay their father's share as well, so each brother sends ₦533,333 or ₦533,334 to the union's account, a total of ₦1,600,000, with each payment referenced to its member. The union issues four receipts. The levy amounts are an example only.
US tax: what the IRS says
IRS Publication 526 (for 2025 returns) lists foreign organisations, other than certain Canadian, Israeli or Mexican charities, among those whose contributions are not deductible. It also says contributions earmarked for a particular individual or family are not deductible. So a levy paid to a church or town union in Nigeria will generally not be a deductible charitable contribution on your US return.
If your US congregation is a separately organised US church that is a qualified organisation, gifts to it may be deductible even if it belongs to a Nigerian denomination; Publication 526 says you can check qualified organisations with the IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search at IRS.gov/TEOS, or ask the organisation. Money you send to a parent to pay a levy is a gift to that parent, counted toward the annual gift exclusion. This is information, not tax advice.
Keeping a record over the years
Community and church levies recur: a building appeal can run for years, and town unions often set new levies as projects move on. Keep a simple folder, paper or digital, with each notice, the date and amount you paid, and the receipt. When a dispute arises about who paid what, often at a meeting or when someone is being honoured, the person with receipts is rarely questioned. If you pay on behalf of parents or siblings, note that against their names too, so the record shows what each member contributed.
When you disagree with a levy
Levies can feel arbitrary, especially when the diaspora rate is far higher. Ask for the budget, ask how the rate was set, and raise it through the meeting or branch rather than by quietly not paying. Some unions accept instalments for members abroad; ask.
What to check first
- Do you have the levy notice from the body's officers?
- Is the account in the body's own name?
- Will you receive an official receipt?
- Does your family know you have paid directly?
Where Pryme fits
From a Pryme account you can convert with Swap and send naira straight to the church's or union's account; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. A verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai gives the treasurer a record they can check is genuine. For other requests from home, see saying no to extra money requests and managing black tax expectations.
Questions people ask
How do I pay my hometown levy from the US?
Get the levy notice, pay the union's or church's own account with a clear reference, and keep the official receipt. Tell your family so nobody pays twice.
Is a church levy in Nigeria tax-deductible in the US?
Generally no. IRS Publication 526 says contributions to foreign organisations are not deductible, apart from certain Canadian, Israeli and Mexican charities.
Can I pay a levy through my mother instead?
You can, but then it is a gift to your mother, and the body may not record that you paid. Paying directly gives you the receipt in your name.
What if the levy is paid into an officer's personal account?
Ask why, ask for it in writing, and insist on an official receipt from the body. Prefer the account in the body's registered name.
Sources
- IRS Publication 526 (2025), Charitable contributions · accessed Oct 2026
- Techeconomy: Stamp duty replaces EMTL, sender to bear ₦50 charge on bank transfers (1 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- CFPB: What is a remittance transfer and what are my rights? · accessed Oct 2026
- IRS: Frequently asked questions on gift taxes (reviewed 23 Jul 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.