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The short answer
Many Canadian credit unions can send an international wire to a Nigerian bank account, but because most are not direct members of every international network, the payment often goes through one or more correspondent banks first. That can add a deduction and some time. Ask your credit union for its wire fee, its correspondent's charges, the currency it sends in and the rate before you approve.
How a credit union wire to Nigeria travels
A bank wire to Nigeria is a SWIFT payment from your institution to the recipient's bank. Large banks often have direct relationships with banks in many countries. Credit unions are smaller and usually reach the international system through a larger institution acting for them, a correspondent, and that correspondent may in turn use another bank that has a relationship with the Nigerian bank. Each link in that chain is a place where a charge can be taken and a day can be lost.
| Step | Who acts | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your credit union | Takes your instruction, charges its wire fee, may convert CAD to another currency |
| 2 | Its correspondent bank | Passes the payment on; may deduct a charge |
| 3 | An intermediary bank | Used where the correspondent has no direct link with the Nigerian bank; may deduct a charge |
| 4 | The Nigerian bank | Credits the account, possibly after checks; may convert to naira and may charge |
Not every wire goes through all four steps. Your credit union can tell you which correspondent it uses for wires in the currency you are sending; see intermediary bank fees on a wire to Nigeria.
What to ask before you send
- Do you send outgoing international wires, and can they go to Nigeria?
- What is your fee, and does the correspondent or an intermediary deduct anything?
- Can I pay all charges so the full amount arrives, or will deductions be taken on the way?
- Will the wire go in CAD or US dollars, and what rate will you use for any conversion?
- How long does it usually take, and what reference will I get for tracing?
- Is there a daily limit, and do I need to visit a branch?
Credit unions differ widely from province to province and from one to another, so the answers at one tell you little about another. Write down what you are told with the date.
Details you need from the recipient
- Name and address
- Full name exactly as on the account, plus their address in Nigeria.
- Account number
- The 10-digit NUBAN.
- Bank details
- Bank name, address and SWIFT/BIC, plus any intermediary instructions the Nigerian bank gives for that currency.
- Account type
- Naira or domiciliary (dollar), which decides what to send.
Not every Nigerian account can receive a SWIFT wire. Kuda's FAQ (13 July 2026) says Kuda has no SWIFT code and is naira only; wallets are usually reached through remittance apps instead. For how incoming wires are handled in Nigeria, see receiving money from abroad in Nigeria.
Large wires and reporting
FINTRAC requires financial entities, money services businesses and certain others to report international electronic funds transfers of $10,000 or more in a single transaction, or two or more in a 24-hour window totalling that amount for the same person. The report goes from the institution; it does not stop the payment. If you are asked about the source of funds, documents such as a pay slip or the sale agreement for an asset help; see FINTRAC reporting on transfers to Nigeria.
If something goes wrong: complaints
Start with the credit union's own complaints process and keep the wire reference. After that, the external route depends on how your credit union is regulated. OBSI, the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments, says:
- For a bank or federal credit union, it can review a complaint once the firm has had 56 calendar days without a final response, or if you are unhappy with the final response.
- For a provincial credit union that participates in OBSI, the period is 90 days (60 in Quebec).
- You must bring the complaint to OBSI within 180 calendar days of the firm's final response. The service is free.
Many credit unions are provincially regulated, so ask yours which external complaints body covers it. More detail is in complaining to OBSI about a wire.
When an app may be simpler
For small, regular sums in naira, a remittance app funded from your credit union account can be cheaper and faster than a wire through a correspondent chain. Remitly's Canada page, for example, lists funding by bank account, card or Interac e-Transfer, with payout in naira by bank deposit, cash pickup or mobile wallet. Compare the naira that arrives on both routes before deciding.
Where Pryme fits
For family in Nigeria who receive from several places, a Pryme Personal Account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR with local account details for each; see multicurrency.
Questions people ask
Can I send money to Nigeria from my credit union in Canada?
Many credit unions send international wires, often through a correspondent bank. Ask yours whether Nigeria is available, the fee and the limit.
Why does a credit union wire to Nigeria take longer?
It may pass through one or more correspondent or intermediary banks before reaching the Nigerian bank, and each can add time and a charge.
Why did my recipient receive less than I sent?
A correspondent, intermediary or receiving bank may have deducted a charge, or the amount was converted at a rate you did not expect.
Can I complain to OBSI about my credit union?
OBSI covers federal credit unions and participating provincial ones; for provincial credit unions its waiting period is 90 days, 60 in Quebec.
Sources
- OBSI: Can OBSI help? · accessed Oct 2026
- FINTRAC: Reporting electronic funds transfers · accessed Oct 2026
- Kuda Help: FAQs (13 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Remitly Canada: Send money to Nigeria · 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.