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The short answer
In Chicago you can send money to Nigeria in person by paying cash at a Western Union or MoneyGram agent, or by sending an international wire from your bank branch. Compare the naira that will arrive, not just the fee. To check a licence, search the company's NMLS number on NMLS Consumer Access for Illinois; your receipt must also name its state regulator.
Chicago gives you two kinds of in-person option for sending money to Nigeria: a transfer company's agent counter, often inside a shop, and your own bank's branch, where you can send an international wire. They work differently, cost differently and suit different amounts. Here is how to choose, how to prepare, and how to confirm the company is licensed in Illinois.
Option one: a transfer company's agent
Western Union and MoneyGram both say on their US pages for Nigeria that you can pay cash at an agent. The agent takes your money and details, and the company delivers to a Nigerian bank account or, with some services, for cash pickup. MoneyGram lists Nigerian banks it pays into, among them UBA, Union Bank, Sterling and FCMB.
- Good for: cash, smaller amounts, people without a US bank card.
- Bring: photo ID, and the recipient's exact name, bank and 10-digit account number.
- Ask for: the printed disclosure before paying, showing fee, rate and naira to be delivered.
Option two: a wire from your bank branch
A bank wire goes from your US bank through the SWIFT network to the Nigerian bank. Bank of America's wire page, as one example, lists an outgoing international wire in USD at $45, says international wires typically arrive in one to five business days, gives a 5 p.m. ET cut-off, and notes that consumer international remittances can be cancelled within 30 minutes. It also says wires sent in a foreign currency carry no wire fee but include an exchange rate markup. Other banks set their own terms. A wire suits larger amounts paid into an account, and it needs the Nigerian bank's SWIFT code as well as the account details.
| Agent counter | Bank branch wire | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay with | Cash, card or bank | Your account at that bank |
| Recipient gets | Credit to a Nigerian account, or cash pickup where offered | Credited by the Nigerian bank under its own rules; ask it first |
| Speed | Shown on the disclosure | Bank of America cites 1 to 5 business days |
| Cost to compare | Fee plus exchange margin | Wire fee, exchange markup if converted, intermediary deductions |
Our guide to exchange rate margins shows how to compare the two on equal terms.
Preparing before you go
- Get the recipient to send their account details as a screenshot from their banking app.
- For a wire, ask the Nigerian bank for its SWIFT code and any intermediary bank it uses, in writing.
- Decide whether the recipient needs naira or dollars, and ask the Nigerian bank how it will credit an incoming wire.
- Check your daily card or account limits if you will pay by card or from your account.
- Take the reference number home and send it to the recipient separately from the account details.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Paying at a counter without reading the printed disclosure first.
- Choosing a bank with a similar name because the right one is not on the list.
- Sending a wire without asking the Nigerian bank how it will credit it.
- Handing the reference number to anyone other than the recipient.
- Paying someone who offers a better rate outside a licensed company; if it goes wrong you have no federal remittance rights.
Checking an Illinois licence
Money transmitters need a licence in each state where they serve customers. We could not open the Illinois regulator's own page when writing this, so use the two checks that work in every state:
- Search the company's NMLS number on NMLS Consumer Access, the free lookup CSBS describes for state-licensed money services businesses, and look for Illinois among its state licences.
- Read your receipt. 12 CFR 1005.31 requires it to give the name, phone number and website of the state agency that licenses the provider, plus the CFPB's details. That tells you which Illinois body to contact if something goes wrong.
At a counter, the shop is normally the agent and the transfer company is the licensee, so check the company. See what a money transmitter licence means for your transfer.
Nigerian services in Chicago
NIBSS lists a diaspora BVN enrolment centre in Chicago at 7128 North Ridge Boulevard. Its page, modified 25 June 2026, shows a fee of $45 at most centres; check the current fee when you book.
Where Pryme fits
If you prefer not to queue, a Pryme Personal account can be opened in the app from Chicago. It holds USD and NGN in your own name, and Send shows the rate and the fee before you approve. See how it works.
Questions people ask
Where can I send money to Nigeria in person in Chicago?
At a Western Union or MoneyGram agent, which both companies say accept cash, or at your own bank's branch by international wire. Use each company's location finder for agents.
Is a bank wire or an agent better for large amounts?
Compare the naira that will arrive. A wire has a fixed fee, such as Bank of America's $45 for an outgoing international USD wire, while an agent's cost sits in its fee and rate.
How do I check a transfer company is licensed in Illinois?
Search its NMLS number on NMLS Consumer Access and look for Illinois. Your receipt must also name the state agency that licenses it.
Can I do my BVN in Chicago?
NIBSS lists a diaspora BVN enrolment centre at 7128 North Ridge Boulevard, Chicago. Book through its diaspora page.
Sources
- Western Union US: Send money to Nigeria · accessed Oct 2026
- MoneyGram US: Send money to Nigeria · accessed Oct 2026
- Bank of America: Wire transfers · accessed Oct 2026
- CSBS: NMLS at a glance (NMLS Consumer Access) · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR 12 CFR 1005.31, Disclosures (remittance transfers) · accessed Oct 2026
- NIBSS: Diaspora BVN enrolment (modified 25 Jun 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.