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The short answer
Build the allowance from your parents' actual monthly costs, not a round number: list food, power, medicine, transport, phone and house costs, subtract what they already receive, and agree the gap. Pay it on a fixed date, review it at least every six months against inflation (the NBS put headline inflation at 14.63% and food inflation at 19.59% year on year in September 2026), and pay large bills directly rather than inside the allowance.
Many diaspora children send money home every month without ever deciding how much on purpose. The amount drifts: it starts as a gesture, grows with every request, and becomes a source of guilt or tension for both sides. A deliberate allowance does the opposite. Your parents know what is coming and when, you know what you are committed to, and requests outside it become a separate, open conversation.
Start from their costs, not your income
Sit down with your parents, by video if needed, and list what a normal month costs them. Ask what they actually spend, not what they think they should spend. Typical lines are:
- Food and household items, including market days and provisions
- Electricity tokens, fuel for a generator, water
- Regular medicines, clinic visits and any health insurance premium
- Transport, including fuel if they drive
- Airtime and data
- House costs: estate levy, security, cleaning, minor repairs
- Church, mosque or community contributions they consider fixed
- Help they give others, which is often larger than they mention
Then list what they already receive: a pension, rent from a property, a small business, or money from siblings. The allowance is the gap between the two.
Separate the allowance from big bills
Rent, school fees for a younger sibling, a hospital bill or a roof repair should not sit inside a monthly allowance. Paying them directly keeps the allowance stable, and it means the money reaches the landlord or hospital rather than being spread across other needs. Our guides on paying a hospital bill from abroad and paying rent straight to the landlord cover those.
Worked example
An example only, with illustrative figures. Your parents in Ibadan list their monthly costs:
| Item | Monthly (example) |
|---|---|
| Food and household | ₦220,000 |
| Electricity and generator fuel | ₦70,000 |
| Medicines and clinic | ₦45,000 |
| Transport | ₦40,000 |
| Airtime and data | ₦15,000 |
| Estate levy and security | ₦25,000 |
| Giving and contributions | ₦35,000 |
| Total | ₦450,000 |
Your father's pension pays ₦120,000 a month and your brother in Lagos sends ₦80,000. The gap is ₦450,000 − ₦120,000 − ₦80,000 = ₦250,000. If you and a sister abroad split it equally, each sends ₦125,000 a month, on the 25th, so it arrives before the start of the month.
Keeping it in line with prices
An allowance fixed in naira loses value as prices rise. The National Bureau of Statistics, as reported by Voice of Nigeria on 16 October 2026, put September 2026 headline inflation at 14.63% year on year and food inflation at 19.59%. Food is usually the largest line for parents, so a review every six months, rather than every few years, keeps the allowance honest in both directions. Use the latest NBS release at the time of each review, and also ask your parents what has changed for them: prices in their own market matter more than a national average.
If you earn in pounds, dollars or euros, decide which side carries the exchange-rate risk. Fixing the allowance in naira gives your parents certainty; fixing it in your currency makes your own budget predictable but leaves them guessing. A common middle path is a naira figure reviewed twice a year.
Schedule and track it
- Pick one payment date and keep it, even when the month is tight; predictability is the point.
- Send to one account your parents control, ideally one in their own name.
- Keep a simple record of what you send and when, shared with siblings who contribute.
- Treat requests outside the allowance as separate decisions, discussed openly.
- Review the figure every six months with your parents and siblings together.
Small regular transfers also carry small charges in Nigeria; for instance, the Stamp Duties Act levy of ₦50 applies to electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more, according to an academic review of the law. That is a reason to send one planned amount rather than many small top-ups. Our guide to keeping a record of money sent to family has a template.
Talking about it with your parents
Many parents find it hard to say what they need, and many children find it hard to say what they can afford. Make the conversation about planning, not about money owed. Explain that a fixed allowance lets them plan, and that it does not stop you helping with something unexpected. Ask them to tell you early when a cost changes, rather than waiting until it becomes a crisis. If siblings contribute, agree the split among yourselves first, so your parents are not asked to referee. Finally, be clear about what the allowance is for, and trust them to spend it; checking every naira tends to damage the relationship the allowance is meant to protect.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account holds naira, pounds, dollars and euros, so you can convert when you choose with Swap and send the allowance in naira on the same date each month with Send. If your parent uses Pryme too, their Personal Assistant can help them track bills and set reminders; nothing moves without their approval.
Questions people ask
How much should I send my parents in Nigeria monthly?
There is no right figure. List their actual monthly costs, subtract their own income and what siblings send, and agree the gap. Review it every six months.
Should I send the allowance in naira or dollars?
Sending a fixed naira amount gives parents certainty for daily spending. If you earn abroad, review the naira figure twice a year so it keeps pace with prices and your own budget.
How do I handle extra requests on top of the allowance?
Treat them as separate decisions. Pay large bills such as rent or hospital costs directly to the provider, and keep the monthly allowance for everyday spending.
How often should I increase my parents' allowance?
Review it at least every six months against the latest NBS inflation release and what your parents say has changed in their own market.
Sources
- Nigeria's headline inflation drops to 14.63 per cent (Voice of Nigeria, NBS data) · accessed Oct 2026
- Asomadu, Stamp duties on electronic receipts in Nigeria (NAU Journal of Commercial and Property Law) · accessed Oct 2026
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