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The short answer
A wire from Canada to Nigeria needs the SWIFT/BIC code of the recipient's Nigerian bank, taken from that bank's own incoming-transfer instructions, for example ABNGNGLA for Access Bank, which Access says is its only SWIFT code. Some codes end in a three-character branch suffix, such as XXX for a head office, and some banks route foreign currency through an intermediary bank, so the instructions matter more than a code found by search.
SWIFT and BIC are the same thing
Canadian wire forms ask for a "SWIFT code", a "BIC" or a "SWIFT/BIC". HSBC's explainer puts it plainly: BIC stands for Business Identifier Code, it is also called a SWIFT code, and "they're the same thing". It identifies the bank, not the person's account. The account itself is identified by the recipient's account number, which in Nigeria is a 10-digit NUBAN.
Examples of Nigerian bank codes
| Bank | SWIFT/BIC | Where it is published |
|---|---|---|
| Access Bank | ABNGNGLA (11-character form ABNGNGLAXXX) | Access Bank blog, 7 Mar 2023: "Access Bank has just this swift code" |
| Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) | GTBINGLAXXX (8-character form GTBINGLA); head office 635 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island | Wise SWIFT directory |
| First City Monument Bank (FCMB) | FCMBNGLAXXX; Primrose Tower, 17A Tinubu Street, Lagos | XE SWIFT directory |
Look at the pattern. In each code, the first four letters identify the bank (ABNG, GTBI, FCMB), the fifth and sixth are NG, and the seventh and eighth are LA, matching the Lagos addresses in the listings. An 11-character code adds three characters at the end; Wise's listing describes XXX as the head-office branch code.
These are examples to help you recognise a code, not instructions. For the full details of particular banks, our Nigeria library has GTBank's SWIFT and sort code and Access Bank's.
Why you should get the code from the recipient's bank
- Branch suffixes. Some banks publish several 11-character codes; others, like Access by its own statement, use one. The 8-character code with XXX normally reaches the head office, but follow the bank's instruction if it names a different one.
- Intermediary banks. For US dollar wires, a Nigerian bank may hold its dollars with a correspondent bank abroad and ask senders to name that bank as intermediary, with its own SWIFT code and the Nigerian bank's account number there. If the instructions include this, enter it exactly.
- Mergers and name changes. Banks merge and rebrand. A code copied from an old document may belong to a bank that no longer exists in that form.
- Directories can be out of date. Third-party lists, including those cited above, are convenient but not the bank's own word for your payment.
Ask the recipient to download or request their bank's "inward transfer" or "foreign currency receiving" instructions, usually a one-page sheet listing beneficiary bank, SWIFT, intermediary and account format for each currency.
Filling the Canadian wire form
- Beneficiary bank SWIFT/BIC: the Nigerian bank's code from its instructions.
- Beneficiary bank name and address: as in the instructions.
- Beneficiary account number: the 10-digit NUBAN, or the domiciliary account number for dollars. If the form insists on an IBAN, ask your bank how to enter a non-IBAN account.
- Intermediary bank: only if the instructions give one.
- Beneficiary name and address: exactly as the account holds it.
- Purpose: a short, true description.
SWIFT code, sort code, account number: which goes where
Nigerian bank instructions sometimes include more than one identifier, and Canadian forms have more fields than a Nigerian recipient expects. A quick guide:
- SWIFT/BIC
- Identifies the receiving bank in the international network. Always needed for a wire.
- Account number
- Identifies the account. For naira, the 10-digit NUBAN; for dollars, the domiciliary account number.
- Sort code or bank code
- A domestic Nigerian routing number. Canadian wire forms do not usually need it; enter it only if your bank asks for a clearing code and the recipient's instructions give one.
- Transit and institution numbers
- Canadian domestic identifiers for your own account. They belong to the sender's side, not the beneficiary fields.
If a field on the Canadian form does not fit a Nigerian bank, such as IBAN, leave it for your bank to advise rather than inventing a value. A wrong entry is worse than a blank one that a bank officer can fill correctly.
Tracing a wire with the wrong code
If the code was wrong, the payment may be returned, held or routed to the wrong institution. Ask your Canadian bank for the UETR, the 36-character reference Swift requires on payment messages; Swift says any party in the chain can use it to locate the payment. Give it to the recipient's bank when they search. Our guide to wiring from a Canadian bank covers the rest of the form, and what a SWIFT confirmation shows explains the paperwork.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account opened from Canada gives you naira and US dollar balances with their own account details, and Send pays Nigerian accounts by account number without a SWIFT form. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve.
Questions people ask
What is the SWIFT code for Access Bank Nigeria?
Access Bank's own blog (7 March 2023) gives ABNGNGLA and says it is the bank's only SWIFT code; the 11-character form is ABNGNGLAXXX.
Is BIC the same as SWIFT code?
Yes. HSBC's explainer says the BIC, or Business Identifier Code, is also called a SWIFT code.
Do I need a branch SWIFT code for a Nigerian bank?
Usually the head-office code ending XXX is used, but follow the recipient bank's written instructions, which may name a specific code or an intermediary bank.
What happens if I use the wrong SWIFT code?
The wire may be returned, held or misrouted. Ask your bank for the UETR so the payment can be traced.
Sources
- HSBC UK: What is an IBAN, a BIC and a SWIFT code? · accessed Oct 2026
- Access Bank blog: Access Bank SWIFT code (7 Mar 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- Wise: SWIFT code GTBINGLAXXX · accessed Oct 2026
- XE: FCMB SWIFT code · accessed Oct 2026
- Swift: What is a UETR? · 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.