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The short answer
UBA offers four domiciliary options: Freedom Dom (BVN and one passport photo, $50, €50 or £50 minimum, balance capped at $2,000), Dom Advantage (two current-account references, valid ID, a utility bill from the last three months and a passport photo, $50, €50 or £50 minimum), a Kiddies Dom for children and a Diaspora account. All are opened at aop.ubagroup.com or a branch, per UBA's domiciliary page in October 2026.
What a domiciliary account is
A domiciliary account is a bank account in Nigeria held in a foreign currency, usually US dollars, pounds or euros. It lets you receive money from abroad without converting it to naira, keep savings in dollars, and pay foreign-currency expenses such as fees or travel. Rules on how cash and transfers move in and out are set by the CBN in its foreign exchange manual; our explainer on the CBN FX Manual 2026 summarises those for personal accounts.
UBA's four domiciliary accounts
| Account | Who it suits | Minimum | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Dom | Receiving remittances, simple use | $50, €50 or £50 | Balance up to $2,000, then upgrade; no cards; no transfers; cash at branch only |
| Dom Advantage | Full current or savings use | $50, €50 or £50 | Interest on balances above $1,000; foreign cheques can be credited |
| Kiddies Dom | Parents saving for a child's education abroad | Opening $100 or £70; operating £350 | Withdrawals charged 0.5% + VAT |
| Diaspora | Nigerians living abroad | Not stated | Opened online with proof of address and source of funds |
Documents for each
Freedom Dom
- Your BVN.
- One passport photograph.
Dom Advantage
- Two current-account references.
- A valid ID: international passport, driver's licence, national ID card or voter's card.
- A utility bill dated within the last three months.
- One passport photograph.
Kiddies Dom
- Parent or guardian's valid ID and BVN.
- Two passport photographs, one of the child and one of the parent.
- The child's birth certificate.
- Parent or guardian's utility bill.
Diaspora
- The online Diaspora account opening form.
- A valid ID, such as a Nigerian passport, driver's licence, resident or work permit, or a foreign passport showing Nigerian birth or origin backed by any Nigerian ID.
- Proof of address: a utility bill from the last two months or a bank statement from the last six.
- Proof of source of funds: payslip, work ID, banker's reference or business registration.
- One recent passport photograph per signatory.
How to open
- Decide which account fits. Freedom Dom is the lightest but cannot send transfers; most people who want to move money abroad need Dom Advantage.
- Gather the documents for that account.
- Apply online at aop.ubagroup.com (UBA's page links a separate Diaspora route) or visit a branch.
- Fund the account with the minimum in the chosen currency.
- Ask for your account number and the details a foreign sender needs; our guide to the UBA SWIFT code covers those.
Which UBA domiciliary account to choose
The choice turns on what you need the account to do. If you only receive occasional remittances from family and are happy to collect cash at a branch, Freedom Dom has the lightest paperwork, but its $2,000 ceiling and lack of transfers mean you will outgrow it quickly. If you want to send money abroad, receive foreign cheques, pay for things in dollars or keep a larger balance, Dom Advantage is the account UBA designs for that, and the references and utility bill it asks for are the price of that flexibility.
Parents saving towards a child's education abroad can look at the Kiddies Dom, but note the £350 operating balance and the 0.5% plus VAT charge on withdrawals. Nigerians living outside the country who want an account at home can use the Diaspora route, which accepts foreign proof of address.
Getting references
References are usually from people who hold current accounts at a bank, signed on the bank's reference form and confirmed by their own bank. Ask UBA for the reference form when you start, and allow time for your referees' banks to respond, as this is often the slowest step.
Charges to know
UBA's Service Charges & Rates PDF dated 11 September 2026 lists, among others:
- International FCY transfer: 0.5% of the amount (minimum $10) plus VAT, plus a $25 telex charge.
- UBA-to-UBA FCY transfer: 0.5% of the amount plus VAT.
- Card maintenance on domiciliary accounts: $10 a year.
- SMS alerts: ₦6 per message or the equivalent.
Example: sending $1,000 abroad from Dom Advantage. 0.5% is $5, below the $10 minimum, so the commission is $10, VAT 7.5% adds $0.75, and the telex charge is $25: $35.75 in total, before any charge by the receiving bank.
Interest on domiciliary balances is taxed: UBA's help page notes a 10% withholding tax on interest on foreign-currency domiciliary accounts. Our guide to saving in dollars in Nigeria weighs the risks.
Receiving money from abroad
To receive a transfer from abroad, a sender usually needs your account name, your domiciliary account number, the bank's SWIFT code and sometimes an intermediary bank. Ask UBA for the full receiving instructions for your currency, because dollar, pound and euro transfers can route differently. Our guide to receiving money from abroad into UBA covers the options.
Where Pryme fits
A domiciliary account is one route; a multicurrency account is another. A Pryme account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR in one place with local account details for each, and can be opened from any country (multicurrency). Our comparison of a domiciliary and a multicurrency account sets out the differences.
Questions people ask
What do I need to open a UBA domiciliary account?
For Dom Advantage: two current-account references, a valid ID, a utility bill from the last three months and a passport photograph. Freedom Dom needs only your BVN and a passport photograph.
What is the minimum balance for UBA domiciliary account?
UBA lists $50, €50 or £50 (or equivalent) for Freedom Dom and Dom Advantage.
Can I open a UBA domiciliary account online?
Yes. UBA's page links online opening at aop.ubagroup.com.
Can I send money abroad from UBA Freedom Dom?
No. UBA's page says Freedom Dom does not allow transfers; cash is withdrawn at a branch.
Sources
- UBA: Domiciliary Account · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA Service Charges & Rates (dated 11 Sept 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- UBA Nigeria: Help (tax notes on domiciliary interest) · 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.