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The short answer
To send money to Nigeria from a UK bank by SWIFT you need the recipient's full name and address, their account number, and their Nigerian bank's SWIFT/BIC code. You choose who pays the charges (OUR, SHA or BEN), and intermediary banks in the chain may deduct fees. Your bank applies its own exchange rate, which includes an FX margin.
A SWIFT payment is the traditional bank-to-bank route abroad. It suits larger sums, payments to a Nigerian domiciliary account in pounds or dollars, and situations where a remittance app is not suitable. It is slower and usually costlier than an app on small amounts, so it is worth knowing exactly what you are choosing.
The details your UK bank will ask for
- Recipient name
- Exactly as on the Nigerian account.
- Recipient address
- Barclays, for example, lists the recipient's address among the details needed.
- Account number
- The 10-digit NUBAN for the account. See what a NUBAN is.
- SWIFT/BIC code
- The Nigerian bank's code, from that bank's own page or a statement.
- Currency
- Pounds, or the currency of the receiving account.
- Payment reference
- A short note your recipient will recognise.
Some Nigerian banks publish routing instructions for incoming SWIFT payments. Fidelity Bank's 2025 document, for example, lists its SWIFT code and separate correspondent details for dollars (via Citibank New York) and for pounds and euros (via Citibank London, with a separate IBAN for each currency), and tells senders to put the beneficiary's name and account number in field 59. If your recipient's bank publishes such a document, ask them for it and follow it exactly.
Step by step
- Ask your recipient for their bank's incoming SWIFT instructions, their exact account name and their 10-digit account number, and confirm the account's currency.
- Log in to your UK bank's app or online banking, or visit a branch, and choose international payment.
- Add the recipient as a new international payee with the details above.
- Choose the currency and amount. If you send pounds to a naira account, the conversion happens somewhere along the chain; ask your bank which rate applies.
- Choose the charge option (below).
- Review the rate, fee and total, then approve.
- Keep the confirmation and the payment reference for tracking.
OUR, SHA and BEN: who pays the charges
| Option | What it means (Barclays' description) |
|---|---|
| OUR | You pay all charges up front, plus an overseas delivery charge that varies by country |
| SHA | You pay your bank's international fee; the recipient pays other banks' charges, which may be deducted |
| BEN | Your bank and other banks deduct their charges from the amount sent |
Barclays notes that in its app some countries must be sent as OUR, and that online, phone and branch payments offer all three. Other UK banks set their own rules; check your bank's page before you choose.
Why intermediary fees appear
SWIFT payments to Nigeria often pass through a correspondent bank, for example in London or New York, before they reach the Nigerian bank. Barclays warns that intermediary banks may charge for processing, which can reduce the final amount. That is why a SHA payment can arrive short, and why OUR costs more up front.
The exchange rate on a bank payment
Barclays states that its rate is a mid-market reference rate plus an FX margin, and that customers can ask for their margin. If you send pounds to a Nigerian naira account, the conversion may happen at the Nigerian bank instead, at its own rate. Compare the total cost against a remittance app before sending; see the FX margin explained.
Pounds to a domiciliary account or to a naira account
If your recipient holds a GBP domiciliary account in Nigeria, you can send pounds and they receive pounds; the conversion, if any, happens later and at their choice. If you send to a naira account, someone along the chain converts the money, and you may not see that rate in advance. Ask your recipient which account to use before you set up the payee. See sending pounds to a GBP domiciliary account.
Tracking a SWIFT payment
Your bank's confirmation carries a payment reference. If the money has not arrived after the bank's estimated time, ask your bank to trace the payment with that reference; your recipient can ask their bank to check for the incoming credit at the same time. A payment that has reached the Nigerian bank but not the account is often held for a name or number check, which your recipient can clear in branch.
What to check first
- The SWIFT code belongs to the recipient's bank in Nigeria, not a branch elsewhere.
- Account name and number match exactly.
- Your bank's daily limit for international payments; Barclays says app and online payments have limits and splitting a payment may cost more.
- Whether the recipient account accepts the currency you send.
For a fuller comparison of payment codes, see IBAN, sort code, routing number and SWIFT on the Nigeria library.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account gives you local account details for pounds and naira in one place, so you can hold GBP and convert with Swap when you choose. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. See multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
What is the SWIFT code for my recipient's Nigerian bank?
Use the code from the bank's own page, statement or incoming payment instructions. Some banks, such as Fidelity Bank, publish a document with full SWIFT details.
Should I choose OUR or SHA when sending to Nigeria?
OUR means you pay all charges so the recipient should receive the full amount; SHA is cheaper for you but intermediary charges may be deducted.
Do I need an IBAN to send money to Nigeria?
Nigerian accounts use a 10-digit account number (NUBAN) rather than an IBAN. Some Nigerian banks publish IBANs for their own correspondent accounts abroad; follow the bank's instructions.
How long does a SWIFT payment to Nigeria take?
Longer than most app transfers, because each bank in the chain processes it. Your bank shows an estimate.
Sources
- Barclays: International payments · accessed Oct 2026
- Fidelity Bank: Details for SWIFT transfers (2025) · 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.