How to Send Money from UAE to Nigeria — Best Ways in 2025

Last updated: 6/24/2026 | By Aboki Forex

The United Arab Emirates is home to one of the largest Nigerian communities in the Arab world, with over 30,000 Nigerians living and working in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and other Emirates. Whether you're sending money home for family upkeep, school fees, business investment, or property, this guide compares every practical option for Nigerians in the UAE in 2025 — from digital apps like Sendwave and Wise to UAE exchange houses like Al Ansari and USDT P2P crypto.

1. Sendwave — Zero Fees, Best for Everyday Transfers

Sendwave is one of the most popular remittance apps among Nigerians in the UAE because it charges zero fees for transfers to Nigeria. You pay in UAE dirhams via your UAE debit card, and the naira lands directly in your recipient's Nigerian bank account within minutes. Sendwave is available in the UAE and supports all major Nigerian banks.

How it works: Download the Sendwave app, verify your UAE identity (Emirates ID), link your UAE debit card, enter your recipient's Nigerian bank account number, and send. The naira typically arrives within 30 minutes.

Limits: Up to AED 3,000 per day for standard accounts, higher with full verification. Ideal for regular family upkeep transfers.

Best for: Regular small-to-medium transfers — monthly family allowance, groceries, utility bills, and school fees in the AED 200–2,000 range.

2. Wise — Best Exchange Rate for Larger Transfers

Wise offers the mid-market AED/NGN exchange rate — the fairest rate available — with a transparent fee of 0.5–1.5%. For transfers above AED 500, Wise typically delivers more naira than any other mainstream service because the percentage fee shrinks relative to the amount sent.

How to pay: UAE bank account transfer (IBAN) or UAE debit card. The recipient needs a Nigerian bank account at any commercial bank. Transfers typically arrive within the same day or the next business day.

Best for: Large transfers — school fees, rent payments, property investments, business transfers — where getting the best AED/NGN rate maximises naira received.

3. Remitly — Reliable with Fast Options

Remitly supports UAE-to-Nigeria transfers with two speed tiers: Express (minutes, slightly higher fee) and Economy (1–3 days, lower fee). Remitly regularly offers first-transfer promotions with zero fees and enhanced rates — worth checking before your first send.

Supported Nigerian banks: Access, GTBank, Zenith, First Bank, UBA, Fidelity, Polaris, Stanbic, and all other major commercial banks.

Best for: Nigerians who want a reliable app with good English-language customer support and a clear fee structure. The Express option is ideal for urgent transfers.

4. Al Ansari Exchange — UAE's Most Popular Exchange House

Al Ansari Exchange is the largest exchange house network in the UAE with over 200 branches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and other Emirates. They support direct bank transfers to Nigerian accounts and Western Union cash pickup for recipients without a bank account.

Al Ansari is particularly useful if you prefer paying cash in person, or if your recipient needs physical cash pickup in Nigeria. However, the exchange rate and fees at Al Ansari are typically less competitive than digital apps like Wise or Sendwave for bank-to-bank transfers.

Best for: Cash payments in person at a UAE branch, or Western Union cash pickup for recipients without Nigerian bank accounts.

5. Al Fardan Exchange

Al Fardan Exchange is another well-established UAE exchange house with branches across the Emirates. Like Al Ansari, they support bank transfers to Nigeria and Western Union cash pickup. Al Fardan is known for competitive rates among UAE exchange houses and is widely trusted by the South Asian and African communities in the UAE.

Best for: Those who prefer in-person exchange house transactions and are located near an Al Fardan branch.

6. USDT P2P Crypto — Closest to the Black Market Rate

Sending money via USDT (Tether) through peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms has become very popular among Nigerians in the UAE who want the best possible naira rate. The recipient typically receives naira at or very close to the black market rate shown on Aboki Forex.

Step-by-step from the UAE:

1. Buy USDT on Binance, Bybit, or OKX using your UAE debit card or bank transfer. Crypto exchanges are legal and widely used in the UAE.
2. Send the USDT to your recipient's Binance or Bybit wallet in Nigeria.
3. Your recipient sells the USDT on Binance P2P to a local Nigerian buyer for naira at near black market rates.
4. The naira is deposited directly into their Nigerian bank account within minutes of the P2P trade completing.

Check the current USDT to Naira rate to estimate how much naira the recipient would receive.

Advantages: Best naira rate, very low fees (<1%), fast settlement. Disadvantages: Requires both sender and recipient to have crypto exchange accounts and understand P2P trading.

7. Western Union from the UAE

Western Union is available through many UAE exchange houses, banks, and the Western Union app. Cash pickup in Nigeria is available within minutes at thousands of agent locations across the country — useful for recipients in areas with limited banking access.

WU's exchange rates are less competitive than Wise, Sendwave, or Remitly, and fees can add up on larger transfers. Best for: Cash pickup only, or recipients without a Nigerian bank account.

8. UAE Bank SWIFT Wire Transfer

All major UAE banks — Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Mashreq, Dubai Islamic Bank — support international SWIFT wire transfers to Nigerian bank accounts.

• UAE banks typically charge AED 30–80 per outgoing international wire transfer.
• Funds arrive in 3–5 business days at the recipient's Nigerian bank.
• The bank will apply its own exchange rate, which is usually significantly worse than Wise or Sendwave.
• Funds sent to a domiciliary (dollar) account are received in USD, allowing the recipient to convert when the rate is favourable.

Best for: Very large transfers (above AED 10,000) where app transfer limits are insufficient, or when funding a Nigerian domiciliary account.

How to Get the Best Rate When Sending from UAE to Nigeria

1. Check the black market rate first. The dirham to naira black market rate on Aboki Forex is the best rate your recipient could realistically get. Use it as your benchmark.
2. Compare total naira received, not fees alone. A zero-fee service with a worse rate can deliver less naira than a 1% fee service with a better rate. Always calculate the total naira your recipient will receive.
3. Use first-transfer promotions. Remitly and WorldRemit regularly offer zero fees and better exchange rates for your first transfer.
4. Avoid UAE bank wires for smaller amounts. The AED 30–80 flat fee makes UAE bank wires expensive on transfers below AED 2,000. Use Sendwave or Wise instead.
5. Monitor the naira rate. The naira/dirham rate fluctuates. Check Aboki Forex regularly and time larger transfers when the rate is favourable.

UAE Regulations: What Nigerians Should Know

• Remittances are legal and common: The UAE Central Bank licenses and regulates all exchange houses and remittance service providers. Using licensed services is legal and safe.
• Hawala networks are illegal in the UAE: Unlicensed money transfer networks (informal hawala) are prohibited. Always use a licensed exchange house or regulated app.
• Large transfers may require documentation: Transfers above AED 55,000 (or sometimes lower thresholds depending on the service) may require proof of source of funds. This is routine anti-money-laundering compliance.
• Crypto is legal in the UAE: The UAE has a clear regulatory framework for crypto. Binance, Bybit, and OKX are all accessible in the UAE and commonly used for USDT P2P transfers to Nigeria.

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