How to send money to a wedding or party in Nigeria from the UK, US or Canada
The short answer
If the host has a Spray page, open their link, choose a cash gift, a wishlist item or Aso Ebi, and pay by card in naira or in any currency the host has turned on: pounds, US dollars, euros or Canadian dollars. The money reaches the host's verified Nigerian bank account in naira, and it's recorded with your name so they know it came from you.
- Pay by card; no app or account needed.
- Hosts can accept pounds, dollars, euros and Canadian dollars.
- Your gift arrives with your name, and a note or video if you like.
- Not ready yet? Remind me lets you pick when.
Your options from abroad
12%
Average cost of sending money home through a bank, worldwide, at the end of 2023. Digital services averaged under 5%.1
Sending money home for a celebration usually means a transfer through a money transfer app, then a message to the host to say it was you. If the host uses Spray, you can pay on their page directly.
| Way | How it works |
|---|---|
| Card on the host's page | Pay in naira or a currency the host has turned on. It's recorded with your name and reaches the host in naira. |
| Transfer to the page's account number | Use a service that pays into Nigerian bank accounts. Let the host know it was you, as the sender name may show as the service. |
| Through someone at home | A relative transfers or hands over cash for you. The host can log it under your name. |
Paying by card, step by step
Open the link
Hosts share their Spray link on WhatsApp. It opens in your browser.
Choose what to give
A cash gift with a note, a wishlist item you can chip into or cover, or Aso Ebi from the shop. Add a short video or photo for the host's montage if you like.
Pick your currency
If the host has turned on other currencies, switch Prices in to pounds, dollars, euros or Canadian dollars.
Pay by card
You see the total before you pay.
Get your confirmation
You'll see a confirmation when the payment lands. Leave a phone number if you'd like a receipt.
Buying Aso Ebi from abroad
You can order Aso Ebi from the shop and pay by card like anything else. Check whether the item is for pickup or delivery, and where. If you're travelling in for the day, order before the closing date so there's time for a tailor, and ask someone at home to collect it if you can't.
Is it safe?
Nigeria's interbank settlement system reports that tricking people into sending money remains the most common fraud technique, so be careful with account numbers forwarded on WhatsApp. On a Spray page, the account number belongs to the page of a verified host.2
- Money goes through a licensed payment partner to the host's bank account. Spray doesn't keep it in a wallet.
- Hosts confirm who they are before they can take payments, and payouts only go to an account in their verified name.
- If something looks wrong, use Report this page at the bottom of the page.
Questions
- Can I pay for a Nigerian wedding gift with a UK card?
- Yes, on a Spray page. If the couple has turned on pounds you can pay in pounds; it reaches them in naira.
- Will the host know the money came from me?
- Yes. Card payments on the page are recorded with your name, and you can add a note.
- Is there a fee?
- Sometimes. Each host chooses whether guests cover Spray's fee (₦100 + 1.5% per payment, never more than ₦2,000). You see the total before you pay.
- Can I pay later?
- Yes. Tap Remind me and pick when, such as after payday or a week before the event.
Sources
- World Bank and KNOMAD, 2024. Migration and Development Brief 40: Remittances Slowed in 2023, Expected to Grow Faster in 2024
- NIBSS, 2024. 2023 Annual Fraud Landscape