How to send money to Kenya from Nigeria with the best NGN-KES rate

An exchange rate determines the price you will pay when buying Kenyan Shilling. A better exchange rate means more money sent from Nigeria to Kenya.

The current rate between the Naira and Kenyan Shilling is 0.0945, and it changes almost constantly.

Ensuring a strong combination of fees and exchange rates ensures the best deal on money transfers from Nigeria to Kenya.

• The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: Finding a provider as close to mid-market rate as possible will ensure more Kenyan Shilling for your Naira. The current NGN-KES mid-market rate is 0.0945 KES per Naira.

• Fees: Money transfer fees are charged on top the exchange rate and can be set, or a percentage of the total amount of Naira you’re sending to Kenya. Pesa currently is the cheapest option for transfers into KES costing 0 NGN per transfer. We always recommend searching for your exact send amount for an exact fee.

• Amount Received: The amount received in Kenyan Shilling is the biggest indicator of the total cost of sending money to Kenya from Nigeria. The bigger the amount received in Kenya, the lower the overall cost of sending from Nigeria.

Understanding the averages, and then waiting a day or two can help you get more KES for the same amount of Naira.

A better option is to use a forward contract that also allows you to lock in an agreed exchange rate between Nigeria and Kenya.

A bank transfer is the payment method that will get you the best price on a transfer from Nigeria to Kenya.

Here are all the ways to send money from Nigeria to Kenya:

Bank transfers

Bank transfers are often fastest, cheapest and best way to send money from Nigeria to Kenya.

Using a money transfer company such as Pesa for transfers from Nigeria to Kenya, will mean being able to send money via a bank transfer while benefiting from lower fees and more favorable exchange rates. 


Debit and prepaid cards

Sending money from Nigeria to Kenya with a debit card or a prepaid card is very simple with Western Union Agent.


Western Union Agent is the cheapest option for sending money with a debit card between Nigeria and Kenya. This is of the 6 money transfer companies offering debit card payments on this route.

Credit cards

When it comes to credit card transfers from Nigeria to Kenya, we recommend comparing your options to get the best deal.

and have different regulations and ensuring you fully understand these regulations will aid in keeping your money safe.

Our directory of worldwide financial regulators contains details on regulation for money transfers between Nigeria and Kenya

Some companies offering money transfers between Nigeria and Kenya have minimum or maximum thresholds on how much you can send or receive.

Rates and fees for different transfer amounts could change - that’s why it’s best to compare NGN-KES rates for your specific transfer amount. For regular transfers to Kenya, shopping around each time can make a huge difference.

For sending large amounts of NGN to Kenya, we’d recommend Western Union Agent. They offer a solid combination of rates and fees when sending from Nigeria to Kenya that is the most competitive, even at larger amounts.

There are different options for receiving Kenyan Shilling in Kenya. The most popular are direct bank deposit, cash pickup, a mobile wallet or receiving money into a multi-currency account. Not all providers offering transfers from Nigeria to Kenya will offer every method for incoming Kenyan Shilling, so it’s best to check ahead of time.

Sending directly to a bank account is one of the most common ways to send money from Nigeria to Kenya. For most part, this is because it means the recipient has to do very little.

Western Union Agent is the best company for bank transfers between Nigeria and Kenya.

Mobile wallet or P2P services and payment apps like PayPal, Xoom, and CashApp are popular because of convenience, but they come with more limitations and higher costs compared to money transfer providers like Pesa.

When sending Naira to Kenya, through a money transfer company, you will need to verify your ID at the sign up stage.

The documents you need will vary and in some cases you might need a couple of options.

For the most part, ID can be verified in Nigeria through a government issued ID such as a passport or driver's license. If the recipient needs an ID to collect money in Kenya it will be similar.

Large transactions between Nigeria and Kenya, can be subject to additional checks such as proof of funds for anti-money laundering purposes.

One of the reasons Western Union Agent has scored so highly for transfers to Kenya is their easy sign up process in Nigeria.

As well as proof of funds, when sending large amounts of money between Nigeria and Kenya.

Some transfers into Kenyan Shilling may need to be reported to tax authorities in Kenya as well, particularly where inheritance or property purchases are involved.

Tax limits and personal allowances will change in Kenya based on age, income and a few other elements. When in doubt, please contact a tax professional in Nigeria or Kenya to discuss your personal circumstances to ensure you are not missing any specific tax declarations.