How to Open and Withdraw from PayPal in Nigeria (2024)

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Do you want to open a PayPal account that can be used to send, receive, and withdraw money in Nigerian? Here is a comprehensive guide for you.

Create a PayPal Nigeria account

Opening a functional PayPal account in Nigeria and other countries that are not fully supported by PayPal can be extremely difficult and risky but there is always a workaround to that. If you are doing a legit business online, you know how important it is to set up a valid payment account that can receive and send money internationally.

Sending money via international bank transfer can be both slow and inconvenient for international clients. They may not be comfortable wiring money to someone they have not seen before, especially these days when fraud is not showing any signs of decline. This is where having a fully functional PayPal account comes in.

PayPal is one platform that allows you to send and receive money easily between your international clients and partners. It is also very secure and allows for a refund if the product or service rendered does not meet the promised specifications. However, due to certain government restrictions and difficulty verifying users to prevent fraud, PayPal partially or fully restricts its services in some countries of the world, including Nigeria.

Current Situation with PayPal Account Opening in Nigeria

PayPal currently supports over 200 countries and 25 currencies in the world. And though Nigeria is on the list of supported countries, it is difficult to open a fully functional Nigeria PayPal account that can be used to send and receive money.

It all started in 2005 when PayPal suspended all transactions via Nigerian PayPal accounts due to reports of fraudulent activities. Nigerians could no longer send and receive money using their verified PayPal accounts.

Later in 2014, this ban was partially lifted, allowing Nigerians to send money via their personal PayPal accounts but not receive money from their international clients, making it practically useless to most Nigerians. However, PayPal allowed business accounts to operate fully to send and receive money internationally, but not everyone knew how to set up a business account.

Due to the limitations I faced, I tried different ways to open a fully functional business account using my Nigerian details. If you are facing the same challenges operating a PayPal account in Nigeria, here comes the solution for you.

I have used several hacks in the past but some of them stopped working at some point due to policy changes and government restrictions, but in this post, I will show you what currently works in 2024 and beyond. A similar hack works for other countries not fully supported by PayPal.

Requirements for a Functional PayPal Account in Nigeria

Opening a fully functional PayPal account that sends, receives, and withdraws in Nigeria is easy. You don’t need so many documents or requirements. You also don’t need to use a VPN or have a US phone number. Here are all the requirements you need.

  1. An email address not already used to open a PayPal account.
  2. A valid and reachable Nigerian phone number.
  3. An official Identity Card (NIN, Voters’ Card, or International Passport).
  4. An internet-enabled device, and internet connection.

Steps in Opening a Fully Functional PayPal Account in Nigeria

PayPal allows Nigerians to open a fully functional business account but this registration is not available on the Nigerian PayPal homepage. PayPal designs different homepages and subdirectories for each country they support. Hence, what is displayed on the US PayPal website may not be available on the Nigerian website.

To open a PayPal account in Nigeria, you need to open a business account using a link to another non-US country that supports a business account. One popular country that has been used to open a fully functional Nigerian business PayPal account is Lesotho but a new policy by the Nigerian government made it impossible to link a card to the account for withdrawal.

However, I recently found out how to open a fully functional PayPal account in Nigeria that not only allows you to send and receive money but also allows you to withdraw money from your PayPal account. Here are the steps categorized in distinct sections as follows.

Section 1: Opening and activating your PayPal account

  • To get started, visit the Monaco PayPal site using this link.
  • The texts on the page might be displayed in French because Monaco is a French-speaking country. You may translate the page to English using the pop-up that shows in your mobile browser, or select the language icon at the right side of the address bar if you are using a desktop.
  • Then, click on the “Sign Up” button shown below.
PayPal Monaco Registration page
Monaco homepage
  • After that, select “Business Account” and click on the “Continue” button shown below. Do not select the “Personal Account” option.
business account
Business account
  • On the next screen, fill in your first name, surname, a valid email not already associated with another PayPal account, and your password.
  • Then, tick the checkbox below to confirm that “You read and agree to the User Agreement and Privacy Statement”, and finally click on the Agree and Create Account” button at the bottom of the page.

personal information

  • At this point, an email containing a link to confirm your email address has been sent to your email address. This is to ensure that you have access to the email and that you requested registration using that email.
  • Also, the language may be displayed in French, but you can easily click on the blue button reading “Confirmer votre adresse email” if you don’t know how to interpret the words.
  • After that, you will see a new page showing that your email has been confirmed. Click on the “Continue” button.
  • After confirming your email, you can go ahead to click the “Let’s Go!” as shown below.
  • If you viewed and confirmed your email using a different browser or device, it may prompt you to log in using the set email and password. After logging in, find and click on the link prompting you to complete your profile.
Activate your email
Activate your account
  • On the next screen, fill in the account type that best describes you. In this case, select “Business” and choose “Private Corporation” as your business type. Then click the Next” button.
PayPal business type
Select business type
  • After that step, fill in the legal business name on the next page as it appears on your valid ID card. Only your first and last names will suffice.
  • Next, tick the “Use your legal name” checkbox to use your legal name above as your business/trading name, unless you want to use a different name for your PayPal business account.
  • Skip the business registration number section if you don’t have a registered business yet, otherwise, enter it in the next form field.

Business information

  • Thereafter, select “US Dollar” as your primary currency.
  • In the next field requesting your business activity, select the option that best matches what you will be using the account for. If you plan to use your account for freelance writing, or other digital jobs, “Miscellaneous Publishing and Printing”, “Digital Goods”, or Miscellaneous Personal Services” options would be appropriate.
  • Next, if you have a business website, select “Yes” and enter your business website in the form field, otherwise, select “No”.

Business information with business website

  • In the form field for your business phone number, select the appropriate country code (+234 in this case) and enter your valid phone number without the first zero.
  • Then, fill in your business or current residential address, postal code, and other relevant fields, and finally click on the “Next” button below.
  • If unsure of the postal code or if PayPal cannot validate your address, leave the postal code blank.

Business phone and address

  • On clicking next above, enter your correct date of birth and select your nationality (Nigeria) on the next page. Make sure these match what is on your valid identity document.
  • Then, type in your residential address or tick the “Same as registered business address” checkbox, if it is the same as your business address.
  • Finally, click on the “Next” button.
Residential address
Residential address
  • After that, PayPal may ask you to verify some tax information about your business. Select the appropriate options and click on the submit button. Note that, you don’t have to change anything at this point.

With the above steps, your account should be ready to receive money and send money now. PayPal may require you to further verify your account by linking a card or a bank account.

Lastly, you may want to change the account language from French to English so that emails from your PayPal account will display in English language. To do that;

  • Go to Account Settings>Account Preferences and update your preferred language from Français to English.

In the next section, you will see how to open and link a valid US bank account to your Nigerian PayPal account so you can withdraw money from your PayPal account successfully.

Section 2: Opening a linkable bank account

It is impossible to link a Nigerian bank account to PayPal. PayPal allows you to link your Mastercard and Visa card from any Nigerian bank to the platform but these cannot be used to withdraw money from your PayPal account. The only way to withdraw money directly from a PayPal account is by linking it with a supported credit card or US/UK bank account, either of which are often unavailable to Nigerian users.

Earlier, it was possible to link a free virtual US bank from Payoneer, Grey, or GeegPay to PayPal, but recently these stopped working. The one currently working solution is to use a GetCleva account; the steps are shown below.

  • First, create your free account on getcleva.com using a mobile or desktop browser.
  • Fill in the registration details, ensuring that they correspond with your name and details in your official identity documents (NIN, Voters’ card, or International Passport).
  • Confirm your registration by opening and clicking the link sent to your email.
  • Next, upload any document as may be required.
  • After submitting the required documents, wait for about 24 hours for your account to be verified.
  • Once verified, you will get an email saying that your account has been verified.
  • Log in to your GetCleva account. You will find a link to open a US bank account in one click. Click on it to create your US bank account.
  • You will also find the option to create a US Dollar Mastercard for other transactions after you fund your account.

Now that you have your PayPal linkable bank account, it is time to link it to your PayPal. In the next section, I will show you how to link your newly created US bank account to your PayPal account to send, receive, and withdraw money from your account.

Section 3: Linking your bank account

To link your GetCleva US bank account to your PayPal, follow the steps below.

  • Log in to your PayPal account using any country’s PayPal login page.
  • Next, go to the “Pay and Get Paid” tab or click on the “Transfer Money” button in your dashboard if you have received some money in the account.
  • Select the option to add a bank account.
  • Open a new tab and log in to your GetCleva dashboard. Then, navigate to your “Account” tab to see your US bank account details. You need the routing number and account number to link the bank account to your PayPal.
  • On the PayPal page for linking a bank account above, select “Checking” as your account type.
  • Then, copy and paste the routing number and account number from GetCleva into their respective fields on the PayPal page.
  • Then, click on the submit button.
  • After that, PayPal will send micro-deposits to your GetCleva account and ask you to enter the amount of the micro-deposit into the field for verification purposes. This might take 1-2 days to arrive in your account but when it does, you will be notified via the email associated with your GetCleva account.
  • When you see the deposits, log in back to PayPal and enter the small amount of money deposited into your account without the dollar sign. If your value matches the amount deposited into your GetCleva US bank account, you will get a prompt that you have successfully linked your bank account.

Once your bank account is linked to your PayPal, you can withdraw money from it without any extra fee. GetCleva may charge a withdrawal fee but they have very high rates when converting the money to Nigerian Naira.

Alternatives to PayPal in Nigeria

Even though PayPal is one of the most widely used and highly convenient, other platforms can allow you to send, receive, and withdraw money internationally. These include:

  1. Payoneer: Payoneer allows you to create foreign bank accounts in multiple currencies to receive money from your international clients. They can send the money via bank transfer, wired transfer, or from Payoneer to Payoneer. It also allows you to link your Nigerian dollar or foreign currency domiciliary account to the platform.
  2. Wise: Wise is another option for sending and receiving international payments in Nigeria but this platform is not fully ready for Nigerians yet.
  3. Skrill: Skrill is an online platform available to Nigerians to send and receive money internationally.
  4. Western Union
  5. Remitly
  6. Cryptocurrency transfer
  7. Bank transfer via SWIFT to your foreign currency domiciliary Nigerian account.

Other Ways to Withdraw Money From a Nigerian Paypal Account

If you have a PayPal account that can send and receive money internationally but are unable to link a bank account or card to it for withdrawal, here are other ways you can withdraw your money from PayPal into your Nigerian account.

1. Transfer to a friend in the diaspora

With the rate of emigration today, there are chances that every Nigerian has or knows someone who is currently in the UK or the US. If you have their contact, you can ask them to send the money from your PayPal account to theirs while they send it to your Nigerian account. There is an option to receive it into your foreign currency domiciliary account if you have one.

While this is an easy way to withdraw your money from PayPal, there might be a lot of fees during the transactions. Your friend may not ask you to pay them for the services but it is only proper to offer them a tip, irrespective of whether they accept it or not.

Don’t shy away from explaining your source of earnings to your friend. This way, he or she knows that you are not involved in any fraudulent online activity, and be more willing to assist you.

2. Use a trusted PayPal exchanger

These trusted PayPal exchange platforms can receive your PayPal funds and offer you Naira at a rate. Some of these platforms automate the process of exchanging your PayPal money for Nigerian Naira, making them fast, reliable, and safer. Examples are fnfswap.com.ng or xchange.com.ng.

Lastly, you can find individuals who can receive your PayPal funds and send you an amount in Naira at a rate you both agree upon.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can continue using your newly created PayPal account in Nigeria without getting blocked or restricted if you keep using it legitimately without getting involved in fraudulent businesses. When you offer your clients the quality/quantity of service you promised, they won't report your account or request refunds. These can harm your reputation on PayPal and get your account blocked.

A personal PayPal account is one that allows you to send gifts, donations, and tips to friends and family. It does not require any business documents to set up and charges less fees for transactions. However, for Nigerians, this account can only be used to send funds to other PayPal users but cannot be used to receive money internationally.

When transferring money into a linked bank account like Cleva, PayPal does not charge any fee for this transaction, but when transferring directly into a supported Nigerian Naira card, they typically charge an equivalent of $5 for every withdrawal.

Of course. If you opened your PayPal account using the steps above, you can confidently contact support when you have any issues. As long as you have your documents at hand (NIN, Driver's license, or International Passport), you can verify your ownership of the account, which means you won't have any unwarranted issues with PayPal support simply because you contacted them.

One major disadvantage of receiving money via PayPal in Nigeria is the huge fees they charge for every transaction. For example, if someone sends you $200, you might end up getting about $190 or less. The fee is calculated using a percentage (2.99%) of the total amount you received, which means the fees can be higher if you received a higher amount of money.

The UBA Africard (a prepaid visa card) was previously accepted for withdrawing funds from PayPal but since September, 2023, the Federal Government placed a limitation on all international transactions using Nigerian debit cards which also affected the functionality of all visa cards on PayPal.

From the last time I checked, the UBA prepaid card is no longer working on PayPal. The restriction on Nigerian cards makes it technically impossible to use the card for PayPal withdrawal.

When opening a PayPal account in Nigeria or most other African countries, you don't need a tax ID or EIN because Nigeria and some other countries generally do not tax income from online jobs, particularly from small and medium-sized businesses.

PayPal may ask you to verify your identify if you frequently login to your account using different devices, but as long as you have your government-issued document like NIN and your phone number is active, you don't have a problem verifying your account.

Final words

Opening a fully functional PayPal account in Nigeria can be difficult but with the right information, you can set up your account today.

PayPal is not necessarily banned in Nigeria. It is only restricted to business account holders. However, due to the fact that the link for creating a PayPal business account is not visible on the official PayPal Nigeria website, using alternative links becomes our best bet.

In addition to creating a fully functional PayPal account that can send and receive money internationally, this post shows you how to withdraw money directly from your PayPal account, as well as alternative ways of doing so.

If you found this helpful, don’t hesitate to drop an encouraging comment for me in the comment section below.

Prosper Yole is a medical doctor, a seasoned writer and passionate blogger. He is the founder of Knowseeker.com. With many years of trials, failure, and near successes in areas of relationship, health, business & entrepreneurship, personal development, and content writing, he creates quality content that resonates well with his audience across the entire internet.

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Obaro Aluya

Menn. I love ur content. Free from hassle. Specifically exact. Straightforward. Rich. Informative. Accurate. Enjoyable. Tnks 4 taking d time to put it up. I however av question I wud love to ask since ur content is much recent. I tried linking my uba prepaid card without success as at now. My email is aluya772(at)gmail(dot)com. Will appreciate any further assist u cud render. Tnks Yole. U re a good prolific intentional freelance writer. Keep it up. Thumbs up. Best content I av so far come across recently.

Olivier

Super content you have there. I really appreciate.
For my side, I’m continuing to use my Lesotho PayPal Business Account with a Cameroon card. What going noisy there is when they stop everything, asking for the Business justificative documents (the business registration document and a proof of business address).

Please do you have any idea of how to successful pass this gap?

Babatunde

Thanks for this update, really. I followed the instructions, and I was able to open a Monaco PayPal account. At first, there was a restriction on the account, and I was asked to provide ID. I uploaded the plastic NIN card and to my surprise the restrictions were lifted.

I signed up on cleva through the link you provided, and I was able to get a USD account, which I used to verify the PayPal.

Now my worry is this, is it completely okay to send money to the account now? I’m afraid that they’re just waiting for money to enter the account before blocking it.

Prosper Yole

Hi

Yes. As long as you are using PayPal rightly, they won’t block the account.

I have been using mine since I opened it. No restrictions whatsoever.

Blessing Aghara

Thank you very much for this great information, it’s really appreciated.
I would like to ask if it is compulsory to have an Employer identification number, is it needed to open the paypal account? I don’t have one but I really need the paypal to link to my kofi page.
Please help me, anticipating your reply!!
Once again, thanks !!

Babatunde

Thanks again.

You mentioned to always use the PayPal rightly. What are the things one should avoid doing to keep the account safe?

I plan to use it to receive less than $50 every month (for now) and probably buy things with it too.

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