For years, getting money into Nigeria via PayPal felt like a half-open door. Users could send funds out, but receiving payments remained out of reach for most Nigerians.
That situation is beginning to change.
Nigerian fintech company Paga has partnered with PayPal to launch live account linking, allowing users in Nigeria to receive international payments and access the funds locally. With the integration now active, Nigerians can link their PayPal accounts directly to their Paga wallets and receive cross-border payments from PayPal-supported markets.
Once funds arrive in a Paga wallet, users can withdraw the money in naira, transfer it to local bank accounts, pay bills, spend via card, or use it across Paga’s merchant network.
For freelancers, online sellers, and small business owners, the development unlocks new opportunities. Merchants can now sell to PayPal’s global user base of over 400 million people and still cash out locally without navigating multiple platforms or intermediaries. It also provides a practical solution for Nigerians who shop online or get paid by international clients.
According to Paga’s founder and CEO, Tayo Oviosu, the goal of the partnership is straightforward: make global money usable at home. The integration is designed to reduce friction and help users securely access funds earned in foreign currencies within Nigeria’s financial system.
The move addresses a long-standing gap. PayPal restricted Nigerian users from receiving funds in the early 2000s due to fraud concerns, and while the platform is still not fully open to the country, the Paga partnership offers a functional workaround.
For PayPal, the collaboration reflects a broader strategy. Otto Williams, PayPal’s Head of Middle East and Africa, says working with local fintechs like Paga is part of the company’s push to promote financial inclusion and enable more Nigerians to participate confidently in the global digital economy.
