After many years of using PayPal in Nigeria, I can tell you for sure that it is not a funny experience at all. Receiving international payment is not an easy thing if you are based in Nigeria. This is generally because sending money via international bank transfer is both slow and inconvenient for your clients.
Not too long ago, PayPal made sending and receiving payment super easy and convenient for both the sender and receiver. However, the platform does not offer full services to all countries of which Nigeria is one of such countries.
In 2005, PayPal suspended all transactions to and from Nigerian PayPal accounts due to concerns about fraudulent activities. These accounts could no longer send or receive money internationally.
Later in 2014, PayPal partially lifted the ban on Nigerian accounts to allow them to send but not receive payments. This has made it very difficult for legitimate users to receive payments from international clients.
PayPal is very widespread globally, available in over 200 countries among which some countries have been blacklisted or restricted like the case with Nigeria. The widespread availability of the platform globally is therefore both a blessing and a curse.
It is a blessing because it enables easy transactions to and fro almost every country in the world, so far your client has a fully functional PayPal account too. However, this can be so devastating when all your clients prefer to use PayPal but your own account is either unable to send or receive payments.
Due to the challenges I have had with receiving payment via PayPal and how this has been a major problem when receiving money online, I have constantly searched for a good option to receive payment. This was where I found out there was a way to create a fully functional PayPal account in Nigeria.
Some time ago, I shared a method of creating a fully functional PayPal account in Nigeria that can both send and receive money. In addition, you could also link your Nigerian debit card to it and withdraw funds directly into your bank account.
I used this method to receive payments from international clients for a long time, until recently when the Federal Government made new policies that prevented the use of Nigerian cards in several online banking platforms including PayPal.
If you are struggling to find a way to open a fully functional PayPal account that can allow you to send, receive, and withdraw your money locally, say no more. You are in the right place. This article will show you all you need to create a fully functional PayPal account that works in 2024.
Requirements for a Fully Functional Nigerian PayPal
Since 2018, PayPal has allowed Nigerians working online to open a fully functional business account but this is not easy to come by. If you are a legitimate and genuine freelancer who is not out to scam innocent victims, here is all you need to have to open a fully functional PayPal account in Nigeria.
- An email address not already used to open a PayPal account.
- A valid and reachable phone number.
- You don’t need a VPN or US phone number or other documents.
- An official Identity Card (NIN, Voters’ Card, or International Passport).
- An internet-enabled device.
How To Create A Working PayPal in Nigeria
PayPal allows you to create a business account from other countries fully supported using your Nigerian credentials and identity. However, the link to create a business account is not available when you are on the PayPal Nigeria website. A workaround is to sign up using a PayPal registration link for another country that is fully supported.
Previously, I created a fully working Nigeria PayPal using the Lesotho registration link. This account permitted me to add a prepaid card for fund withdrawal, to which I linked my UBA Prepaid Visa Card. However, since September 30, 2023, the Nigerian government once again banned the use of any Nigerian Naira-denominated card for international transactions and it became impossible to link any prepaid card to the platform.
Since then, my Lesotho-Nigeria PayPal account has continued to work to receive and send payments but I could no longer directly withdraw money from it. But here, I will show you how to create a fully functional PayPal account in 2024 and how to get a free US bank account to link to it for withdrawal.
Step 1: Create and activate your account
- Visit this registration link using your desktop or mobile phone to create a business PayPal via the Monaco registration page.
- Click on “Sign up“, then select “Business Account” and “Continue” on the next page that shows up. Make sure not to use “Personal 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 “You read and agree to the User Agreement and Privacy Statement” checkbox below. And click on the Create Account button.
- The next screen will show you a link to email you a confirmation code. Select the email you entered and click on “Email you a code“.
- Then, enter the confirmation code sent to your email into the input fields that show up next. Then click on Submit.
- You will then see a message on the next screen saying “You are all set”.
- Your account is now created but to be able to make any transactions with it, you need to enter your business information. Click on the button to complete your profile. Enter the name of your business, or tick on the checkbox to use already entered data as your business details.
- When entering your phone number, select the Nigerian international phone code +234 and enter a valid phone number you have not used to create a PayPal account before. Enter the address of your choice and other required information. Then, proceed to submit the form.
- Finally, don’t also forget to click on the link sent to your email address to activate your account.
Step 2: Creating a linkable bank account
Withdrawing funds from a PayPal account is one of the most common challenges most Nigerian freelancers experience with PayPal. PayPal has two options for withdrawing funds – linking a card or a bank account. These also serve as an additional verification step on the platform.
At some point, it was possible to add a virtual US bank account from Payoneer, Grey, and other platforms to a Nigerian business PayPal account for withdrawal, but PayPal always finds ways to block these from working every now and then. However, as at this time, you can be able to link your Getcleva US bank account to your PayPal account created via step 1 above.
- First, visit getcleva.com in your browser (mobile or desktop). Then register an account using your name corresponding to your official identity cards (NIN, Voters’ card, or International Passport).
- Proceed to confirm your verification by opening links sent to your email, as well as uploading the required documents.
- After submitting the required documents, you would need to wait for about 24 hours for your account to be verified.
- Once, verified you will find the link to open a US bank account with a simple click.
- Now that you have your PayPal linkable bank account, it is time to link it to your PayPal.
Step 3: Linking your bank account
Once your bank account is linked to your PayPal, you can withdraw money from it without any extra fee.
- Go to the “Pay and Get Paid” or click on the “Transfer Money” button tab in your new PayPal dashboard. Then, proceed to add a bank account.
- Go to your Getcleva US bank account dashboard and copy the required details (routing number and account number) into your PayPal bank account field. Select the account type (Should be a checking account).
- Next, submit the entries to add your bank account to your PayPal.
- You will then be asked to enter the micro-deposits sent to your Getcleva account. This usually takes about 1-2 days to arrive in your account but once it does, you will get an email to your registered email address.
- Enter the amount of the two small deposits sent to you via email.
- Once it corresponds, you will get the prompt that your bank account has been linked successfully.
- You can then easily withdraw your money to your Getcleva account for free, and subsequently convert to your Nigerian Naira bank account at a mouthwatering rate. It’s that easy!
Other Ways To Withdraw Money From Your Paypal Account
If you have a functional PayPal account that can send and receive money but are unable to link your card or bank for withdrawal, here are other ways I use to successfully withdraw money from my PayPal account both currently and in the past.
1. Contact a friend who currently resides in the US or the UK
With a lot of people migrating to the US or UK, you would definitely be able to think of someone close who currently lives, works, or studies over there. You can send the money to their PayPal account while they can send the converted amount to your Nigerian bank account using international currency exchange apps like WorldRemit, and Boss Revolution.
Don’t shy away from explaining your source of earnings to your friend so he/she knows you are not into fraudulent ways of getting money from international clients, and be more willing to assist. And also don’t forget to offer them tips even if they refuse all the time.
2. Use a trusted PayPal exchanger
There are various online platforms where you can exchange your PayPal money for your Naira. You can check fnfswap.com.ng or xchange.com.ng. These platforms offer automated ways to convert your money and transfer the Naira equivalent to your bank account.
You can also find registered individuals who can convert and send the money equivalent to your account at a rate you both agree upon.
Other Ways to Receive Money Internationally
Even though PayPal offers a very convenient means to send and receive money internationally, there are other ways to receive money in Nigeria from your international clients. These include the following:
- Payoneer: You can get foreign bank accounts you can use to receive money from your clients outside the country.
- Bank/Wire transfer: If you have a dollar or foreign currency domiciliary account in Nigeria, you can send the details including the SWIFT code to your clients to enable them to send money to you directly.
- Western Union
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.
Thank you very much for your kind words, Obaro.
I am much ready to assist you as much as I can. You can always help by sharing and subscribing to our feeds. 🙂
Kindly let me know what error message you get when linking your prepaid card to PayPal.
Also, ensure that your card has been activated by following the steps above. This is a common reason why you might be unable to link your card.
Best regards