Nigerians to Shop Globally Again as Banks Unblock Naira Cards for Foreign Transactions

Nigerians can now shop globally once again as major banks in the country have resumed international transactions on Naira-denominated debit cards.

United Bank for Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced the reactivation of foreign payment features on their naira cards in separate messages to customers this week.

The development marks a major shift, nearly three years after most Nigerian banks suspended such services due to the country’s severe foreign exchange crisis.

UBA, in its notice, stated that its Premium Naira Cards—including Gold, Platinum, and World variants—are now fully enabled for international use. Customers can now make payments online, on POS machines, and withdraw from ATMs globally.

Wema Bank echoed a similar message, confirming that users can now make dollar payments on platforms like Amazon, Netflix, AliExpress, and Spotify using their Naira Mastercard.

FCMB also confirmed that its customers can shop from international stores using their FCMB Verve cards.

Between July 2022 and early 2023, Nigerian banks—including Standard Chartered, First Bank, GTBank, and Zenith Bank—halted naira card usage for international transactions as forex supply tightened. Fintech firms like Flutterwave and Eversend also discontinued their virtual dollar cards.

However, with ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, banks are regaining confidence in restoring cross-border financial services. The return of international card access is expected to ease payments for travel, online shopping, and global subscriptions for millions of Nigerians.