kollektDoes Stripe work in Nigeria? Alternatives for accepting payments
Stripe doesn't offer standard accounts to businesses in Nigeria. Its availability page lists Nigeria as an 'extended network' served through Paystack, which Stripe bought in 2020. So for Nigerian apps and stores, the Stripe route is Paystack or another local gateway. Here's how to accept payments in Nigeria.
Key facts
- Stripe lists Nigeria as an 'extended network' through Paystack
- CurrencyNigerian naira (NGN)
- Popular methodsbank transfer, cards (Verve, Visa, Mastercard), USSD
- Wallets like OPay and PalmPay are growing
- Some founders register a US company (for example through Stripe Atlas) for international card sales. That doesn't cover local naira payments.
What works instead
- Decide who pays you Nigerian customers in NGN, or international customers by card.
- For local payments, sign up with a Nigerian gateway (Paystack or another licensed gateway).
- Offer bank transfer and cards at checkout. They're the most used locally.
- If your app already uses Stripe for international cards, keep it and add the local gateway next to it.
- Confirm every payment from your server through webhooks.
- Test with small real payments before launch.
We'll add mobile money to your app or store for you.
Keep Stripe for cards. Kollekt adds mobile money for your African customers. We'll add mobile money to your app or store for you.
Questions people ask
Can a Nigerian business open a Stripe account?
Not a standard Stripe account. Stripe serves Nigeria through Paystack, which is the usual choice for Stripe-style payments in Nigeria.
Is mobile money used in Nigeria?
Less than in Ghana or Kenya. Nigerians mostly pay by bank transfer and card, with wallets like OPay and PalmPay growing. A Nigerian checkout should lead with transfer and cards.