Nigerian fintech Paga has partnered with global payments giant PayPal to enable live account linking, a landmark development for financial services in Nigeria.

The integration allows Nigerian users to directly access PayPal-supported cross-border payments through their Paga digital wallets.

Previously, Nigerians were largely limited to sending—but not receiving—international payments due to historical concerns over fraud in the early 2000s.

With this new functionality, users can receive payments from over 200 PayPal-supported markets and withdraw funds locally in Nigerian Naira.

This development removes a longstanding financial bottleneck, enabling freelancers, online businesses, consumers, and merchants to manage global earnings and expenditures seamlessly within Nigeria.

Expanding Financial Access and Global Reach

The partnership provides a comprehensive suite of financial activities. Users can link existing PayPal accounts to Paga wallets, facilitating international payment receipt, global online shopping, and access to funds locally.

Paga’s platform further allows withdrawals, spending via Paga-linked cards, transfers to local bank accounts, and payments to merchants within the Paga ecosystem.

For Nigerian entrepreneurs and businesses, this integration creates direct access to PayPal’s 400+ million users worldwide, opening doors to international expansion.

Tayo Oviosu, Founder and CEO of Paga, emphasized that the integration is designed to simplify and secure access to global funds, serving freelancers, businesses, and shoppers alike.

Otto Williams, Senior VP and General Manager of PayPal Middle East and Africa, noted that the partnership leverages Paga’s infrastructure, including its 21 million users, robust APIs, local settlement network, and Visa card integrations, making it an ideal local partner to facilitate PayPal’s strategic growth in Nigeria.

A Strategic Pivot for PayPal in Nigeria

The launch comes amid rapid growth in Nigeria’s digital payments sector, which processed ₦657.8 trillion in transactions in 2023 and has over 30 million active mobile wallet users.

PayPal’s collaboration with Paga marks a strategic pivot from its previous Africa approach, which often struggled with market entry challenges.

Rather than replicating global features, the solution focuses on core, high-value capabilities—prioritizing settlement reliability, trust, and functionality tailored to local needs.

According to Williams, partnerships with trusted local platforms are “essential” for PayPal’s growth, enabling Nigerians to seamlessly connect to the global economy.

This move ensures that consumers, creators, and businesses can participate in international commerce as easily as their global counterparts, embedding PayPal within Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.