Money
Pounds to naira: how to get the best rate in Nigeria
The rate on Google isn't always the rate you get. Where the gap comes from when you change pounds to naira, and how to keep more of your money.
By Omanga · · 5 min read
You check the pounds to naira rate before you fly, then change your money and get noticeably less. That gap isn't bad luck. It's the margin someone adds between the real rate and the one they give you.
Here's where that margin hides, and how to keep more of your pounds when you change them to naira.
What is the pound to naira rate today?
The fairest benchmark is the mid-market rate: the midpoint between the price banks buy and sell pounds at. It's the rate you see on Google. Our pounds to naira page shows today's figure, a converter and today's rates against dollars and Canadian dollars.
Use it as your yardstick. Whatever you're offered, compare it with the mid-market rate and work out how many naira you actually receive.
Official rate and street rate
Nigeria has an official rate and a street (parallel market) rate, offered by bureaux de change. In October 2026 the gap between them was small, much smaller than a couple of years ago. It still moves, so check both before you change a large amount.
Where visitors lose money changing pounds
- Airport bureaux. Convenient, but the rate is usually one of the worst you'll see. Change only what you need for the first few hours.
- Card fees. Many UK debit and credit cards add a fee for spending in a foreign currency, often around 3%. Check your bank's fee before you travel.
- Paying in pounds at the till. If a card machine offers to charge you in pounds, say no and pay in naira. The conversion the machine offers usually costs more.
- ATM withdrawals. Your bank and the local ATM can both charge a fee, on top of the exchange rate.
- Small, repeated exchanges. Fixed fees hurt most on small amounts, so changing little and often costs more.
How to get a good pounds to naira rate
- Check the mid-market rate on the day you change money.
- Compare what you'll receive in naira, after every fee, not the headline rate.
- Always choose to pay in naira, not pounds.
- Use the airport only for a small amount, if at all.
- Change larger amounts less often, where it's safe to do so.
Changing pounds to naira with Omanga
With an Omanga wallet you add pounds, then convert them to naira at the mid-market rate. You see the rate before you confirm, so you know exactly what you'll get. Transfers cost ₦20, and the wallet is free to open. It also works in 50+ African countries if Nigeria isn't your only stop. Explore the wallet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to change pounds to naira?
Compare any offer with the mid-market rate and look at how many naira you receive after fees. Avoid airport bureaux for large amounts and always pay in naira, not pounds. A wallet that converts at the mid-market rate, like Omanga, shows you the rate before you confirm.
Is it better to pay in pounds or naira in Nigeria?
Pay in naira. When a card machine offers to charge you in pounds, the conversion it uses usually costs more than your own card's or wallet's rate.
Where can I check the pounds to naira rate today?
Omanga's pounds to naira page shows today's mid-market rate and a converter. The mid-market rate is also the one you see on Google.
Why is the rate I get lower than the rate on Google?
Google shows the mid-market rate. Banks, bureaux and card providers often add a margin on top of it, and some add fees as well. The difference is what the exchange costs you.
Check today's pounds to naira rate, then convert at the mid-market rate in a free Omanga wallet.
See today's rateMore guides for your trip
Money · 8 min read
How far does $100 actually go in Nigeria?
Further than at home, and not as far as people say. Here's what $20, $50, $100 and $200 really buy in Lagos right now, and the quiet ways visitors lose a chunk of it.
Health cover · 6 min read
Do you need travel insurance for Nigeria?
Your cover at home almost certainly stops at the airport. What happens if you need a doctor in Nigeria, and what good health cover for your trip should include.
Travel · 5 min read
Detty December 2026: your money and health checklist for Nigeria
Flights booked, outfits planned. Now the unglamorous part: how to pay for everything, keep your money safe, and make sure a bad week doesn't become an expensive one.
