Can you receive PayPal payments in Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya?
It depends on the country. In Kenya, PayPal accounts can receive and withdraw to M-Pesa through the M-PESA app. In Nigeria, PayPal accounts have long been limited to sending. For B2B clients abroad, a local bank transfer to account details in your company's name is usually simpler than PayPal anyway.
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"Does PayPal work in Nigeria?" and "how do I withdraw PayPal to M-Pesa?" are two of the most searched payment questions in Africa. The answers depend on the country, and they change, because PayPal decides what each market can do.
What can PayPal do in each country?
| Country | What PayPal accounts can do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Send and receive; withdraw to M-Pesa | Withdrawals through the M-PESA app since 2025 |
| Nigeria | Long limited to sending payments | Receiving has not been available to Nigerian accounts |
| Ghana | Limited features | Check the country page and your account |
PayPal's worldwide availability page lists the countries it serves. What a country can do (send, receive, withdraw locally) is set by PayPal and can change, so check your own account settings before you build a business around it.
How does PayPal to M-Pesa work in Kenya now?
Until August 2025, Kenyans linked PayPal and M-Pesa through a web service. That service closed on 16 August 2025, and withdrawals moved into the M-PESA app. To use it:
- Your PayPal and M-Pesa accounts must be in the same name.
- Use your registered Safaricom number.
- Link PayPal inside the M-PESA app and withdraw from there.
Per-transaction and daily limits apply, and a conversion charge is taken when USD becomes KES. A PayPal account under limitation cannot withdraw until it is resolved. See why PayPal holds funds.
Why do businesses get into trouble with PayPal?
The most common problem is using an account registered in another country, for example a US PayPal opened through a friend's address. PayPal's user agreement requires the account to be opened where you live or where the business is established. When PayPal notices, it limits the account and can hold the balance for up to 180 days.
What do clients abroad actually prefer?
For one-off purchases by consumers, PayPal is convenient. For businesses paying invoices, it usually is not. PayPal charges the receiver, conversions carry a margin, and many accounts teams are not set up to pay suppliers through PayPal at all. See PayPal business fees.
A US client's accounts team pays by ACH. A German client pays by SEPA. A UK client pays by Faster Payments. If you give them account details in your company's name, in their currency, paying you is a domestic transfer for them.
What about Fiverr and Upwork?
Marketplaces have their own withdrawal options, which differ by country. See withdrawing Fiverr and Upwork earnings in Africa.
Receiving from clients abroad with Rivet
Rivet opens accounts for registered companies in the countries we support, with USD account details in the company's name on the free plan. Growth adds EUR and GBP details, so clients in the US, Europe and the UK pay by their own local transfer.
Questions people ask
Can I receive money on PayPal in Nigeria?
PayPal accounts registered in Nigeria have long been able to send payments but not receive them. Check PayPal's country page and your account, because PayPal can change what it offers.
How do I withdraw PayPal to M-Pesa in Kenya?
Through the M-PESA app, where PayPal is available as a service. The PayPal and M-Pesa accounts must be in the same name, with your registered Safaricom number. Limits and a conversion charge apply.
Can a business use a PayPal account registered in another country?
PayPal's user agreement requires you to open the account in the country where you live or where your business is established. Using another country's account can lead to the account being limited and funds held.
What do clients abroad use instead of PayPal?
Bank transfers. A US client pays by ACH, a European client by SEPA, and a UK client by Faster Payments, into account details in the business's name.
Sources
Rashidatou writes Rivet's guides to how money moves between countries: the payment rails, what each one costs, and the account details a company needs to get paid in another currency. Every figure in Rashidatou's articles is traced to the scheme rulebook, the regulator or the provider's published price list, and those sources are listed at the end.
More from Rashidatou K. →This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; check the sources above and the provider’s current terms before you act on them.
- paypal nigeria
- paypal kenya
- paypal ghana
- receive payments africa
- m-pesa
- freelancers
