On this page
- How many Nigerians live in Germany?
- What does it cost to send money from Germany to Nigeria?
- Can you claim tax relief for supporting a parent in Nigeria?
- How do you check a transfer firm is authorised?
- What about time zones and visits?
- What should you plan if you support family in Nigeria from Germany?
- Sources and important information
How many Nigerians live in Germany?
The Central Register of Foreigners counted 75,495 people with Nigerian citizenship living in Germany on 31 December 2020, in figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) published by the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
Destatis counts 822,085 African nationals in Germany on 31 December 2025, in a table that does not break the figure down by country.
What does it cost to send money from Germany to Nigeria?
The World Bank surveys the full cost of a transfer, fee and exchange-rate margin together. In its August 2025 survey of the Germany to Nigeria corridor, the latest on its site in November 2026, the average exchange-rate margin was 1.96% at both amounts, so the naira that arrives matters more than the fee.
On 24 March 2026 the Central Bank of Nigeria told international money transfer operators to open naira settlement accounts and route payouts to recipients through them from 1 May 2026, and the press reported that recipients would be paid in naira only.
| Amount sent | Average total cost | Average fee | Average exchange-rate margin | Range in the survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| About €140 | 2.85% (€3.99) | €1.24 | 1.96% | Below 0% to 16.13% |
| About €345 | 2.43% (€8.39) | €1.62 | 1.96% | Below 0% to 16.13% |
Can you claim tax relief for supporting a parent in Nigeria?
Yes, if the conditions are met. § 33a of the Income Tax Act (EStG) lets you deduct the cost of maintaining a relative you are legally obliged to support, up to the basic tax-free allowance, €12,348 for the 2026 tax year. For someone living abroad, only what is necessary and appropriate by the standards of their country counts, and the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) places Nigeria in country group 4, where a quarter of the amounts applies: €3,087 for 2026.
This is general information about the rules, not tax advice; a tax adviser or a wage tax help association can advise on a particular return.
| Condition | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| How much | Up to a quarter of €12,348 for 2026 for Nigeria, reduced by the parent's own income above a small allowance |
| How it is paid | By transfer into the parent's own bank account; cash does not count |
| Proof of payment | Bank statements or booking confirmations naming the parent as recipient |
| Proof of need | A bilingual maintenance declaration for each person, confirmed by the local authority in Nigeria |
| Age | Reaching the German statutory retirement age counts as a reason the parent cannot work |
| Wallets and fees | Payments to a mobile e-wallet are generally not accepted; transfer fees are not deductible |
- The maintenance declaration (Unterhaltserklärung) is downloaded from the federal tax administration's form service, and if it is incomplete the tax office will normally assume the parent is not in need.
- Foreign documents, such as a pension notice, need a German translation.
- Payments into someone else's account do not count, except for paying a bill directly, such as rent, where the debt can be proved.
How do you check a transfer firm is authorised?
BaFin, Germany's financial regulator, keeps a public register of the payment and e-money institutions it has licensed, and of their agents, updated daily. Banks are listed in its separate company database.
What about time zones and visits?
Nigeria is on UTC+1 all year with no summer time, so Lagos shows the same time as Germany in winter and is one hour behind in summer. Germany's summer time ended on 25 October 2026 and starts again on 28 March 2027, according to the national metrology institute (PTB).
When a parent visits from Nigeria on a Schengen visa, the German Missions in Nigeria require health insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid for the whole trip and the whole Schengen area. Our page on Schengen visa medical insurance for a visiting parent covers the rule.
What should you plan if you support family in Nigeria from Germany?
A short plan covers how money will reach your family, what records you keep, who in Nigeria can act quickly, and how you will hear about health changes.
Kinship works with families abroad who look after someone in Nigeria, with a named Kinkeeper who coordinates, doctor calls and check-ins anywhere in Nigeria, and Kinship Visits by qualified nurses in Lagos.
Questions people ask
Can I deduct money sent to my mother in Nigeria from my German taxes?
You can, under § 33a EStG, if she is in need and you are legally obliged to support her. For Nigeria the cap is a quarter of the full amount, €3,087 for 2026, and the money must go by transfer into her own account.
What proof does the tax office want?
The BMF letter of 15 October 2025 asks for a bilingual maintenance declaration for each person, confirmed by the local authority in Nigeria, plus bank statements or booking confirmations naming the parent as recipient.
Can my family in Nigeria receive euros?
From 1 May 2026 the Central Bank of Nigeria requires international money transfer operators to route payouts through naira settlement accounts, and the press reported that recipients are paid in naira only.
Kinship Visits in Lagos
Care visits at home in Lagos by qualified nurses, with a written report to the family after every visit.
Kinship Visits in LagosRelated
Sources
- Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), Ausländische Bevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeit, Destatis AZR data at 31 December 2020
- Destatis, Ausländische Bevölkerung nach Familienstand, 31 December 2025, as of 2 April 2026
- World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, Germany to Nigeria corridor, Q3 2025 (data collected August 2025)
- Central Bank of Nigeria, circular TED/FEM/FPC/PUB/001/002 on IMTO settlement accounts, 24 March 2026
- Leadership via AllAfrica, CBN Bans Foreign Currency Payments for Diaspora Remittances From May 1, 26 March 2026
- Federal Ministry of Justice, Income Tax Act § 33a
- Federal Ministry of Justice, Income Tax Act § 32a (basic allowance from 2026)
- Federal Ministry of Finance, Berücksichtigung ausländischer Verhältnisse; Ländergruppeneinteilung ab 1. Januar 2025, 2 December 2025
- Federal Ministry of Finance, Unterhaltsaufwendungen für Personen im Ausland, 15 October 2025
- Finanzamt Baden-Württemberg, Welche Nachweise müssen bei Unterstützung von Angehörigen im Ausland erbracht werden?
- BaFin, Register of payment and e-money institutions, as of 22 September 2026
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Summer time in Germany from 1980
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Time zones
- German Missions in Nigeria, Schengen visa checklist, checked November 2026
Prices in naira are quoted with their date because they move. Where a figure comes from a commercial provider, the source is described rather than named, and nothing on this page recommends a provider.
This page is information, not advice. Kinship wrote it from the sources listed above and checked it on the date shown. It is not medical, legal, financial or insurance advice, and it does not take account of any one person's circumstances. Decisions about treatment belong with the person and their doctor; decisions about money, insurance or immigration with the person and a qualified adviser. Our platform terms apply.