Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Nigeria that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
On my Nigeria trip, I mainly used GTBank ATMs in Lagos and Access Bank in Abuja. My Wise Visa worked fine with NGN 40,000 limits and fees of NGN 500. Revolut Mastercard also worked but sometimes faced connection issues. I usually withdrew daily since limits were low, which wasn’t ideal. Nigeria is very cash-based, so I always kept NGN 10,000-20,000 handy. ATMs were reliable in city centers but less so in rural areas. Overall, it worked but required patience and planning.
ATMs in Nigeria can be frustrating. My HSBC debit card was rejected multiple times at Zenith Bank in Lagos. Even when it worked, the withdrawal limit was low at NGN 30,000, and the fee was NGN 600. Machines often ran out of cash on weekends. Independent ATMs are unsafe and sometimes tack on hidden charges. Best advice: stick to GTBank or Access Bank, withdraw during the day at secure locations, and keep backup cash in USD since it’s easy to exchange.
I had a fairly smooth experience in Nigeria. My Monzo Mastercard worked at Access Bank ATMs in Abuja, letting me withdraw NGN 40,000 with a fee of NGN 500. GTBank was also reliable with my Revolut Visa. I usually withdrew enough to cover taxis, meals, and local purchases since cash is essential almost everywhere. ATMs in malls and bank branches felt safe, and I didn’t face major issues. Compared to other West African countries, I found Nigeria’s big banks easier for card use.
In Nigeria, GTBank, Access Bank, and Zenith Bank ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards. I used my Wise Visa at GTBank in Lagos, withdrawing NGN 40,000 (~$50 USD) with a fee of NGN 500. Access Bank ATMs had the same withdrawal limit with my Revolut Mastercard. Zenith Bank also worked with my Monzo Visa, though sometimes limited me to NGN 30,000. Always use ATMs attached to bank branches for safety, and avoid night withdrawals.