The Best Forex Brokers in Nigeria 2024

To make it easy for you to get involved in one of the most exciting new markets in Nigeria, we’ve created this list of the very best forex brokers. More and more Nigerians are turning to forex trading to earn money. As all you need is a computer, internet connection, a small initial investment, it’s easy to see why it’s so appealing.

Before you trade, however, you must find a good broker with features that work for you. Luckily, our experts are here to save you time. They’ve tested hundreds of forex brokers in Nigeria, analyzing everything from safety to trading opportunities.

Our recommendations all provide top-tier regulation, competitive fees on forex and cryptocurrency trading, and accept deposits from Nigerian payment providers. Select a broker below, or read on to learn more about:

• Why forex trading is so popular in Nigeria
• The legality of forex trading in Nigeria
• What you need to trade forex and cryptocurrencies in Nigeria

Why should you trade forex with the best forex brokers in Nigeria?

Forex trading is increasingly popular in Nigeria as it offers people an accessible way to earn money. While it’s not easy, it’s a viable way to generate income if you take the time to learn how to do it properly. Before we dive into the specifics of how to trade forex in Nigeria, discover why doing so is appealing:

• Nigeria is home to over 300,000 forex traders trade between 350 and 450 million Naira per day. This means it’s highly liquid, providing you with plenty of trading opportunities.
• When COVID-19 shut down most industries, forex trading continued to boom throughout the country. You can trade forex from home, with just a computer and an internet connection, making managing your own finances straightforward.
• You can trade forex in Nigeria 24 hours a day, five days a week, so it’s easy to fit it around your lifestyle. As Nigeria is only an hour ahead of London, you can also align yourself with the European session which is one of the most popular times to trade.
• Forex trading is a great way to avoid the high inflation rate of the Naira, as can keep your earnings in a more stable currency.
• Demand controls the price of the forex market. It gives you a more stable trading option than the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which can behave erratically and isn’t as transparent as it should be.
• You trade with leverage, which allows you to open much larger positions and make much more profit than you could with your own cash. Remember, though, that leverage also means the risk of loss is higher.
• The best forex brokers in Nigeria also allow you to trade popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and local commodities such as oil.

How to trade forex in Nigeria

Now you’ve got a good idea of the size and nature of forex in Nigeria, all that’s left to explain is how you can get involved. There are three principal things you need before you can trade forex. These are:

• An understanding of what forex trading entails
• A safe and licensed Nigerian forex broker
• A broker account and funds

Luckily for you, our experts are here to help you out every step of the way. In the following sections of this guide, you can learn exactly what forex is, what makes for a great forex broker, and what documentation you need to register with your chosen broker.

What is forex?

Forex trading allows you to sell one currency to buy another. To do this, you trade in currency pairs, which comprise a base and a quote currency. The base currency is the one you purchase, whilst the quote currency is the one you sell. You can make money from trading in two ways:

1. You buy the currency pair, also known as going long, wait for it to rise in value, and then sell it.
2. You sell the currency pair, also known as going short, wait for it to drop in price, and then buy it.

The difference in both cases represents your profit and, as you trade with leverage, this can be substantial. Leverage means that the forex broker lends you money to trade with. Whilst the money the broker lends you remains theirs, you keep all the profit you make with it. The amount of leverage you can claim varies from one broker to the next, but it can be as high as 1:500. Here, for every ₦1 you deposit, the lender will give you another ₦500. With a deposit of ₦ 50,000 then, you can open trades worth up to ₦25 million. This allows you to make money faster than if you were using only your own cash.

Whilst forex trading involves taking some risks, you shouldn’t see it as gambling as it requires strategy and skill. To become a successful trader, you must analyze the markets, price movements, market and trader sentiment, and much more. To help you do this, you need to work with the best forex brokers in Nigeria. Not only do the best forex brokers give you access to the foreign exchange market, but they also arm you with the tools you need to succeed. This includes platforms for placing trades, protection measures to ensure you don’t lose too much money, and various analytical methods.

Is forex trading legal in Nigeria?

Forex trading is completely legal in Nigeria, though it’s currently unregulated. Under the Foreign Exchange Act of 1995 and the Foreign Exchange Manual issued in 2006, The Central Bank of Nigeria regulates foreign exchange transactions. So far, however, they haven’t developed a framework for retail trading.

Whilst this can seem beneficial, as it means there aren’t rules on how much you can trade or who with, it can be dangerous. Without strong regulation in place, many rogue brokers can operate without having to prove they have sufficient capital or your best interests at heart.

To trade safely in Nigeria, look for a broker with a respected international license. Top-tier regulatory authorities include the FSCA, the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. These authorities ensure that you receive fair and secure trading conditions by auditing forex brokers regularly. If you’d rather not look for yourself, all the firms in our list of the best forex brokers in Nigeria boast one, if not several, reputable licenses.

What else makes a Nigerian forex broker safe and rewarding?

Besides having a good license, a forex broker must offer a wide range of other benefits to stand out from the crowd. To ensure that we only recommend you the very best forex brokers in Nigeria, we’ve tested countless brokers, looking for the following features:

• Good international reputation – We only ever recommend forex brokers that have good user reviews and industry reviews. We check their history to make sure they haven’t engaged in bad practices or been financially irresponsible.
• Naira based accounts – We understand that it’s always more convenient to manage your account in your local currency. Whilst not all of our recommendations offer NGN based accounts, those that do rank higher, and those that don’t have low to non-existent currency conversion fees.
• Localized payment methods – Receiving money from overseas can be slow and expensive in Nigeria. To save you from this, we’ve made sure that all of our best forex brokers in Nigeria offer a variety of localized payment methods. This includes Visa, MasterCard, and Verve. They also offer local bank transfers through some of the most popular banks, including Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, and First Bank Plc. You can also make deposits and withdrawals via Bitcoin, Perfect Money, WebMoney, and more.
• Good spreads on important currency pairs – Few brokers offer Naira based currency pairs, so we look for brokers that offer competitive spreads on major currency pairs instead. This means you can trade the Euro, the USD, and the GBP without hefty fees.
• Excellent trading platforms – To trade successfully, you need a platform that offers fast execution speeds, customizable charting options, and great research tools. All of our recommendations either support MT4 or MT5, or offer comparable proprietary trading software.
• Customer service in English – It’s important that you can always communicate effectively with the broker’s customer service team. Our experts look for brokers that offer support in English during convenient hours. They also place importance on brokers that have offices in Abuja or Lagos, as this allows you to visit a physical office.
• Fair Islamic accounts – All the brokers listed on this page offer Islamic accounts that comply with Sharia law. They don’t fold the swap fees into extra commissions, nor do they widen their spreads.
• Other investing opportunities important to Nigerian traders – Once you build your forex portfolio, you may want to branch out into other asset classes. Our best forex brokers for Nigerians allow you to trade Bitcoin, Crude Oil, and company shares from the likes of Shell, Nestlé, and Unilever.

Trading cryptocurrencies in Nigeria

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have become very popular in Nigeria. They’re enjoying a high adoption rate because they give you yet another way to hedge against inflation and they make international transfers easier. If you’ve already got a good understanding of the cryptocurrency market, you can use it to your advantage when trading with forex brokers.

Instead of needing expensive technology for mining or investing in cryptocurrencies, forex brokers allow you to trade cryptocurrency CFDs. This allows you to speculate on the price movements of a cryptocurrency, without having to own the underlying coin. Here are a few more advantages of trading cryptocurrencies with the best forex brokers in Nigeria:

• Cryptocurrencies aren’t subject to any central authority, so a bank won’t affect their value by suddenly deciding to print more currency. Geopolitical and macroeconomic issues rarely affect the price of cryptocurrencies either.
• Cryptocurrencies aren’t subject to geographical borders so you can use and trade them easily in Nigeria with no concerns.
• You can take a short position on Cryptocurrency CFDs, which means you can profit even when the price falls. You cannot do this when trading cryptos directly.
• You can trade crypto CFDs with as little as ₦10,000, though we advise a minimum starting capital of ₦50,000 to avoid making mistakes in your rush to make more money.

When trading cryptocurrencies with any of our best forex brokers in Nigeria, you’ll be safe because we only recommend the most reputable firms. You’ll also be able to enjoy all the same great trading and research tools, giving you a higher chance of success.

How to open a broker account and start trading in Nigeria

Beginning your forex trading career is easy, with a little help from our experts. Follow our step-by-step guide below.

1. Find a broker – This step is easy, as we’ve already provided you with a list of the best forex brokers in Nigeria. If you don’t want to choose one of our recommendations, however, familiarize yourself with the features you should expect. This includes regulation, trading instruments, trading platforms, research tools, and fees.
2. Choose an account type – Most forex brokers in Nigeria will offer you a selection of accounts. You must pick the one that suits your budget and intended trading style best. For beginners, we recommend choosing the account option that offers the most trading tools and educational materials. You may find that this is slightly more expensive than other options, but these features will help you make more consistent profits in the long run. If you are a Muslim trader, you need an Islamic account. Continue reading this guide to discover what makes Islamic accounts different.
3. Register with the broker – Different brokers will request different details from you during registration. Most, however, ask for personal details, income information, trading knowledge, and ID documents. To complete this process as quickly as possible, have the following to hand:
   • Personal details – Full name, physical address, email address, phone number, date of birth, National Identification Number (NIN).
   • Income information – Place of employment, annual income amount, source of funds for trading, estimated net worth, intended investment amount, intended purpose, and nature of trading.
   • Trading knowledge – Answer a few questions to prove that you understand how to trade and what the risks are.
   • ID documents – Proof of identity (scanned copy of passport, NIN card, or driver’s license) and proof of address (scanned copy of a recent utility bill or bank statement with your address visible)
     • Once you have supplied this information, you must wait for the broker to verify your identity. This usually takes up to 48 hours.
4. Create a trading plan – Before you start trading, decide how much you want to spend, how often you want to trade, and what goals you have. You also need to decide what kind of currency pairs you want to trade.
5. Find the best currency pairs – As most of the best brokers do not offer NGN currency pairs, you must identify which currencies you want to trade instead. For beginner traders in Nigeria, the best currency pairs are the majors. These include EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY. We recommend trading these pairs as they usually have lower spreads and high liquidity. It’s also easier to find economic news relating to these currencies, which aids your fundamental analysis.

Islamic trading accounts in Nigeria

Islamic accounts allow you to trade forex whilst still adhering to Sharia law. Regular forex accounts charge swap fees. Swap fees represent the interest charges or gains you may receive from holding a position overnight. As Sharia law prohibits paying and earning interest, Islamic accounts are free of these fees.

Opening an Islamic forex trading account differs from one broker to the next. Some brokers will let you select an Islamic account during the account opening process, whilst others will require you to call customer service after opening your account. Some brokers may also ask for proof of religion.

How much money do you need to start trading forex in Nigeria?

The amount of money you need to trade forex depends on which broker you trade with and your account type. Different brokers, and account types, have different minimum deposit limits. Some will allow you to trade with as little as ₦2,000, while others will require ₦250,000 or more.

Although it may be possible to start trading with as little as ₦2,000, we advise against it. Such a small initial balance means that the profits will be small too. You will eventually want to see your balance grow faster, which means you are more likely to make rash decisions.

For example, you might only want to risk 2% of your account balance per trade and limit yourself to 3 trades per day. With a small balance, you won’t see a lot of profit, so you’re likely to break your rules. Ignoring your trading plan is a bad habit which can lead to disaster when you invest more money. Besides, if you make a large trade with a small balance, you risk wiping out your account immediately because of leverage and margin ratios.

Our experts recommend trading with no less than ₦50,000. This amount is low enough to be accessible, yet high enough to ensure that you’re making sufficient profit and keeping your account safe.

What is the best time to trade forex in Nigeria?

You can trade forex at whatever time is best for you, from Monday to Friday. The market is open 24 hours a day during this time, so it’s easy to fit trading into your schedule.

If you have a choice of trading times, however, we recommend choosing 7 AM to 6 PM. Within this time, three of the major trading sessions overlap; the Tokyo session, the London session, and the New York session. During this time, you can take advantage of economic releases and news.

Of course, you needn’t trade for the whole period, and you have other options too. In the table below, we’ve listed the main trading sessions in West Africa Standard Time. As you can see, even if you work full time, you can still profit from forex trading in Nigeria.

Are there any risks when trading forex in Nigeria?

Despite offering you great opportunities to make a profit, trading forex is still unpredictable. Choosing one of the best forex brokers in Nigeria reduces your risk, yet there’s still more to learn.

Our experts have provided you with a list of the biggest risks involved with trading forex, and advice on how to avoid them.

• Rogue brokers – Since Nigeria doesn’t require forex brokers to have a license to operate, unsavory forex brokers are common. You can easily avoid this risk by choosing a broker regulated elsewhere in the world. All of our recommendations boast licenses from top-tier authorities.
• Poor trade execution – To trade forex effectively, you need to ensure that your orders go through immediately. Any delays can lead to massive losses and missed opportunities. To avoid this risk, you need to select a broker with fast execution speeds. You also need a reliable internet connection from a top Nigerian provider, such as Spectranet, Tizeti, or IPNX, and a decent computer or mobile device to trade on. Your hardware doesn’t have to be ultra-powerful, but it must be dependable.
• Low liquidity – Although the forex market is one of the biggest markets in the world, it can suffer periods of low liquidity. Low liquidity can cause slippage and high broker spreads. To save yourself from this, trade within the major trading sessions.
• Emotional decisions – Unfortunately, emotions pose the greatest threat to trading profits. When your money is on the line, it’s easy to place risky trades without thinking things through. To eliminate this danger, create a trading plan and stick to it. You have a much higher chance of success if you base your trades on data rather than your gut.

Although forex trading involves risks, there’s no reason for your profits to suffer. Simply choose one of our best forex brokers in Nigeria, create a trading plan, test it, and use it each time you trade.

Frequently asked questions about forex brokers in Nigeria (FAQs)