In early 2022, several Nigerian banks began placing stricter limits on Naira cards for international transactions. Some set monthly caps as low as $20, while others temporarily paused support for foreign payments. Over time, these changes became more common. A $10 subscription payment might fail, and users wouldn’t always know why.
At the heart of this shift was a tightening foreign exchange situation. With access to dollars under pressure, banks had to adjust. Many stopped enabling international card use quietly, often with just an email, a failed transaction, or customer complaints surfacing online.
The impact was wide-reaching. Freelancers struggled to renew domains. Small business owners ran into issues with funding ad accounts. Creators lost access to essential subscriptions. And with few consistent solutions available, many users began looking for alternatives.
This growing demand gave rise to a new set of options. Virtual dollar cards began gaining traction, offered by platforms like Geegpay. These cards were funded directly in dollars and were not tied to the FX restrictions affecting traditional Naira cards. For many, they provided a more stable and predictable way to pay for tools, subscriptions, and services abroad.
As of 2025, some banks have started re-enabling international features on Naira cards. This is a welcome development, but experiences vary. Transaction limits are still in place, rates can fluctuate, and not all platforms accept them. For users who spend frequently on global tools, ads, or learning platforms, choosing the right card now depends on what offers the most consistency and flexibility.
To help you make that choice, we’ll begin by exploring which Naira cards currently support international payments and how they compare to other available options.
Not all banks have reenabled international payments, and among those that have, the terms vary widely. Some only allow access through premium card tiers. Others have strict monthly or quarterly limits that make it difficult to rely on them for regular use.
GTBank was one of the first to reactivate its Naira Mastercard for international payments. Customers can now spend up to $1,000 every quarter, which covers online purchases, POS transactions abroad, and international ATM withdrawals. A few premium customers have reported higher limits, up to $4,000 quarterly, but that’s likely based on account profile and not available to everyone.
UBA followed closely behind. Its Premium Naira Cards—Gold, Platinum, and World—are now enabled for global use. Like GTBank, UBA sets a quarterly cap of $1,000, meaning you get roughly $333 per month to spend across all international platforms.
Wema Bank took a more moderate approach. Its regular Naira Mastercard, Visa, and even ALAT cards are now allowed for international use, but the limit is much lower, just $500 per month. That might be enough for one or two subscriptions, but it doesn’t go very far if you’re running ads, paying for multiple tools, or using dollar-based cloud services.
First Bank has also reentered the space, offering international spending at a $500 monthly cap. Meanwhile, Stanbic IBTC reintroduced international access with a strict $100 monthly limit, only enough to cover a single subscription to a design tool or streaming platform.
One of the more flexible options comes from Providus Bank. Its Gold Naira Debit Card reportedly allows up to $3,000 monthly in foreign payments. But again, access seems to vary depending on your account type or spending profile. It’s not a default setting for every customer.
Even though the Naira cards are back, across banks, three things remain consistent:
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Unlike the Naira cards, Geegpay, trusted by hundreds of thousands of Africans, takes a completely different approach. With Geegpay’s virtual dollar card, you’re not spending in Naira and hoping your bank gets the rate right. You’re funding your card directly in US dollars, and you can use it on over 1000 platforms. That’s already a major shift, but it gets better.
First, you’re in control of how much you spend. There are no arbitrary $100 monthly caps or quarterly ceilings. You can fund what you need and spend at your pace, whether it’s $10 for a single subscription or $1,000 for multiple ad campaigns and tools.
Even better, Geegpay recently increased card spending limits significantly, making it one of the most flexible cards on the market today. Depending on your KYC level, your daily limit can range from $7,000 to $20,000, and monthly spending can go as high as $60,000. That’s not a typo. If you’re at KYC Level 5, you can process up to $20,000 per day and $60,000 per month with your Geegpay virtual dollar card. These limits significantly exceed what most traditional Naira cards currently offer.
Second, the card actually works. It works seamlessly on major international platforms, including Netflix, Apple, Spotify, Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Canva, Figma, Mailchimp, Zoom, and more. You don’t have to guess which ones will go through and which ones will fail. You can finally stop switching between five different cards just to find one that works.
Third, it’s fast. You can create your virtual USD card in minutes. No waiting for bank approvals. No long queues. No need to apply for a premium status just to spend your own money globally.
Geegpay is especially useful if you’re:
🔗ICYMI, here’s a comparison between Geegpay’s virtual dollar card and Chipper Cash’s USD virtual card
Getting started with Geegpay is fast, simple, and entirely online. You don’t need to visit a bank, fill out paperwork, or wait days for approval. In just a few steps, you can generate a fully functional virtual USD card and start using it for your international payments right away.
Here’s how:
You can also freeze or unfreeze the card at any time, rename it for easy tracking, monitor your transactions, and download detailed statements. Everything happens in one place, securely and without complications.
The return of international access on Naira cards is a welcome change. But it’s far from a full solution. If your income, workflow, or digital lifestyle depends on international platforms, you need something better. You need a system built for global spending, not one trying to patch its way back into it.
Geegpay offers exactly that. It gives you control over your funds, flexibility with limits, and the confidence that your payments will go through. So instead of managing uncertainty every month, make the switch to something stable. Something scalable. Something you can trust.
Ready to stop guessing and start spending with confidence? Create your Geegpay virtual dollar card today.
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