Flutterwave’s Send App Unveils Naira-Powered Travel Card
Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, has rolled out a physical Naira-denominated debit card tailored specifically for Nigerians living abroad who return home during the December holidays. Known as the Send App Travel Card, the new offering marks the first time diaspora customers can carry their remittances in their pocket and spend them seamlessly across Nigeria.
The card is the fruit of a three-way collaboration between Flutterwave’s Send App (its popular remittance product), Lagos-based expense-management fintech Odysy, and AfriGO, Nigeria’s homegrown national card scheme.
Solving a Long-Standing December Headache
Every festive season, thousands of Nigerians fly home from the US, UK, Europe, and beyond. Many arrive with foreign debit or credit cards that either don’t work reliably at local POS terminals or slap users with punishing forex markups and hidden fees. Others resort to carrying large amounts of cash or queuing for hours to withdraw Naira at unfavourable airport rates.
In 2024 alone, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) estimates that returning Nigerians spent at least ₦60 billion during the yuletide period, a figure that underscores both the scale of the homecoming and the friction still present in local spending.
For years, we’ve helped Nigerians abroad support life at home through fast, reliable remittances, saidHarvey Bahia, Head of Send App Business at Flutterwave.
Now, for the first time, we’re giving them a physical way to spend with the same ease and control when they return.
How the Send App Travel Card Works
- Users top up the card directly
from their foreign (US, UK, or EU) debit/credit cards via the updated Send
App.
- Cards can be pre-ordered weeks
in advance and delivered to any address in Nigeria – or even to the user’s
location abroad.
- Same-day delivery is available
in Lagos and Abuja for orders placed before 4 p.m.
- Once received, the card is
ready to use immediately – no ATM activation required.
- Full control inside the app:
instantly lock, freeze, or request a replacement if lost or stolen.
- Works everywhere AfriGO is accepted at virtually all POS terminals, ATMs, and contactless payment
points in Nigeria.
Nigerians in the diaspora deserve a dependable way to spend locally, and together with AfriGO, we’ve built a product that works effortlessly across the country, addedChinonso Nwosu, CEO of Odysy.
Why This Matters Now
The timing is deliberate. December remains the peak travel month for the Nigerian diaspora, and the chronic shortage of physical cash, coupled with lingering network glitches on international cards, continues to frustrate holiday spending plans.
By issuing a domestically switched Naira card, Flutterwave eliminates forex conversion surprises and ensures rock-solid acceptance at even the smallest merchants and roadside ATMs – places where Visa and Mastercard sometimes falter.
Bigger Picture for Flutterwave
The launch arrives just months after Flutterwave signed a multi-year partnership with Polygon Labs to bring faster, cheaper on-chain settlements to its remittance corridors across Africa. While the Travel Card itself is not yet crypto-enabled, the move signals Flutterwave’s broader ambition to bridge traditional finance and modern payment rails for the diaspora community.
For Nigerians planning their 2025 Detty December, the message from Flutterwave is clear:
land, tap, and enjoy no cash stress required.
