Every Nigerian has dreamed of earning in dollars. It sounds like freedom: better rates, real savings and less panic when the exchange rate swings.
But for many, the real struggle starts after the dollars come in.
These five Nigerians all made the leap to dollar income, but the real turning point wasn’t landing the job. It was when they figured out how to get paid.
Some opened domiciliary accounts, others switched to platforms that gave them more control, and some simply learned to stop undercharging. But for each of them, one decision changed everything— chasing money to finally owning it.
“I went from borrowing my friend’s PayPal to owning a USD account that actually works. I haven’t looked back.” — Eyitayo, 24, Beauty Influencer
I didn’t set out to become a beauty influencer. I just wanted to clear my blackheads, hyperpigmentation, and textured skin. I started posting my skincare journey on Instagram in 2021. I’d create bare-faced reviews and ingredient breakdowns with side-by-side results. Slowly, people started paying attention.
By the end of that year, I’d grown to over 20,000 followers. Nigerian skincare brands began sending me PR packages. I loved it, and I gave honest, unpaid reviews for months. But in 2023, I decided to try my luck with international brands. I sent a few cold DMs, and one of them responded with a massive PR box filled with products I’d only seen on TikTok.
After that, I didn’t even have to ask. Brands from LA, London, and Korea started reaching out with PR packages. That’s when I knew it was time to start charging. I created a monthly rate card for three high-quality video reviews: $1,000 to $1,500. The best part? I could have multiple brands on the same deal at once. All they needed from me was a short engagement report at the end of the month.
But while the work flowed, the payments didn’t.
At first, I used my friend’s PayPal account, but it was awkward. She’d delay telling me when money came in or convert at ridiculous rates. I tried a few dollar apps, but one held my funds for weeks, and I couldn’t withdraw anything.
Frustrated, I started researching how to open a proper USD account as a Nigerian resident, and that’s how I found GrabrFi. It was the easiest process I’d ever used. I opened a USD account in my name with just my Nigerian ID. Since then, payments have been smooth. Brands pay me directly, I can spend online with my GrabrFi card, and I save in dollars without stress.
It started with trying to fix my skin. Now, I have glowy skin and a growing dollar income to match.
“The writing brought the money. The dollar account brought peace of mind.” Tola, 28 — Content Writer
I’ve always been good with words, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I realised I could make money from them. I started freelance writing for blogs, then agencies, then startups abroad. Within a year, I went from earning ₦50k per month writing SEO articles to charging $250 per blog post.
But getting paid was the real hustle.
I used my cousin’s PayPal in the US. The back-and-forth was stressful, the uncertainty, the fear that my money could disappear. One time, $900 got stuck in the account. That’s when I knew I needed my own dollar account.
So I opened a domiciliary account with my Nigerian bank. It wasn’t easy. They asked for passport photos, referees, a minimum $100 deposit, etc. But once it was set up, it worked. My clients could wire money directly into my USD account, and I’d find a bureau de change guy to convert it to naira. It’s not the smoothest system. Sometimes, transfers can take days, and rates fluctuate, but it works.
“I landed the big gig. Now I call the shots on my dollars.” —Chuka, 30, Frontend Engineer
I spent the first five years of my tech career earning ₦150k a month, building web apps for local startups. I knew I had the skills to do more, so I poured myself into open-source work, contributed to GitHub projects, and kept refining my portfolio.
In 2020, I finally landed a remote job with a US SaaS company — $3,500 a month. It was the kind of role I dreamt about. They paid through Deel, which was seamless. I got paid on time, every month.
But here’s the thing: Deel gives you options to receive your money, such as bank transfers, PayPal, Payoneer, crypto, or whatever works for you. I didn’t want to lose money on conversion, and I didn’t want to route funds through someone else’s account. I needed something that gave me complete control.
That’s when I found GrabrFi.
I opened a USD checking account with them using my NIN digital slip as my identification document. Then I went into my Deel settings, selected “Bank Transfer (SWIFT)” as my payout method, and entered my GrabrFi USD account details — routing number, account number, and bank name.
Now, every month, Deel pays directly into my GrabrFi account. I get my money in USD, use their virtual card to pay for tools and courses, and only convert to naira when it makes sense.
It’s one thing to earn in dollars. It’s another thing to keep your dollars. GrabrFi helped me do that.
“The real shift wasn’t getting paid in dollars, it was learning to stop undercharging.” — Mariama, 25, Virtual Assistant
I was working at the front desk at a hotel in Abuja when a friend introduced me to Upwork. She was doing admin gigs for clients abroad and making twice what I earned working from her laptop. I was intrigued.
I took several online courses, built a profile, and applied aggressively. It took three months, but I finally landed a client — an e-commerce store in the US. I managed their inbox and calendar for $10/hour. That first month, I made $600. I’d never seen that kind of money in my account before.
But after two months, I joined a Facebook group for African VAs, and that’s when I realised I was undercharging. People with my exact skills were earning twice my rate. That changed everything. I raised my price, lost that first client, but soon landed two more who respected it. I made more, worked less, and finally felt like I was building something sustainable.
Now, I work with three steady clients. I earn in dollars, save consistently, and finally understand the value of what I bring to the table.
“Once I stopped depending on other people’s accounts and opened my own, everything changed.” — Ini, 26, Graphic Designer
I started designing flyers for church events at my university. Then, I moved on to social media graphics, YouTube thumbnails, and anything else I could find. At some point, a friend showed me how to use Behance and Dribbble to showcase my work, which opened me up to international clients.
By 2022, I was doing freelance gigs for small businesses in the US and UK — logos, brand kits, product mockups. My rates weren’t high, but $50 per design added up quickly.
But the problem was getting paid.
I used PayPal at first, but it didn’t support Nigerian accounts. I had to use someone else’s, and every month came with some drama and delays. I hated chasing my own money.
Then I found GrabrFi. I opened a US account with the platform, sent the account details to my clients, and the payments started landing directly. I didn’t need to depend on anyone and could finally track my earnings properly.
Now I save part of my income in USD, use the virtual card to pay for design tools, and only convert when I need naira. It made freelancing feel less like gambling and more like a real business.
So, What’s GrabrFi, and Why Are More Nigerians Using It?
GrabrFi was built to solve a familiar problem: earning in dollars is great, but you actually need to access your money. Between blocked platforms, middlemen, and hidden fees, most Nigerians working remotely or freelancing globally have had to jump through hoops just to get paid.
GrabrFi changes that. It lets Nigerians open a fully legal US dollar account with just a Nigerian ID. With it, you can receive payments from platforms like PayPal, Wise, Deel, or Airbnb, spend online with a Mastercard, withdraw to naira when needed, and even save in dollars, all from one app, without hidden charges or stress.
Need to boost your dollar balance? You can easily top up your GrabrFi account by sending naira directly from your Nigerian bank account.
It’s global banking, designed for Nigerians earning globally but living locally. Open your GrabrFi account here, and take full control of your dollar income.
