PayPal's new partnership with Nigerian fintech Paga is one of the most talked-about fintech developments in early 2026. At first glance, this looks like a major win: Nigerians can now receive international payments via PayPal and withdraw into naira through Paga's wallet . For the first time after nearly two decades, one of the largest global payment platforms is functionally accessible beyond just sending money abroad.
That is real progress. It matters. But the reaction from many Nigerians is complicated, and the nuance reveals far more than a simple "good news/bad news" divide.
So what really changed?Nigerian PayPal users could send money to global merchants, but they could not receive funds into their PayPal accounts like people in most other countries. That restriction made it hard for freelancers, online sellers, creators, and remote workers to get paid directly by clients abroad.
