How to Support Family in Ghana or Nigeria from Overseas

Moving to another country, especially as a Nigerian or Ghanaian, is never really easy. From loneliness to settling in and ensuring you stay connected, it's a lot of pressure.  For many Ghanaians and Nigerians, living abroad sometimes means being your family’s backbone and ultimate support system. And sending money back home is not always a kind gesture; it’s a responsibility and a way of showing love across distance.

Whatever your reasons for sending money home, whether for fees, bills or investment, you always want to select the easier, safer and more trustworthy way. However, the discomfort of black tax is a conversation that often comes up in the immigrant community, with some people complaining about the incessant demands from home and how they manage it. 

In this article, we have compiled ways to support family in Ghana or Nigeria from overseas, and why Pesa is designed to make it effortless.

1. Understand their needs

Understanding their needs doesn’t make you a pocket watcher — it makes you a better financial planner and an even better helper. Speaking to your family about money helps you understand the frequency of sending money, what they need it for, and the right amounts to send back home. 

Many people abroad fall victim to financial pressures due to the unpredictability of requests and expectations of always sending money home when asked.  So, ask your family what they actually need and how often—weekly, monthly, or seasonally.

Having a clear understanding of their needs will help you budget and ease both their pressures and yours. 

2. Always choose the best option that works for you 

When sending money back home, you don’t want to be at risk of losing money and, particularly, wasting time (as needs are often urgent). As we are aware, traditional banks and some money transfer operators continue to charge high fees, utilise unfavourable exchange rates, and process payments over several days.

That's where Pesa steps in.

Why Pesa?

• Zero transfer fees: Send more, without the hidden costs.
  
  
• Competitive FX rates: More naira or cedis get to your family.
  
  
• Instant or near-instant delivery: They get the money when they need it, not days later.
  
  
• Trackable transactions: Know exactly when your money lands.
  

Plus, with a Pesa wallet, you can send money directly to Ghanaian or Nigerian bank accounts or mobile money wallets, 

3. Help your family grow beyond money

Although financial support offers a lifeline, you can not be their lifeline forever. Continuous financial support stands the risk of resentment, entitlement, and uncomfortable family dynamics. While money helps a great deal, the transfer of knowledge and time goes even further.

What can you do beyond giving out money? 

1. Scholarship applications for family members. 
2. Digital skill training to help them earn in foreign currencies.  
3. Digitise your parents or family members’ businesses to attract more clientele and optimise for international exposure.
   

 4. Know the right time to send

Planning helps you avoid last-minute rushes, expensive emergency transfers, or panic during festive seasons. Data from remittance platforms shows that the biggest spikes in money transfers happen during:

• December to January (Christmas, school fees, rent)
  
  
• June to August (vacations and holidays)
  
  
• September (new academic year)
  

* Great news!! Did you know that Pesa allows you to hold your conversion rate for 4 minutes? Yup! With the volatility of the economy, you can lock down the rate you saw when you open the app for 4 minutes, pending when you’re ready to make your transfers and payments.  

 5. Establish boundaries 

Setting boundaries doesn’t mean you do not love or care for your family, nor does it mean you are selfish; it means you are responsible. Be very clear on how much you can send and the frequency.

Using Pesa lets you:

• Review your transaction history
  
  
• Set monthly limits for yourself. Adding money to allocated wallets lets you set aside money for family and “black tax”
  
  
• Send to the right people.

Sending with Pesa means supporting people back home with peace of mind! 

Whatever your help method is, whether it’s directly sending the money home, paying for a course, or setting up a digital marketplace, once payment needs to be made, Pesa can be used automatically. 

Pesa helps you support your family in Ghana or Nigeria with a platform that is extremely easy to use and highly reliable. 

So wherever you are in the world, whether you're in Toronto, London, Berlin, or Dubai, your Pesa wallet helps you:

• Send money for free
  
  
• Track your transactions
  
  
• Access fast, reliable remittance
  
  
• Enjoy peace of mind
  
  

When done right, your contribution becomes a foundation for growth, not just a temporary fix.

With Pesa, you can send and still have something left for yourself.

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