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Nomba has launched a new Global Payout API to simplify how Nigerian payment firms move money across borders.
Designed to enable businesses collect funds in naira or stablecoins and send payouts to the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, the new system handles foreign exchange conversion instantly and locks in rates at the point of transaction.
For years, operators in this space have had to manage cash on two fronts. They collect in naira, then look for foreign currency elsewhere, while also keeping reserves ready for payouts. That process ties down capital and slows transactions.
Nomba says its new API removes that limitation by merging collection, conversion and disbursement into one flow. Once funds enter the system, either in naira or stablecoins such as USDT or USDC, conversion happens immediately and the payout begins without delay.
“Running a cross-border payments business from Nigeria has meant managing frozen liquidity on two fronts at the same time,” said Yinka Adewale, CEO, Nomba.
“Operators collect naira, then go source foreign currency, all while their customers are waiting. We built this API to collapse that operational complexity into a single transaction flow, and to give operators who want to remove naira exposure entirely the option to fund in stablecoins.”
Outlining how the payout routes work, the company noted that transfers to the UK go through Faster Payments, with settlement taking between one and three hours.
In Europe, SEPA transfers are completed in under one hour, while Canada supports Interac for instant transfers alongside bank payments. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, users can send money through mobile money or bank transfers, both processed instantly. Nigeria, meanwhile, is the base corridor.
Another feature is a five-minute exchange rate lock. This ensures the rate a customer sees at the start of a transaction stays the same at settlement, reducing disputes and unexpected losses.
The launch comes at a time when cross-border payments in Africa are expensive. On average, sending $200 costs about 7.9%, one of the highest rates globally. At the same time, stablecoins are gaining ground.
They now account for a large share of crypto transactions in sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria alone handling billions of dollars in volume over the past year.
On the regulatory aspect, Nigeria’s tax policies treat foreign exchange conversions, service fees and digital charges as taxable events since the start of 2026. This is forcing payment companies to build systems that can handle compliance automatically.
Nomba, which started in 2016 as Kudi, has moved from agency banking into payment infrastructure. In 2025, it processed N122 billion across 1.85 million transactions. Its virtual accounts now account for most of its API activity.
With the new Global Payout API, Nomba is targeting a long-standing problem in the market, cutting out the need to hold funds in multiple currencies at once. The company is ensuring payment firms can move faster and operate with less capital tied up.
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