How to Buy Ethereum in Nigeria

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Contributor, Benzinga
May 24, 2021

To buy and sell Ethereum’s Ether (ETH) cryptocurrency in Nigeria, you must go through an exchange, online broker or local broker. Once you decide to buy and sell ETH, you must first obtain a unique crypto wallet to engage in ETH transactions and to store your cryptocurrency.   

Your crypto wallet address has a lot in common with an email address, except you can pay for goods and services and receive payments and gifts with your wallet address. Once downloaded, your crypto wallet can be accessed through your desktop, laptop, tablet or smart mobile device. Right now, Bitcoin prevails as the best cryptocurrency due to its market recognition and high liquidity.

Nevertheless, interest in the Ethereum blockchain and the Ether cryptocurrency continue to grow, making it a great alternative to Bitcoin for Nigerians. Like with Bitcoin, buying Ethereum’s Ether or Ethereum Classic (ETC) cryptocurrencies in Nigeria seems relatively easy, but the broker or exchange you select matters the most.

Disclosure: eToro supports the following currencies: BTC, ADA, DASH, DOGE, EOS, ETH, LTC, NEO, XLM, XTZ, TRX, ZEC. eToro USA LLC; Investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal. T&Cs apply. *The bonus is available to Benzinga readers in the US for open states only. Served by eToro USA LLC.

Overview: Buying Ethereum in Nigeria

To purchase ETH in Nigeria, you must first access a cryptocurrency exchange that allows clients from Nigeria to register and that offers the ETH cryptocurrency. Depending on the exchange or broker you select, buying ETH in Nigeria should not be that complicated.

Keep in mind that you can choose between investing in ETH, which involves registering at an exchange and acquiring a crypto wallet or you can just buy and sell contracts for difference (CFDs) on ETH.

Going the CFD route entails signing up with a cryptocurrency CFD broker such as XBT, for example, and does not require you to obtain a wallet or register with an exchange. Furthemore, Nigerians should find that getting the ETH and ETC cryptocurrencies is as easy as obtaining bitcoin. You can use any of the other Nigerian exchanges that support Ethereum.

Also, you can open an account at an international exchange or deal with a local cryptocurrency broker. Many of the Nigerian exchanges accept paper currency and allow you to buy the cryptocurrencies you want in person at their offices. You can then leave them in the exchange or transfer them to a mobile or web-based wallet.

How to Buy Ethereum in Nigeria

  1. Open an Account at a Cryptocurrency Exchange

    Nigeria offers an advantage for cryptocurrency traders in that several cryptocurrency exchanges have their base there. This makes opening an account at an exchange that much easier for Nigerians. In addition to the exchanges native to Nigeria, many international and semi-international exchanges accept accounts from Nigeria.

  2. Get a Cryptocurrency Wallet

    To trade ETH and retain full control over your transactions, you must first withdraw them from the exchange or another source to a personal cryptocurrency wallet. Wallets come in several forms and allow you to notify the crypto network that you want to send and receive transactions. You can install your wallet on a desktop or laptop, as well as on an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.

    You can also use a web-based wallet that does not require a download and gives you access anywhere you can get an internet connection. If you will be trading ETH or ETC, your wallet must be an Ethereum wallet. Another form of wallet called a hardware wallet consists of a peripheral device like a USB memory stick that gives you increased security.

    Some exchanges, such as NGexchanger, offer a bitcoin wallet, although many exchanges that do not provide one require that you have an Ethereum wallet or that you leave your currency at the exchange.

  3. Withdraw Your ETH to Your Wallet



    Once you have purchased your ETH on an exchange, you may withdraw the currency to your ETH or multi-currency wallet. You can also buy or sell Ethereum from a local seller as shown by coindirect.com in the screenshot of its website below:

Best Crypto Exchange

Below, you will find a list of exchanges that either have their base in Nigeria or accept accounts from Nigerians:

  • Coinbase
    Best For:
    Active Crypto Traders
    securely through Coinbase's website

    Sum of median estimated savings and rewards earned, per user in 2021 across multiple Coinbase programs (excluding sweepstakes). This amount includes fee waivers from Coinbase One (excluding the subscription cost), rewards from Coinbase Card, and staking rewards. ³Crypto rewards is an optional Coinbase offer. Upon purchase of USDC, you will be automatically opted in to rewards. If you’d like to opt out or learn more about rewards, you can click here. The rewards rate is subject to change and can vary by region. Customers will be able to see the latest applicable rates directly within their accounts.

  • eToro
    Best For:
    Social Investing
    securely through eToro's website

    Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk

    Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more

  • Robinhood Crypto
    Best For:
    Buying & selling Dogecoin
    securely through Robinhood Crypto's website
  • Plus500 Crypto
    Best For:
    Crypto CFD
    securely through Plus500 Crypto's website

    82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

  • Kraken
    Best For:
    Crypto futures traders
    securely through Kraken's website

Metamask

One of the most popular ETH wallets in Nigeria, this desktop wallet accesses the Ethereum network, as well as decentralized Ethereum apps. The wallet features an intuitive interface and includes extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

MyEtherWallet

This web-based wallet allows you to control your Ethereum private keys. Because of the wallet’s open source framework, it does not require third-party servers. Another highlight of this wallet consists of its built-in BTC to ETH and ETH to BTC exchange feature.

Coinomi

A mobile cryptocurrency wallet that offers a single platform with over 300 cryptocurrency wallets and tokens, as well as the ability to exchange currencies at no cost, Coinomi also supports the ERC20-based tokens used for smart contracts.

Coinpayments.net

This wallet platform was designed for merchants and accepts 65 altcoins. It services more than 230,000 vendors in 182 countries. Coinpayments.net also supports popular shopping carts used by ecommerce stores such as Opencart, Magento and WooCommerce.

Bitfi

Functioning as a completely wireless hardware wallet, the Bitfi wallet comes in a smartphone-like device and supports an unlimited number of cryptocurrencies and crypto assets. The wallet provides total security from online and offline security threats and allows you to manage all of your cryptocurrencies on one dashboard.

Buy Ethereum in Nigeria

Buying Ethereum cryptocurrencies in Nigeria actually seems rather easy, but selecting a good broker or exchange is what really matters. Make sure you also have some knowledge of how to trade cryptocurrency before you begin buying and selling ETH or ETC actively to avoid common pitfalls.

To determine whether you get an exchange and a wallet or open an account with an online cryptocurrency broker, know whether you wish to focus on making Ether transactions as a speculative trader, invest in the cryptocurrency over the long term or simply use it as money. Kind in mind, though, that the Ethereum has suffered with all other tokens after the crypto crash of the summer of 2022. At the same time, Ethereum is so popular that it will likely retain and hold its value over time. Even so, be careful when investing and do not put money into these investments you cannot afford to lose.

Disclosure: ²Sum of median estimated savings and rewards earned, per user in 2021 across multiple Coinbase programs (excluding sweepstakes). This amount includes fee waivers from Coinbase One (excluding the subscription cost), rewards from Coinbase Card, and staking rewards. ³Crypto rewards is an optional Coinbase offer. Upon purchase of USDC, you will be automatically opted in to rewards. If you’d like to opt out or learn more about rewards, you can click here. The rewards rate is subject to change and can vary by region. Customers will be able to see the latest applicable rates directly within their accounts

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Why trade ETH?

A

ETH can be traded in a plethora of pairs – against other cryptocurrencies and fiat – 24 hours a day. There’s great flexibility when you trade ETH because the market never stops! Use stop-loss and take profit orders so you exit your positions immediately when a certain price level is reached. You can also use bots to trade if you’ve got great tools.

Q

What is the major risk factor in trading ETH?

A

You can trade on margin and may even be able to enter into a $500 position by putting up $100. Naturally, this type of margin could result in big losses.

Q

What is the minimum investment in Ethereum?

A

The minimum investment is $2.

Q

What are the most popular Ethereum wallets in Nigeria?

A

The most popular wallets include Metamask, Bitfi and Coinomi.

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About Jay and Julie Hawk

About Julie: 

Julie Hawk earned her honors undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan before pursuing post-graduate scientific research at Cambridge University. She then started work in the private sector as a business systems analyst for a major investment bank, where she qualified as a Series 7 Registered Representative and received comprehensive training in various financial products. Further honing her skills, she attended the prestigious O’Connell and Piper options training course in Chicago, mastering professional option risk management techniques.

Julie then transitioned into the role of a professional Interbank forex trader, currency derivative risk manager and technical analyst, ascending to the position of vice president over a 12-year career in the financial markets. Julie’s illustrious banking career spanned working for major international banks in New York City, London, and San Francisco, where she served as an Interbank dealer, technical analyst, derivative specialist and risk manager. Her responsibilities included educating, devising customized foreign exchange hedging and risk-taking strategies, and overseeing large-scale transactions for esteemed banking clients, including corporations, fund managers and high-net-worth individuals. As part of her responsibilities, Julie managed substantial portfolios of forex options, spot, and futures positions as a currency options risk manager, earning recognition for executing innovative and highly profitable forex derivative transactions. Julie also spearheaded educational conferences on currency derivatives.

During her banking career, Julie attained world-class expertise in technical analysis, including Elliott Wave Theory, and pioneered research into automated trading and trading signal systems. An active member of the San Francisco Writers’ Guild, Julie also authored trade strategies, educational material, market commentary, newsletters, reports, articles, and press releases. She became a sought-after market expert who was frequently interviewed by financial magazines and news wires such as REUTERS.

Following her retirement from the banking sector, she dedicated 15 years to online forex trading, mentoring and freelance writing for TheFXperts, which she co-founded with her husband Jay. Julie is the co-author of “Forex Trading: A Beginner’s Guide” and “Technical Analysis for Financial Markets Traders,” in addition to five other books on financial markets trading and personal finance. She now focuses on writing articles on financial markets for platforms like Benzinga, although she continues to trade forex online and mentor fellow traders as part of TheFXperts’ financial team.


About Jay:

Jay Hawk grew up in Chicago and Mexico City where he became bilingual in English and Spanish. After taking formal training as a classical guitarist at prestigious music conservatories in Europe, Jay then embarked on a remarkable journey into the financial markets, cultivating his notable expertise through hands-on experience that began on the Midwest Stock Exchange.

His financial career progressed as he started actively participating in various exchange floor trading activities in the Chicago futures and options pits, where he worked his way up the ladder, serving as a clerk, trader, broker, investor and fund manager. Jay then ran a retail stock brokerage desk and managed funds for large institutional investors, leveraging his discretionary trading skills to yield profitable results for clients.

This ultimately led to Jay holding exchange seats and operating as a market maker on options exchanges in Chicago and San Francisco, initially on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Jay also played a significant role in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s evolution, where he contributed to launching and actively trading the first listed currency futures options. After transitioning to the West Coast, Jay then held a seat and ventured into trading stock options and their underlying stocks on the Pacific Options Exchange.

Jay’s comprehensive understanding of fundamental economic and corporate analysis continues to inform his trading and investment activities and has led to his subsequent success as an expert financial writer. Together with his wife Julie, he co-authored “Stock Trading: A Beginner’s Guide”, “Commodity Trading: A Beginner’s Guide” and “Fundamental Analysis for Financial Markets Traders,” among their published books focusing on financial markets trading, market analysis, and personal finance. 

As an integral member of TheFXperts’ team, Jay now excels in trading forex online for his personal account, mentoring aspiring traders and writing for financial platforms like Benzinga where he specializes in covering topics related to the stock and commodity markets, as well as investing, trading and reviewing online brokers.