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The Remittance Reality Calculator

A remittance is money sent home by someone working abroad — one of the largest sources of income for many African households. This tool compares what actually arrives after fees when the same amount is sent by bank transfer, a money transfer operator, or mobile money. It's useful because Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest remittance fees of any region in the world, and the method chosen can cost a family far more than they realize.

$200
$20$2,000
Lost to fees — bank vs. mobile money
11% gap
Same $200 sent. Three very different amounts arrive.
Bank transfer~15% fee
Money transfer operator~5% fee
Mobile money~4.5% fee
Best case receives
₦0
Worst case receives
₦0
The lesson behind the number

Sub-Saharan Africa averages an 8% fee on money sent from abroad — the highest of any region on Earth, according to the World Bank. But that average hides a huge range: banks average close to 15%, while mobile money averages under 5%. The method you choose matters as much as the amount sent. Kenya's M-Pesa alone carries over half the country's incoming remittances — and has helped push Kenya's average cost down to under 5%, well below the regional average.

The money moves. So does the knowledge.

Rising Lion Money covers the real cost of moving money across Africa — remittances, markets, and the founders building the fix. Free, every week.

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