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Is the UBA africard still reliable for paying international subscriptions like Apple Music in dollars?
Ever since the Central Bank of Nigeria placed strict limits on Naira debit cards for international transactions paying for basic online services has been a nightmare. I want to get the UBA africard which is a prepaid dollar Visa card. Is the africard still functioning perfectly for recurring subscriptions like Netflix Apple Music and AWS cloud hosting? How exactly do I fund the card with US dollars do I have to buy physical cash from Aboki black market operators or can the bank fund it directly from my Naira account at the official exchange rate?
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3 days agoThe UBA africard remains one of the absolute best and most reliable financial tools in Nigeria for bypassing the CBN international transaction limits. It is a prepaid dollar denominated Visa card meaning it is not tied directly to your Naira savings account. To answer your question directly: Yes the Africard works flawlessly for almost all international subscriptions including Netflix Apple Music Amazon Web Services (AWS) and paying for Facebook or Instagram ads. Because it is billed globally as a standard US Dollar Visa card international merchants rarely decline it. It gives you total financial freedom to shop on AliExpress Shein and Amazon without worrying about your local Naira card being rejected at checkout.
josh
3 days agoHowever the process of funding the UBA africard is where the reality of the Nigerian economy sets in. You CANNOT fund this card from your Naira account at the official bank exchange rate. The bank will not sell you cheap dollars to fund a prepaid card. You must source your own US Dollars. You have to buy physical dollar cash from the parallel market (Aboki operators) or receive a dollar inflow via transfer. You then take this physical dollar cash to any UBA branch and deposit it directly into your Africard over the counter. The card is highly secure; it has its own dedicated portal where you can monitor your dollar balance and block the card instantly if you suspect fraudulent online charges.
josh
3 days agoThe UBA Africard saved my freelance business. I use it to pay for my Adobe Creative Cloud and hosting servers. Just walk into any UBA branch with your passport photograph and a utility bill they will print the card for you instantly.
josh
3 days agoDo not lose your card PIN! Unlike a normal debit card retrieving the PIN for a prepaid Africard is a massive headache that requires calling their central card center. Memorize it carefully.
josh
3 days agoIt is brilliant for travel too. I load it with dollars before traveling to Dubai or the UK and it works on every single POS and ATM abroad without the bank blocking my transactions for "suspicious foreign activity".