Revolut Adds 14 Africa Corridors (April 2026): Airtel Money, MTN, Orange Money Integration
Revolut expanded international transfers with 14 new payment corridors across 9 African countries, plugging into Airtel Money, MTN, and Orange Money. Here's what it means for UK→Africa senders and how it compares to Wise and WorldRemit.
TL;DR — Revolut has gone live with 14 new international transfer corridors into 9 African countries, plugging its Money product directly into Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, and Orange Money. For UK, EU, and US senders, this is the most material expansion of app-based remittance access to Africa since WorldRemit did the same in 2019. Below: the full corridor list, how Revolut compares to Wise and WorldRemit, and whether this moves the needle for your next UK→Nigeria, UK→Kenya, or UK→Ghana transfer.
Which countries and wallets are live
| Country | Mobile money services supported | Typical delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | MTN MoMo, Airtel Money | Minutes |
| Kenya | Airtel Money (M-PESA via bank only) | Minutes |
| Ghana | MTN MoMo, Airtel Money | Minutes |
| Uganda | MTN MoMo, Airtel Money | Minutes |
| Tanzania | Airtel Money, MTN MoMo | Minutes |
| Rwanda | MTN MoMo, Airtel Money | Minutes |
| DRC | Airtel Money, Orange Money | Minutes |
| Cameroon | Orange Money, MTN MoMo | Minutes |
| Senegal | Orange Money | Minutes |
Under the hood, Revolut is routing these through Thunes and Absa's Global Pay network — the same rails Mastercard and BVNK are using for stablecoin-settled cross-border payments. The infrastructure story across African remittances in 2026 is effectively one story: legacy correspondent banking replaced by API-addressable wallet networks.
How Revolut compares on UK→Africa right now
For a typical £500 transfer on the GBP→NGN corridor (April 20, 2026):
| Provider | Typical fee | FX markup | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemfi | £0 | ~1.5% | Minutes (wallet) |
| Revolut (new) | £0 (Plus/Premium tiers) | ~1.8–2.5% | Minutes (wallet) |
| Wise | £1–£3 | ~0.5% | 1–2 business days (bank) |
| WorldRemit | £1–£4 | ~2–3% | Minutes (wallet) |
| UK high-street bank | £15–£30 | ~4–6% | 1–3 business days |
For Nigeria specifically, Lemfi remains the sharpest rate in the diaspora community. Revolut's advantage is that senders who already hold GBP/EUR/USD in a Revolut account can now transfer instantly without opening a new service — a friction saving, not necessarily a cost saving.
Why this matters beyond Revolut
Three implications worth tracking:
- Price pressure on Wise. Wise has historically been slower to add African corridors, relying on bank-rail delivery. A credible mobile-money competitor inside the Revolut app — already used by 45M+ European customers — changes the Wise vs Revolut calculus on Africa routes specifically.
- M-PESA remains the white space. Revolut's Kenya corridor supports Airtel Money but routes M-PESA via bank, which adds a step. Whoever cracks direct M-PESA API access (Safaricom partnerships are scarce) wins East Africa's largest wallet base.
- Africa corridor competition is accelerating. In 12 months, PayPal/Venmo launched cross-border, GCash went free for Middle East corridors, and Absa/Thunes unified pan-African mobile money rails. Expect prices on UK→Nigeria, UK→Ghana, and UK→Kenya to keep compressing.
Which corridor guide to read next
- UK → Nigeria (GBP/NGN) — highest-volume UK-to-Africa corridor
- UK → Kenya (GBP/KES) — M-PESA and Airtel Money delivery
- UK → Ghana (GBP/GHS) — MTN MoMo dominant
- All corridors → Nigeria
- Complete Nigeria guide — banks, wallets, CBN rules
- Full Revolut review — fees, tiers, transfer limits
- Wise vs Revolut head-to-head
Frequently asked questions
Can I send money from the UK to Nigeria via Revolut in 2026?
Yes. As of April 2026, Revolut supports direct transfers from GBP balances to MTN MoMo and Airtel Money wallets in Nigeria, delivered in minutes. Compare live rates on our UK to Nigeria comparison page — Lemfi and Wise remain cost-competitive on this route.
Does Revolut support M-PESA transfers to Kenya?
Indirectly. Revolut's Kenya corridor routes to Airtel Money directly, but M-PESA transfers currently go via the recipient's linked bank account rather than the wallet API. For direct M-PESA delivery, WorldRemit and Sendwave remain the faster options.
Is Revolut cheaper than Wise for Africa transfers?
It depends on the corridor. Revolut Plus/Premium tier subscribers get fee-free transfers up to a monthly limit but pay a 1.8–2.5% FX markup on exotic currencies. Wise charges a small fee (~£1–£3) but uses a 0.5% mid-market markup — cheaper on larger transfers. Delivery speed favours Revolut (wallet, minutes) over Wise (bank, days) on Africa routes.
Are transfers from the UK to Africa regulated and safe?
Yes. Revolut holds a full UK banking licence as of 2025, and Wise/WorldRemit/Lemfi are all FCA-authorised as Electronic Money Institutions. Customer funds are safeguarded under the FCA's new rules coming into force on May 7, 2026.
For the macro picture on African remittance infrastructure, see our deep-dive on Absa–Thunes Global Pay and the 2026 global remittance trends report.