The short answer for Nigerians in Denmark
ExpatMoneyEU picks Revolut as the best first account for Nigerians in Denmark — it opens with just your passport before your CPR number arrives, gives you Danish krone balances and a European IBAN, and works fully in English. Lunar is the fallback if you already hold a CPR number and want a real Danish account with MitID and MobilePay. Add Wise for the cheapest DKK→NGN transfers home.
Banking in Denmark runs on two rails: the Danish CPR number and MobilePay, the instant-payment app Danes use for everything from rent splits to flea markets. Generic expat guides compare the same banks for everyone — this guide scores them specifically for Nigerians: which accounts open with your passport, which speak English end-to-end, and which move money home cheapest. The answer below is the quick version; the Expert-Score table, the provider deep-dives and the scenario framework give you the full reasoning.
Answer-block: under EU law, deposits at licensed EU banks are protected up to €100,000 per depositor per bank (EU Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive 2014/49/EU, source: European Commission). That protection is one reason this guide only recommends licensed banks and established e-money institutions, and why the traditional-bank option below is worth knowing even if you open a digital account first.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Poland — November 2026 Guide
Expert-Score comparison: accounts for Nigerians in Denmark
| Account | Monthly fee | Local IBAN / account | Opens with your passport | English support | Home transfer ease | Expert Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolut | €0 | DKK balance + EU IBAN | Yes | Full | 4/5 | 9.1/10 |
| Lunar | DKK 0 | Danish account + MitID | No — CPR needed | Full | 3/5 | 8.9/10 |
| Wise | €0 | DKK account details | Yes | Full | 5/5 | 8.6/10 |
| N26 | €0 | German (DE) IBAN | Yes | Full | 4/5 | 8.4/10 |
Lunar's score reflects its power once you hold a CPR number and MitID — not its accessibility on arrival, where Revolut wins.
Scores weight what matters most to Nigerians newcomers: zero or low monthly cost, an account obtainable with your passport, English support, MobilePay access, and cheap home transfers. See the methodology box below for the full scoring breakdown.
Affiliate disclosure: some links below are affiliate links — if you open an account through them, ExpatMoneyEU may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores are never ranked by commission. See our affiliate disclosure for details.
Open your accounts today
All three are free or low-cost to open — set them up in one sitting. Start with the default pick, keep the fallback ready, and use Wise for transfers home.
→ Swedbank vs SEB for Expats in Sweden — November 2026 Guide
1. Revolut — the default pick
Revolut
Revolut is the fastest route to a working Danish money setup: signup takes about ten minutes in English, you get Danish krone balances with interbank-rate FX up to €1,000 per month on the free Standard plan, and a debit card accepted everywhere in Denmark. For Nigerians arriving before their CPR number is issued, that speed matters — you can receive money, pay and withdraw while registration is still processing.
The trade-off is that Revolut is not a Danish bank: you do not get MitID from it, and MobilePay requires a Danish bank account, so MobilePay stays out of reach until you open a local account. Treat Revolut as the arrival account, then add Lunar or a traditional bank for MitID and MobilePay.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Poland — November 2026 Guide
2. Lunar — the fallback option
Lunar
Lunar is Denmark's leading digital bank and the natural second step: a real Danish account with a Danish account number, MitID support and MobilePay, all in an English-friendly app. Its free tier costs nothing, and its budgeting tools are among the best in the Nordics.
The catch is access — Lunar requires a Danish CPR number, so it only becomes available once your registration with the Danish authorities is complete. Once you hold a CPR, open Lunar alongside Revolut: Lunar for Danish daily life, Revolut for FX and travel.
→ Swedbank vs SEB for Expats in Sweden — November 2026 Guide
3. Wise — the home-transfer engine
Wise multi-currency account
Wise is the transfer specialist: a free multi-currency account with local bank details in 20+ countries and conversions at the real mid-market rate, with no hidden markup. For the DKK→NGN corridor it is consistently among the cheapest mainstream options for bank deposits and mobile money — always compare the total received in Nigerian naira, not just the advertised fee.
Wise is not a bank, so keep it as the transfer engine next to a proper everyday account rather than as your salary account. Its debit card costs a small one-time fee, and its local account details in Denmark depend on the currency: check at signup which local details you personally receive.
→ Best money transfer services in Europe — the full corridor comparison
4. Danske Bank — the traditional-bank option
Danske Bank
Danske Bank is Denmark's largest bank and the traditional long-term pick: branches across the country, full MitID and MobilePay support, mortgages and local credit history. The catch is paperwork — CPR, proof of address and often an employment contract — plus a monthly fee on most accounts. Open it once settled if you want in-branch service and local lending.
Traditional banks also unlock things digital accounts cannot: in-branch service in the local language, cash deposits, mortgages and local credit history. The trade-off is paperwork, slower onboarding and usually a monthly fee. Many long-term expats end up with both — a digital account for daily life and a traditional account for the big local milestones.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Poland — November 2026 Guide
Sending money home: the corridor playbook
Nigerians in Denmark often support family back home, so the transfer corridor matters as much as the bank. The rule: never send DKK→NGN by bank wire — use a specialist and compare the total received in naira. Wise is consistently among the cheapest for bank deposits and mobile money at the mid-market rate; check payout options to Nigerian bank accounts and mobile money before each transfer, as availability changes.
- Wise — consistently among the cheapest for bank deposits and mobile money at the mid-market rate.
- Lunar — interbank-rate FX on its free plan makes it a handy backup for smaller transfers.
- Never a bank wire — traditional SWIFT wires from Denmark banks usually add both a sending fee and a poor exchange rate, so the total received is almost always lower.
See our money transfer guide for the full corridor comparison methodology.
→ Best money transfer services in Europe — the full corridor comparison
Scenario framework: which setup fits you?
- Just arrived with your passport only? → Open Revolut — Danish krone balances and a working card in about ten minutes, in English
- Travel or shop in other currencies? → Add Lunar — interbank FX and a second European account.
- Sending money home monthly? → Wise alongside — cheapest mainstream DKK→NGN route.
- Staying long-term? → Add Danske Bank once your local registration is complete, for mortgages, credit history and in-branch service.
→ Swedbank vs SEB for Expats in Sweden — November 2026 Guide
How we compared: the methodology
How we compared
Fees and features checked: provider price lists plus the November 2026 expat banking comparison tables from expats.de and giromatch. Criteria and weights: monthly cost (25%), local account access with your passport (20%), English-language support (15%), home-country transfer ease (20%), MobilePay and local payments (10%), banking licence and deposit protection (10%). Scores are the illustrative editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team — not financial advice. Any worked fee examples on this page are illustrative figures showing our comparison method; always verify current fees with the provider before opening an account or sending money.
→ Best money transfer services in Europe — the full corridor comparison
Practical tips: your passport, registration and MobilePay
- your passport: your passport plus proof of a European address is enough for Revolut and N26; Lunar and Danish traditional banks normally require a CPR number.
- Registration: Register with the Danish Civil Registration System for your CPR number as early as possible — it unlocks MitID, MobilePay and Danish banks.
- MobilePay: MobilePay needs a Danish bank account, so it only becomes available once you hold a local account — plan for that second step.
- Fees change: ATM limits, card fees and monthly charges are revised regularly. Check the provider's current price list before you apply.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Poland — November 2026 Guide
What to watch in 2027
Banks typically revise price lists in January — re-check your account's fee schedule each new year. We update our Expert Scores whenever a provider changes pricing. Danish banks typically revise fees in January, and MitID continues to expand as the login for tax, health and government services — re-check your account's fee schedule each new year.
Ready? Open your Denmark accounts
Free or low-cost to open, minutes to set up — start with the top scorer and add the transfer specialist alongside it.