How can Nigerians in the diaspora open investment accounts without a Nigerian phone number?

Yes — this is a very common problem for Nigerians living abroad.
Many Nigerian fintech/investment apps still assume users have:
a Nigerian SIM,
Nigerian bank-linked OTP,
or Nigeria-based KYC setup.
But some platforms are now more diaspora-friendly than others.
From current user experiences and platform support discussions, these are the better options to try first:
Best Chances for International Number Support
risevest.com
This is currently one of the more diaspora-friendly Nigerian investment apps.
Why it may work better:
supports Nigerians abroad,
designed around dollar investing,
accepts international documentation in many cases,
users abroad report successful onboarding.
Good for:
passive investing,
dollar savings,
global assets,
long-term investing.
Less ideal if you specifically want NGX stock trading.
chaka.com
More internationally oriented than many local-only apps.
Strength:
SEC licensed,
global investing focus,
often works better with non-Nigerian setups than traditional Nigerian broker apps.
investbamboo.com
Some diaspora Nigerians use it successfully, but onboarding experience varies depending on:
your country,
phone verification,
KYC documents,
and funding method.
If OTP is your only issue, contact support directly instead of abandoning registration.
investnaija.com
Traditional-investment-backed platform via Chapel Hill Denham.
Diaspora users have reported opening accounts using:
foreign address,
international passport,
NIN,
proof of address.
Reddit
This may be better for:
MMFs,
FGN bonds,
Nigerian fixed income,
NGX investments.
Apps More Likely To Be Difficult Without Nigerian SIM
These often depend heavily on Nigerian OTP flow:
piggyvest.com
cowrywise.com
some registrar-linked investment apps
older stockbroker apps
Not impossible, but often frustrating for diaspora onboarding.
What Usually Works Better Abroad
Instead of focusing only on “international phone number support,” prioritize apps that support:
diaspora KYC,
passport verification,
foreign proof of address,
email authentication,
authenticator apps,
WhatsApp support.
That matters more long term.
Practical Workarounds Many Nigerians Abroad Use
Option 1 — Keep a Nigerian SIM Active
This is the most common solution.
Use:
MTN,
Airtel,
Glo,
or 9mobile
inside:
dual-SIM phone,
roaming,
or virtual secondary device.
Even if unused, keeping it active helps tremendously with:
OTP,
BVN,
banking,
brokerage accounts,
NIN-linked verification.
This is honestly the smoothest long-term solution.
Option 2 — Use Family Member’s Nigerian Number Carefully
Possible, but risky.
Problems:
OTP dependency,
account recovery issues,
security complications later.
Only do this if:
it is your spouse,
and you fully control the SIM.
Option 3 — Contact Support Before Registration
This works more often than people expect.
For example:
investbamboo.com
cowrywise.com
Some platforms manually enable:
email OTP,
foreign number onboarding,
or alternate verification methods
Important Advice for Nigerians Abroad
If you live abroad permanently or long-term, also consider opening:
a proper international brokerage,
or global ETF platform
instead of relying entirely on Nigerian fintech apps.
Because eventually you may face:
FX restrictions,
withdrawal issues,
OTP limitations,
compliance restrictions,
or regional blocking.
Many diaspora Nigerians combine:
Nigerian apps for NGX/MMF exposure,
and foreign brokers for global investing.
That structure is usually more stable long term.