The Send App Report: How Flutterwave Connects the World

Not every piece of technology has the power to change lives, but Send App by Flutterwave is doing just that.

The remittance service, which connects members of the African diaspora to friends and family back home, has spread across the globe with the force of a juggernaut. Workers in places as far away as Canada, Europe, the United States, and Great Britain all use Send App to send money back home.

Launched in 2021, Send App was created to fulfill part of the larger mission of Flutterwave, according to the company’s founder and CEO, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola.

“We built Send App with one simple goal of connecting Africans across the globe, one seamless transaction at a time,” said Agboola. “At Flutterwave, we believe that the future of Africa lies in its ability to seamlessly connect its people, businesses, and economies through technology.”

And now, thanks to a survey of remittance recipients, the fintech industry has a chance to better understand what drives African consumers to choose one remittance service over another, including, but not limited to, Send App.

Digging Through Data: The Big Picture

The data comes from hundreds of people across four African countries who received money through international remittance services over the past year. In a survey shared by Flutterwave as part of its Send App Remittance Report, respondents provided detailed feedback about how remittances affect their lives and livelihoods.

One of the biggest takeaways is the essential role remittances play for everyday Africans. More than 48% of respondents said they used those funds to pay for basic living expenses like food, rent, and utilities. Another 40.8% said remittances helped them manage emergencies, such as medical bills. Here, we can have a mini profile of A recipients or sender to drive this piece. Eg. A Lagos-based mother of three shared that monthly remittances from her daughter in the UK helps her buy food for the house and pay her children’s school fees.

While that’s important, it’s not the only difference the money makes. When workers send money back home, the funds often do more than help loved ones survive. Many families (59.1%) use remittances to maintain a higher quality of life. These funds support education, provide older adults with allowances to ensure they never run out of groceries, enable new opportunities, and open doors to new experiences.

Some recipients used their remittances as seed money to start a business. Many (43.8%) bought electronic gadgets, like cell phones or laptops, while others (31.2%) spent their remittances on fashion. Another 10.8% used the funds as seed money to invest in their businesses.

A Closer Look at Remittance Patterns

The survey revealed complex and diverse remittance patterns across Africa. For example, 33.6% of respondents said they had loved ones in Europe, 27.6% in other parts of Africa, and 25.4% in North America.

Participants also reported varying frequencies in how often they received money. About 32% said they received money only occasionally, 26% said they rely on monthly transfers, 11.4% said they get weekly support, and 30.6% said remittances occurred rarely in their lives.

Amounts remitted varied widely. While 42.8% received less than $100 USD per transaction, 33.8% received between $100 and $500. Another 15% received between $500 and $1,000, and 8.4% reported receiving amounts over $1,000.

The Family Connection

Unsurprisingly, money from remittance services like Flutterwave’s Send App makes a powerful difference for family members back home, while also acting as a lifeline from overseas workers to their loved ones in Africa.

“For many, sending money is a way to recreate the feeling of being home, even when miles away,” reads a blog on Flutterwave’s website. “By sending money back home, we can feel connected to the people we care about and the community we feel departed from. It is a way to keep a sense of home and normalcy in our lives, even in the face of change. It is a way to bridge the distance and strengthen the ties that bind. It is an act of nostalgia and a reminder of the power of home. This is why we built a product to provide a fast, transparent and secure way to bridge the distance and strengthen the bonds with home.”

According to the report, nearly 47% of respondents said they felt “extremely connected” to their loved ones abroad because of the financial support they received. Notably, not all remittances came from immediate family. About 25.4% of respondents reported they had siblings living abroad, 23.4% had close friends in other countries, and 21.8% received money from extended family members.

What the Industry Can Learn

Taken together, the data from the Send App Remittance Report underscores how important remittances are in the lives of African users — and offers valuable insights for any remittance provider.

Respondents consistently mentioned the importance of speed, security, and convenience in choosing a service. In 2024, 98% of Send App transactions were processed in under five minutes, a feature that can make a critical difference in recipients’ lives.

The emotional connections created through remittances also present an opportunity for remittance service providers, or RSPs. Customer loyalty is built by helping people maintain their most important relationships. Providers can build trust and improve retention by lowering fees or offering preferential exchange rates on peak sending days, expanding service coverage in high-demand markets like Nigeria — which remained the top recipient country for Send App users — and strengthening fraud protection.

This is also a growing market. Among those surveyed, 68.2% said they expect to receive more money in 2025 than they did in 2024. Only 13% expect to receive less.

The Best Things Are Shared

When you find something that works well, you want to tell people about it. That is exactly what Send App users have been doing naturally since day one. Now, Flutterwave has made it even more rewarding to spread the word.

The new referral program is refreshingly simple. Know someone who sends money back home? Tell your loved ones about Send App, and you will both get £20 when they make their first transfer of £100 or more.Nearly 7 in 10 (or 68.2%)recipients say they’ll receive more money in 2025 than they did this year making now the best time to introduce your loved ones to fast, secure, and rewarding transfers with Send App.

Invite someone to experience seamless money transfers with our referral program — it’s live now.

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