Can I create a Stripe account if I live in Nigeria?
Stripe’s country list marks Nigeria as Extended network. (Stripe, Global, checked 2026-09-03)
Stripe Support, answering a founder who asked whether they could create a Stripe account while living in Nigeria, wrote: “Currently, Stripe isn’t available in Nigeria, as we operate there through our subsidiary, Paystack.” (Stripe Support reply, 2026-08-12)
That is the documented status for a native Stripe merchant account in Nigeria: Stripe points to Paystack instead.
The dated country page is /blocked/stripe-nigeria.
Is Paystack the same as a Stripe account?
No. Stripe Support describes Paystack as the subsidiary it operates through in Nigeria, and says Stripe itself is not available there. (Stripe Support reply, 2026-08-12)
Whether Paystack covers a particular product (SaaS billing, a specific integration, a particular customer country) is a Paystack question. This page does not describe Paystack’s product limits.
What does Stripe require for a US business account?
To open a Stripe business account in another country, Stripe requires a legal entity registered in that country, a tax ID, a physical location that can receive mail (not a P.O. box), a phone number, government-issued ID, a working website, and a physical bank account in that country that “can’t be a virtual bank account.” (Stripe, Requirements to open a Stripe account in another country, checked 2026-09-03)
A US LLC plus EIN can meet the US entity and US tax ID items on that list. They do not, by themselves, open Stripe. The bank account Stripe asks for is a physical account in the Stripe-account country, not a virtual account.
If the representative is not a US individual and has no SSN or ITIN, Stripe expects a local non-US tax ID and documentation that the person is not a US taxpayer. (Stripe, Business representative tax ID requirements for US companies, checked 2026-09-03)
Mercury and founder residence in Nigeria
Mercury states it is “unable to open accounts for founders living in any of the countries and regions listed below” and includes Nigeria on that list. (Mercury, Prohibited countries, checked 2026-09-03)
A US LLC plus EIN does not change that residence rule. EIN.LLC introduces you to a US business bank; each bank applies its own KYC, including residence restrictions. (EIN.LLC pricing)
Where the EIN.LLC offer helps
The step EIN.LLC covers is US LLC formation and the EIN application ($399 plus the state filing fee, one time). (EIN.LLC pricing)
The IRS requires you to form the entity with the state before applying for an EIN. International applicants whose principal place of business is outside the United States apply by phone, fax, or mail — not online. (IRS, Employer Identification Number; IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4, checked 2026-09-03)
After that, Stripe’s remaining checklist and Stripe’s approval still apply.
