Top virtual Visa cards in Africa: Free options and how to get one

A virtual Visa card lets you pay online without physical card details, but zero issuance fees do not mean zero costs. Review card options in Africa and compare their costs

Key takeaways

• Virtual Visa cards are digital cards for online purchases, subscriptions, advertising and other Visa payments
• Chipper Cash and Eversend offer USD virtual cards, with Chipper Cash charging US$5 for card creation and Eversend costing US$2.99 as a one-time fee
• Geegpay and Grey virtual cards support multiple funding currencies, including USD, GBP and EUR
• ALAT, GTBank and FirstBank offer bank-issued cards for international purchases, online payments and ATM withdrawals with varying limits
• The World Card supports 15+ local currency balances and payments in 150+ currencies as a Mastercard-powered virtual card

A virtual Visa card can give African users a digital way to pay online without relying on physical card details. The options available vary by country, card network, funding method, transaction limits and fees. For users in African markets like Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Morocco, fintech providers offer virtual USD or multi-currency cards, while banks also provide cards that can be used for online payments.

This guide discusses the top seven virtual Visa cards available to African users. It also explores the World Card by WorldFirst, which is a multi-currency card supporting payments in 150+ currencies.

What is a virtual Visa card?

A virtual Visa card is a digital payment card that uses the Visa network and can be created or accessed online or through an app. It can be used for online purchases, subscriptions and other digital payments wherever Visa is accepted globally.

Depending on the provider, the card may be funded through a digital wallet, a foreign currency balance or a linked bank account. Some cards are prepaid, while bank-issued credit cards can provide access to an approved credit limit.

Head-to-head comparison: virtual cards in Africa

*Fees checked in September 2026

Top virtual Visa cards in Africa

1. Chipper Cash USD virtual card

Chipper Cash provides a prepaid USD virtual card for users in Nigeria and Ghana.^1,2,3 The card balance is separate from the Chipper wallet balance, so funds need to be transferred to the card before spending.⁴ It operates on the Visa network and can be used with merchants internationally.⁴ The prepaid card also offers built-in spending controls and comes with different spending limits for different regions such as US$5,000 per day for Nigeria and US$2,000 for Ghana.⁵

*Fees checked in September 2026

→ Read the Chipper Cash review and compare Chipper Cash alternatives to see how its virtual cards, fees and features compare

2. Geegpay virtual USD Visa card

Raenest, formerly known as Geegpay, provides virtual USD Visa cards for freelancers and businesses in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.⁶ The card can be funded using USD, GBP, EUR, and more balances.^6,7

The card can be used for online services, advertising, software subscriptions and other payments at merchants that accept Visa.^6,8 Multiple cards and spending controls can also support businesses handling separate advertising or project expenses.⁶  The can be frozen or unfrozen anytime from the Raenest app. It also supports 3D Secure (3DS) authentication for eligible transactions.⁸ There’s no funding fee that applies but each transaction made via the card costs US$0.70.⁹

*Fees checked in September 2026

→ Have a look at the Raenest vs Grey comparison to compare their virtual cards and fees

3. Grey virtual Visa card

Grey provides virtual Visa cards in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Morocco.^10,11 With Grey, users can create multiple cards for different spending needs, such as subscriptions, travel or business expenses.¹⁰  Each card can have its own spending limits and controls.¹⁰ The card connects directly to a USD, EUR or GBP balance, so payments are deducted automatically without manual top-ups.¹⁰

Users can use it online, in apps and at Visa-accepting merchants worldwide.¹⁰ The card can also be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay for contactless payments where supported.¹²

*Fees checked in September 2026

→ Read the Grey review and compare Grey alternatives to see how its virtual cards, fees and features compare

4. Eversend virtual prepaid Dollar card

Eversend lets businesses issue USD Visa virtual cards to team members, vendors or individual projects through its app in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.¹³ Each card can have its own spending limit and merchant controls, helping businesses keep budgets separate.¹³

Users can fund the card with USD balances or convert local currency before transferring funds for card spending.¹⁴ It can also be funded via wallet balances but money held in the wallet needs to be manually moved to the card for spending as they are not linked.¹⁵ Users can freeze or delete cards instantly when a project ends or a team member leaves.¹³

*Fees checked in September 2026

→ Have a look at the Chipper Cash vs Eversend comparison to compare their virtual cards and fees

5. ALAT by Wema Bank virtual Dollar card

Wema Bank offers a virtual Dollar card through its digital banking app, ALAT, for users in Nigeria.¹⁷ Users fund the card by converting Naira into USD at the bank’s prevailing exchange rate, with an FX markup applied during conversion.¹⁸

The card can hold up to US$20,000, remains valid for three years and can be deleted and reissued through the app.^17,19 It can be used for ATM withdrawals, international online payments and subscriptions globally wherever Mastercard and Visa are accepted.²⁰

*Fees checked in September 2026

6. GTBank Visa Classic Credit Card

The GTBank Visa Classic Credit Card is a US Dollar credit card for Nigerian customers with a GTBank USD domiciliary account.²² The card can be used to make payments in other major currencies also, but those currencies are not publicly disclosed.²² Users can make online purchases, in-store payments and spend internationally with this card wherever Visa is accepted.²²

The card is valid for three years after which it can be reissued.²² ATM withdrawals with this card are limited to US$1,000 per day, and incur a fee of US$10, while POS and online transactions have no stated limit.²² Applicants need a qualifying domiciliary account and supporting documents to get this card.²²

*Fees checked in September 2026

→ Go through this list of the best virtual credit cards in Africa

7. FirstBank Naira Credit Card

The FirstBank Naira Credit Card is an international Visa credit card with a credit limit of up to N3 million.²³ It offers up to 45 no-interest days on utilised funds, while the 2.5% monthly interest applies only to the amount used.²³

The card is accepted across 200+ countries and territories for local and international purchases, online payments and ATM withdrawals. ATM withdrawals carry a 3% fee.²³

Cardholders can monitor transactions through FirstMobile and access 24-hour card support.²³ The card also provides a quarterly cross-border limit of US$10,000.²³ A Platinum variant of the card is also available for credit limits of N1 million or more.²³

Pricing: N1,000 issuance fee²³

*Fees checked in September 2026

The World Card: a Mastercard-powered business payment card for global operations

The World Card is a Mastercard-powered virtual card by WorldFirst, an international payments provider. It is designed for business spending and draws directly from balances held in the World Account rather than providing a credit line.

The World Account is a multi-currency account. A business can fund the account by receiving international payments into its 15+ local currency accounts or transferring money into the account. Once funds are available, they can be held in supported currencies and used through the World Card.

When a card payment is made, the relevant currency balance is used where sufficient funds are available. Payments in 15 supported currencies can therefore be made without any fees when the required balance is already held. If the transaction currency is not available, funds can be converted from another balance and applicable FX charges may apply. Businesses can apply individual spending controls to allocate budgets across employees, projects, subscriptions or business expenses while keeping spending separate.

Key features of the World Card 

• Linked to 15+ supported currency balances, including USD, GBP, EUR, CNH and AUD
• Supports payments in 150+ currencies wherever Mastercard is accepted
• Up to 20 virtual cards at no additional card issuance cost
• Individual spending controls and card freeze or unfreeze functions
• Apple Pay and Google Wallet support where available
• Xero and NetSuite integrations for reconciliation

*Fees checked in September 2026

FAQs

1. How can I get a free virtual Visa card in Africa?

A free virtual Visa card may mean zero card issuance or annual fees, but other charges can still apply. In this list, the World Card offers zero card issuance fees.

2. How do I create a virtual Visa card for free?

The process depends on the provider. It generally involves opening the relevant account, completing any required verification, funding the card or linked balance and creating the card through the provider’s website or app.

3. Which is the best virtual Visa card for Facebook Ads?

Chipper Cash, Raenest (Geegpay), Grey and Eversend offer virtual cards for Facebook ads that can be used for online advertising payments^1,6,10,13 The World Card also supports payments for online advertising, with funds drawn from the available balance in the linked World Account at no cost. Check each card’s funding requirements, transaction charges and advertising platform support before using it for recurring campaigns.

4. Which is the best virtual Visa card for Google Ads and TikTok Ads?

Virtual Visa cards from providers such as Chipper Cash, Geegpay, Grey and Eversend can support international online payments, subject to each provider’s merchant and transaction restrictions via virtual cards.^1,6,10,13 Though Mastercard-powered, the World Card can also be used for online advertising payments, with transactions funded from the available balance in the linked World Account. learn more about virtual cards for Google Ads and TikTok ads.

Sources

1. https://www.chippercash.com/chipper-card
2. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/6019377-nigeria-what-is-a-chipper-ng-usd-card
3. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/7917452-ghana-what-is-a-ghana-chipper-usd-card
4. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/8231871-fund-your-chipper-cards-directly-from-your-chipper-usd-balance-or-wallet
5. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/6424409-chipper-card-funding-spending-and-withdrawal-limits
6. https://www.raenest.com/business/cards
7. https://www.raenest.com/business/global-accounts
8. https://help.raenest.com/en/articles/9520580-raenest-dollar-card-faq
9. https://help.raenest.com/en/articles/6391318-usd-virtual-card-charges-on-raenest
10. https://grey.co/cards
11. https://support.grey.co/en/articles/13404475-why-can-t-i-create-a-visa-card
12. https://support.grey.co/en/articles/13165606-faqs-on-visa-cards
13. https://eversend.co/business/cards
14. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/9220938-how-to-fund-add-money-to-the-eversend-usd-virtual-card
15. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/9388305-is-my-eversend-wallet-balance-connected-to-my-usd-virtual-card
16. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/8185032-eversend-virtual-card-fees
17. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524985-what-is-the-virtual-dollar-card-
18. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000689466-prepaid-cards-faq
19. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524987-what-is-the-maximum-amount-i-can-have-in-my-dollar-account-
20. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524986-can-i-use-my-virtual-dollar-card-for-a-money-transfer-
21. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524976-how-much-does-a-wema-prepaid-card-cost-
22. https://www.gtbank.com/personal-banking/cards/dollar-credit-cards/gtbank-visa-classic-credit-card
23. https://firstbankgroup.com/ng/personal/cards/credit-cards/naira-credit-card/
24. https://support.grey.co/en/articles/5450108-conversion-fees

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice. This article should not be regarded as constituting an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any regulated or financial products or services. WorldFirst makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content, and readers are encouraged to consult with legal professionals or other professionals for advice tailored to their specific situation. WorldFirst does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of this article and expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance on this article.