A Nigerian wedding(Owanbe) is a joyful occasion, but it is very expensive as all recently married couples know. Weddings that get to feature in publications such as Bella-Naija weddings cost upwards of N10m. As such a lot of loved-up couples need wedding loans in Nigeria to cover the cost of their nuptials.
A low-interest personal loan is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to fund your big day. But is it the right way for you? Here is a quick guide to the pros and cons of using a loan to pay for a wedding, as well as some tips on finding the best deal and a few alternative suggestions.
Advantages of a wedding loan
While most people are able to put some money towards the cost of getting married, the average cost of about N5m is out of reach for many couples. A personal loan offering the chance to borrow up to N5m over five years, for example, is a popular means of making up the shortfall.
You can currently borrow N1m from the best value lenders at an interest rate of around 10%. This makes a loan of this kind a relatively cheap way to access extra funds to cover the cost of your wedding.
Another benefit of taking out a personal loan is that your payments are fixed – so you can budget accordingly. You can also choose a loan with a term of between one and five (or at least three) years.
Repaying the loan within a shorter timeframe (if you can afford to) means you will pay less interest overall. A longer timeframe means a higher total interest bill, but each monthly repayment will be smaller (there’ll just be more of them).
What’s more, you can sometimes take a payment holiday of say two or three months at the start of the agreement, giving you a bit of financial breathing space if you need it as you settle into your new life of married bliss.
Disadvantages of a wedding loan
A wedding loan with an interest rate of 10% or thereabouts is a very attractive proposition. However, the rates available for those needing to borrow under N1m with no collateral generally tend to be higher.
Lenders take your credit score into account when deciding what interest rate to charge you and how much you can borrow. If you have a poor credit history, this might mean you are unable to borrow at the market-leading rates.
Only people with high credit scores will be accepted for the best deals, while those with black marks will be offered a higher interest rate or refused credit altogether.
If you are unsure about your credit score, it may therefore make sense to sign up for a free credit file checking service before applying for a wedding loan – especially as rejected applications will further damage your file.
Remember too that many of the top personal loan deals also require you to fulfil certain criteria – for example being a supermarket rewards cardholder – to qualify for the headline interest rate.
Alternatives to a wedding loans in Nigeria
If you are disciplined enough, you can therefore borrow the money to pay for at least some of your wedding completely free of charge. Ajo/Esusu is a great option for anyone needing to borrow a smaller amount – particularly given the higher interest rates on personal loans of under N100,000.
Finding the right wedding loan
A lot of people will not be able to pay for a wedding and buy a home at the same time – so what are people opting to prioritise?
Whatever type of loan you choose, shopping around for the cheapest deal is the best way to ensure that you pay as little as possible for credit.
You can do this quickly and easily by using our loan search to compare hundreds of different loans from a wide range of lenders. All you have to do is enter a few details such as your name, your annual income and the amount you want to borrow.
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