Western Union has launched a mobile money transfer service to Nigeria, increasing the reach of Western Union payout options in the country, the company announced.

The new mobile money transfer service integrates directly with Paga, a leading Nigerian mobile payment platform with more than 1.2 million users.

Paga users now have the option of receiving Western Union money transfers directly into their Paga account. Using Paga's multichannel platform, consumers can withdraw the money by sending it to a bank account and then withdrawing the funds from an ATM, or through Paga's network of more than 4,000 agents in Nigeria. Consumers can also choose to pick up their funds at participating Western Union agent locations across Nigeria.

International money transfers for mobile collection via Paga can be initiated at westernunion.com in more than 20 countries, or at participating Western Union agent locations worldwide. The new offering complements Western Union services offered through its retail agent network of more than half a million locations around the world, including 4,900 locations in Nigeria.

According to the World Bank, Nigeria had more than $21 billion in migrant remittance inflows during 2012, representing approximately 9 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

"Western Union continues to expand its mobile footprint as part of our omnichannel strategy, which facilitates financial inclusion for consumers who may not have access to traditional banking products," Khalid Fellahi, senior vice president and general manager at Western Union Digital, said in a statement.