🌍 Middle East & Africa
Crypto & taxes in Nigeria
- Personal capital gains
- Digital-asset gains taxed as income at progressive rates up to 25%
- Effective date
- Nigeria Tax Act 2025 effective 1 January 2026
- Legal status
- ISA 2025 classifies crypto as securities; not legal tender
- VASP licensing
- VASPs/exchanges must register with the SEC; penalties up to ₦10m for non-compliance
Crypto regulation
Nigeria overhauled its framework with the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, signed in March 2025, which formally recognises crypto assets as securities and brings them under SEC oversight: VASPs, exchanges and digital-asset operators must register and obtain authorisation, with AML/KYC duties. Crypto is legally recognised as an investment instrument but is not legal tender, and the Central Bank (CBN) retains a supervisory role.
Taxation
Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, effective 1 January 2026, gains from digital/virtual assets fall within individuals' taxable income and are taxed at progressive rates up to 25%, replacing the prior flat 10% CGT. Losses on digital assets only offset gains of the same nature; given uncertainty over applied detail (thresholds and specific rules), residents should confirm their position with a local adviser.
Useful information
Residents must declare crypto gains as income from 2026 and transact via SEC-registered VASPs. The regime is evolving fast: non-compliant exchanges face heavy penalties (up to ₦10m in the first month and licence revocation), so choose compliant platforms and keep a full transaction record.