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The short answer
No. As at October 2026 there is no income tax treaty between Australia and Nigeria: Nigeria is not among the 47 jurisdictions on the Australian Treasury's income tax treaties page (updated 24 March 2026), and Australia is not among the 16 treaties Nigeria lists as in force in FIRS Information Circular 2022/15. Double taxation is still relieved one-sidedly: an Australian resident can generally claim the foreign income tax offset (FITO) for Nigerian tax actually paid on income that Australia also taxes.
What the two official lists show
Each country publishes the treaties it has in force. Neither list includes the other.
| Australia's list | Nigeria's list | |
|---|---|---|
| Published by | Australian Treasury, income tax treaties page | FIRS Information Circular 2022/15 (11 May 2022) |
| Number in force | 47 jurisdictions (Taiwan's agreement is noted as of less than treaty status) | 16 treaties |
| Includes the other country? | No, Nigeria is not listed | No, Australia is not listed |
| Countries on both lists | United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, China, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, the Philippines, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Italy | Same; Nigeria's Italy treaty covers air and shipping income only |
Nigeria's circular dates from 2022 and the tax authority is now the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), which replaced FIRS. We found no later NRS list that adds Australia. Treasury's page lists only treaties in force; it does not mention any negotiation with Nigeria.
What a treaty would normally do, and what you lose without one
- A tie-breaker for dual residents. Treaties decide which country gets first claim when both treat you as resident. Without one, you can be resident in both under each country's own rules. Nigeria's tests include having a permanent home available or "substantial economic or immediate family ties" there, so a family home in Lagos matters.
- Lower withholding tax caps. Nigeria's treaty partners can claim reduced withholding rates on dividends, interest and royalties by filing a certificate of residence with the tax authority. Without a treaty, Nigeria's domestic rates apply. PwC's summary (reviewed 29 May 2026) gives 10% on dividends, interest and rent.
- Rules on which country may tax which income. Treaties allocate taxing rights for things like employment and business profits. Without one, each country applies its own law.
- A formal dispute route between the two tax authorities, which does not exist here.
How double tax is relieved without a treaty
On the Australian side: the FITO
The ATO says an Australian resident must declare foreign income and can claim a foreign income tax offset if they have paid the tax overseas and have records to prove it. It adds that "the foreign country must have taxing rights over the income", that the offset "will not always be the same as the tax you paid overseas", and that if you claim more than $1,000 you must first work out your offset limit. The FITO is not a treaty benefit, so the absence of a treaty does not stop you claiming it. Our guide to claiming the FITO for Nigerian tax sets out the records you need.
On the Nigerian side
A diaspora guide to Nigeria's 2025 tax reforms published on the NiDCOM site says a unilateral tax credit is available even without a treaty. It is a third-party guide and says it is not advice, so confirm with the NRS before relying on it if you are taxed as a Nigerian resident on Australian income.
Worked example: Nigerian interest, no treaty
Example only, with invented figures. Ada is an Australian tax resident and not a temporary resident. Her Nigerian fixed deposit pays ₦500,000 interest and the bank withholds 10%, ₦50,000, leaving ₦450,000. Using an illustrative rate of ₦1,000 per A$1:
- Gross interest declared in Australia: A$500 (the full ₦500,000, not the net amount).
- Nigerian tax paid: A$50, supported by the bank's statement or withholding tax credit note.
- Her claim is under $1,000, so she does not need to work out the offset limit first; the offset may still be less than A$50 if Australian tax on that income is lower.
- No treaty means there is no reduced Nigerian rate to claim; the 10% is what applies under Nigerian law.
Practical points
- Keep evidence of every Nigerian tax deduction: bank statements showing withholding, credit notes, NRS receipts.
- Convert both the income and the tax to Australian dollars using the ATO's conversion rules.
- If you could be resident in both countries, read both residency tests before assuming one; see whether Nigeria taxes you while you live in Australia.
- Recheck Treasury's page before each tax year; treaties are added rarely, but it is the only authoritative list on the Australian side.
If you are moving between the two countries
The years when you arrive in Australia or return to Nigeria are where the missing treaty bites hardest. Without a tie-breaker, each country applies its own residency test for the same months, and you could be treated as resident by both. Keep travel dates, a record of where your home and family were, and tenancy or ownership papers for any home in Nigeria. Those facts decide residency in both systems, and they are hard to rebuild later. Our guide to the Australian residency tests covers the Australian side.
Where Pryme fits
Nothing about a treaty changes how you hold money. If you keep naira in Nigeria, a Pryme account's statements and verifiable receipts and statements through VerifyDoc.ai give you a clean record of interest and charges for your Australian return. See multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
Does Australia have a double tax agreement with Nigeria?
No. Nigeria is not on the Australian Treasury's list of income tax treaties (updated 24 March 2026), and Australia is not on Nigeria's list of treaties in force.
Will I be taxed twice on Nigerian income in Australia?
Not necessarily. If you are an Australian resident and Nigeria taxed the income, you can generally claim the foreign income tax offset for the Nigerian tax actually paid, with records.
Can I claim a reduced Nigerian withholding tax rate as an Australian resident?
No treaty rate applies. Reduced rates are for residents of Nigeria's treaty partners; without one, Nigeria's domestic rates apply.
Which countries does Nigeria have tax treaties with?
FIRS Circular 2022/15 lists 16 in force, including the UK, Canada, South Africa, China, France and Spain; Italy covers air and shipping only. Australia is not one of them.
Sources
- Treasury: Income tax treaties (updated 24 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FIRS Information Circular 2022/15 on claiming tax treaty benefits (KPMG-hosted copy, 11 May 2022) · accessed Oct 2026
- ATO: Australian resident for tax purposes, foreign and worldwide income (updated 15 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Nigeria, individual residence (reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Nigeria, withholding taxes (reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NGEX Diaspora Guide to the Nigeria tax reforms 2026 (hosted by NiDCOM, Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.