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The short answer
A gain on Nigerian property is Nigerian-source and taxable in Nigeria even if you live in the UAE. Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 an individual's chargeable gain is added to income and taxed at personal income tax rates, with a top marginal rate of 25%, instead of the old flat 10%. The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, so we found no UAE tax on the same gain.
Many Nigerians in the UAE own land or a house at home, and sooner or later sell it: to buy elsewhere, fund a business or simply release cash. The Nigeria Tax Act 2025 changed how the gain is taxed. This guide explains the computation, who collects from a non-resident, and the paperwork, using the sources listed.
Why Nigeria taxes the gain
Nolands' September 2026 note on non-resident individuals explains that section 17(1) of the Act makes the income, profits or gains of a non-resident that accrue in or are derived from Nigeria chargeable. Property in Nigeria is about as Nigerian-source as a gain can be, so living in Dubai does not take it outside Nigerian tax. No Nigeria-UAE treaty is shown as in force, and under most treaties gains on land are taxable where the land is anyway; see the treaty's status.
How the gain is taxed now
Bloomberg Tax's analysis of the Act (2 February 2026) sets out the main changes for individuals:
- The flat 10% capital gains tax for individuals ends. Gains are added to income and taxed at personal income tax rates, with a top marginal rate of 25%.
- The first ₦800,000 of total income is exempt.
- Gain is the sale proceeds less acquisition cost, enhancement capital spending and incidental costs such as legal, valuation, brokerage, advertising and stamp duty.
- There is no indexation for inflation.
- A principal private residence has a one-time exemption, including up to one acre of land.
- Inheritance is not a chargeable disposal; heirs take the property at its market value at death. A gift is treated as a disposal at market value.
Two points are unsettled for non-residents. We did not find confirmation that a non-resident individual gets the ₦800,000 zero band, and whether a home you no longer live in qualifies as a principal private residence depends on the facts. Ask an adviser before relying on either. Our Nigeria library covers capital gains tax under the 2025 Act in more depth.
A worked example
Example only, with illustrative figures: you bought a plot in 2016 for ₦30,000,000 and paid ₦1,500,000 in legal and survey fees. You built a fence and gatehouse for ₦4,000,000. In 2026 you sell for ₦80,000,000 and pay ₦3,000,000 in agency and legal fees.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale proceeds | ₦80,000,000 |
| Less acquisition cost | ₦30,000,000 |
| Less acquisition fees | ₦1,500,000 |
| Less enhancement spending | ₦4,000,000 |
| Less selling costs | ₦3,000,000 |
| Chargeable gain | ₦41,500,000 |
The check: 80,000,000 minus 30,000,000, 1,500,000, 4,000,000 and 3,000,000 is 41,500,000. That gain is added to your other Nigerian income for the year and taxed at the personal income tax rates. Because the top marginal rate is 25%, the tax cannot exceed 25% of the gain, ₦10,375,000; the actual figure depends on the bands and your other Nigerian income. Keep receipts for every cost, because a cost you cannot evidence may not be allowed.
Who collects it, and when
Nolands says the NRS is the authority for non-resident individuals: non-passive income requires registration with the NRS Non-Resident Persons Tax Office and a Tax ID, and non-residents file personal income tax returns with the NRS by 31 March of the following year. Check with the NRS how the gain is to be reported and paid, and keep the proof of payment, because buyers, lawyers and the land registry may ask for evidence that tax has been dealt with.
Stamp duty is a separate charge on the buyer. An April 2026 analysis of the Act's Ninth Schedule puts duty on a conveyance on sale at 1.5%, payable by the transferee, with an exemption where the property is worth ₦10,000,000 or less.
The UAE side
The u.ae portal states that "the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals". We found no UAE tax on an individual resident's gain from Nigerian property. If you also hold residence or citizenship elsewhere, that country's rules may apply.
Moving the proceeds
A large sale sum moving out of Nigeria, or into it from a UAE buyer, will attract source-of-funds questions; the sale agreement and evidence of tax paid answer most of them. Keep the naira in Nigeria if you plan to reinvest there. If you plan to take the money out, check the rules on your channel first, because naira sent abroad has to be converted, and the rate and fee you get are what determine the final sum. For the transfer side, see documents for large transfers.
Where Pryme fits
Sale proceeds can be received into a Pryme naira account, held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, and converted with Swap when you choose. A verifiable statement can show a bank or buyer exactly what was received. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve.
Questions people ask
Do I pay capital gains tax in Nigeria if I live in Dubai?
Yes on Nigerian property. Gains derived from Nigeria are chargeable for non-residents under section 17(1) of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025.
What is the capital gains tax rate in Nigeria for individuals now?
There is no longer a flat 10% for individuals. Gains are added to income and taxed at personal income tax rates, with a top marginal rate of 25%.
Does the UAE tax my gain on Nigerian property?
The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, and we found no UAE tax on such a gain.
Who pays stamp duty on a property sale in Nigeria?
The buyer. An analysis of the Act's Ninth Schedule puts it at 1.5% of a conveyance on sale, with an exemption at ₦10,000,000 or less.
Sources
- Mondaq (Nolands): Taxation of non-resident individuals in Nigeria (30 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Bloomberg Tax: Nigeria's capital gains tax changes under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (2 Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Odubunmi, NAU Journal of Public and Private Law: Stamp duties under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- u.ae: Taxation · 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.