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The short answer
When siblings sell a family property in Nigeria, the money should be paid to the legal sellers (usually the estate's administrators or executors), costs and Nigerian tax taken off, and the balance split under a written agreement every sibling signs before the sale. Each sibling living in the UK then reports their own share: a UK resident is normally taxed on gains abroad, with credit possible for Nigerian tax on the same gain. Move each share directly to its owner rather than through one sibling's account.
Who is actually selling
A family house is rarely owned by "the family" in law. It belongs to a named person, a deceased parent's estate or, sometimes, several named co-owners. The buyer needs a seller who can give good title, and their lawyer will want to see that authority. Where a parent has died, that means probate or letters of administration, which name the people (often two or more) who act for the estate. In Lagos practice, priority goes to the spouse, then children, then parents and siblings (Mondaq, May 2024).
Siblings in the UK who are not administrators still have rights as beneficiaries, but they do not sign the sale. That is why the agreement among siblings matters more than the deed of sale.
The family agreement
Write it down, have a lawyer draft it, and have every sibling sign before the property is listed. It should say:
- Shares. Equal, or different (for example, if one sibling paid for repairs or the parents' care, or a surviving parent keeps a share).
- Minimum price and who negotiates. So no one can accept a low offer alone.
- Where the buyer pays. Into an account in the estate's or administrators' names, not a personal account.
- Deductions before sharing. Agent, lawyer, survey and consent costs, Nigerian tax, and any debts of the estate.
- Timing. How many days after completion each share is paid out, and in what currency.
- Records. A full statement of money in and out, sent to every sibling.
On the buyer's side, a sale of land with a statutory right of occupancy needs the Governor's consent; the Land Use Act makes transactions contrary to the Act void. Buyers' lawyers will ask for it, and the consent fee is usually negotiated into the deal.
Tax in Nigeria and in the UK
Nigeria
Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (from 1 January 2026), PwC's summary says capital gains of individuals align with personal income tax rates, and gains are taxable where the asset is located in Nigeria. There is a principal private residence exemption for a dwelling, available once in a lifetime. How this applies to an estate selling a deceased parent's house depends on facts; get a Nigerian tax adviser to compute it before the money is shared.
United Kingdom
A sibling who is UK resident is normally taxed in the UK on foreign gains. For 2026-27, GOV.UK gives a Capital Gains Tax annual exempt amount of £3,000 and rates of 18% within the basic-rate band and 24% above it. The UK-Nigeria double taxation convention leaves gains to each country's law, so you may be taxed in both; foreign tax credit relief can reduce the UK bill by Nigerian tax paid on the same gain. Ask an adviser how the gain is measured for an inherited asset. Our guides to UK CGT on Nigerian land and tax on a property sale in both countries work through examples.
Worked example (illustrative figures only)
| Line | ₦ |
|---|---|
| Sale price | 120,000,000 |
| Agent, legal, survey and consent costs (example) | -9,000,000 |
| Nigerian tax (example; your adviser computes the real figure) | -6,000,000 |
| Estate debts | -1,000,000 |
| Net to share | 104,000,000 |
| Four equal shares | 26,000,000 each |
If the agreement instead gave the sibling who paid for the parents' care 40% and the other three 20% each, the shares would be ₦41,600,000 and ₦20,800,000 each (₦41.6m + 3 x ₦20.8m = ₦104m).
Moving each share
Pay each sibling directly from the estate account. Routing everyone's share through one sibling's personal account creates confusion about who owns what, and a later transfer from that sibling to the others can look like a gift. For UK Inheritance Tax, gifts are generally only taxed if the giver dies within seven years and the gifts exceed the £325,000 threshold (GOV.UK), but clean records avoid the question altogether. Keep the sale agreement, the estate statement and the transfer records together; UK banks often ask for proof of source of funds on a large inbound payment. Our guide to selling Nigerian property and moving the money to the UK covers the transfer side.
When siblings disagree
Disputes usually start with one of three things: a sibling who lives in the house and does not want to leave, a sibling who paid for the parents' care and wants that recognised, or disagreement over the price. Agree how each will be handled before listing the property. Options include buying out the sibling who wants to keep the house at a valuation by an independent estate surveyor, deducting agreed care or repair costs before sharing, and setting a minimum price that needs everyone's consent to reduce.
If agreement fails, the administrators still have legal authority to sell, but they must act for all beneficiaries and account to them. A sibling who believes the estate is being mishandled can ask a lawyer about the court's supervisory powers over administrators. That is slow from the UK, so a signed agreement at the start saves years.
Where Pryme fits
Each sibling with a Pryme account can receive their share in naira and decide when to convert it with Swap, seeing the rate and the fee before approving, or keep part in naira for commitments at home. The administrators can pay each share through Send and every sibling gets the same record.
Questions people ask
Who signs when siblings sell a parent's house in Nigeria?
The executors (with probate) or administrators (with letters of administration). Other siblings are beneficiaries and should agree terms in a signed family agreement before the sale.
Do I pay UK tax on my share of a Nigerian house sale?
If you are UK resident, you are normally taxed on foreign gains. The 2026-27 annual exempt amount is £3,000 and rates are 18% and 24% (GOV.UK). Credit may be available for Nigerian tax on the same gain.
Can one sibling receive all the money and share it out?
It is possible but risky. Paying each share directly from an estate account keeps ownership clear and records clean.
Is there Nigerian tax on selling an inherited house?
Capital gains of individuals align with income tax rates under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, per PwC. Ask a Nigerian adviser how it applies to the estate before sharing proceeds.
Sources
- Mondaq: Issuance of letters of administration in Nigeria, a practical approach (29 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Land Use Act, Cap L5 LFN 2004 (PLAC Laws of Nigeria) · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Tax Summaries: Nigeria individual, significant developments (reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Capital Gains Tax rates and allowances · accessed Oct 2026
- UK-Nigeria Double Taxation Convention (in force text, GOV.UK) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Inheritance Tax on gifts · 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.