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The short answer
Stamp duty rates are set in the Ninth Schedule to the Nigeria Tax Act 2025: for example 1.5% on conveyances and transfers of property, 0.375% on mortgages, 0.78% or 3% on leases depending on term, 0.75% on share capital and fixed duties such as ₦1,000 on agreements and ₦50 on electronic transfers of ₦10,000 or more. Instruments must be stamped within 30 days of execution, and unstamped instruments cannot be used as evidence.
Ad valorem duties (as of October 2026)
Ad valorem duty is a percentage of the value in the instrument. The table reproduces the main rows of the Ninth Schedule (sections 123, 132, 135, 136 and 141), with who pays and the exemptions the Schedule lists.
| Instrument | Rate | Who pays | Exemption in the Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conveyance or transfer on sale (incl. agreement for sale of real property) | 1.5% | Transferee | Property worth ₦10,000,000 or less; transfers between associated companies with at least 90% common holding, if stamped on first purchase |
| Mortgage, bond, debenture, covenant | 0.375% | Party taking security | Mortgage rows: property under ₦10,000,000 |
| Lease (demise) | Up to 7 years 0.78%; above 7 years 3% | Lessee | Property with annual value under ₦1,000,000 |
| Capital duty on nominal share capital | 0.75% | Company | None listed |
| Capital duty on loan capital | 0.125% | Borrower | Bank overdraft; loans of 12 months or less; on-lending loans |
| Loan capital to convert or consolidate existing capital | 0.1% | Lender | None listed |
| Marketable security (all types) | 0.225% | Not stated | None listed |
| Contract notes for marketable security | 0.8% | Transferee | Broker-to-principal notes where principal is also a broker |
| Bill of exchange (other kinds) and promissory note | 0.1% | Payee | None listed |
| Insurance policy (life, on premium; and other kinds) | 0.075% | Policy holder | None listed |
| Transfer of mineral assets | 2% | Transferee | None listed |
Fixed duties
| Instrument | Duty | Who pays | Exemption in the Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agreement or contract (all types) | ₦1,000 | Beneficiary of service | Subject worth under ₦1,000,000; hire of labourers or employees; sale of goods, including hire purchase |
| Agreement or memorandum under hand | ₦500 | Beneficiary of service | As for agreements |
| Bill of exchange payable on demand; bill of lading; guarantee; letter of credit; counterpart or duplicate | ₦500 each | Varies (payee, guarantor, same as original) | Bill of lading: master's copy |
| Cheque leaf; draft; order for payment of money | ₦50 | Account owner or payee | None listed |
| Receipt for value from ₦10,000 | ₦50 | Same as the underlying transaction | None listed |
| Electronic receipt or transfer of ₦10,000 upwards | ₦50 | Transferor | Money paid into one's own account or between the same owner's accounts at the same bank |
| Marine insurance; personal injury insurance | ₦500 | Policy holder | Cover notes; household effects policies |
Exempt instruments (section 184)
- Transfers of shares in Government or legislative stocks or funds of Nigeria.
- Instruments for the sale, transfer or mortgage of a ship or vessel or any share in one.
- Instruments where the duty would be payable by a Nigerian government or its ministries, departments or agencies.
- Instruments where a consular officer would pay, if the foreign state gives Nigerian consuls the same exemption.
- Instruments executed by or for a registered co-operative society.
- Shares and securities moved between lenders, approved agents and borrowers under regulated securities lending.
- All documents relating to the transfer of stocks and shares.
- Electronic transfers or receipts below ₦10,000, salary transfers and intra-bank self-transfers.
Stamping rules and penalties
- Stamp within 30 days of execution (NTA s.125).
- An unstamped instrument is not admissible as evidence in court or arbitration (s.126).
- Failing to stamp: 10% of the unpaid duty plus interest at the CBN monetary policy rate (NTAA s.110).
- Failing to disclose all facts, or underpaying duty: ₦100,000 administrative penalty, or on conviction a ₦50,000 fine, up to three years' imprisonment, or both (NTAA s.111).
- Removing, reusing or forging stamps: up to three years' imprisonment, a fine of at least ₦2,000,000, or both (NTAA s.113).
Where an instrument covers several transactions, or several instruments cover one transaction, sections 140 and 141 set how duty is charged; where consideration is not in money, duty is charged on market value (s.142).
Worked example (illustrative figures)
A buyer pays ₦45,000,000 for a flat. Duty on the deed of assignment at 1.5% is ₦675,000, payable by the buyer as transferee, within 30 days of execution. A 3-year office lease at ₦4,000,000 a year is a lease of up to 7 years; applying 0.78% to the rent gives ₦31,200 a year of rent, or ₦93,600 over the term if duty is assessed on total rent. The Schedule does not say which rent base applies, so confirm the base with the stamping office.
The NRS has power to administer stamp duties (NTAA s.3(1)(b)), and state internal revenue services keep their powers over stamp duties connected with individuals (NTAA s.87). See federal vs state taxes, the penalties table and invoicing for receipts you issue.
How we put this together
We read the gazetted texts of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025 (Official Gazette No. 117, Vol. 112, dated 26 June 2025) section by section. The Nigeria Revenue Service website lists these Acts on its laws page, but its topic pages load in the browser and could not be read by our tools, so we worked from copies of the Gazette hosted by a third party and checked figures against the section and schedule numbers quoted here. Regulations, practice notes and orders issued after the Acts may change how a rule applies; where something depends on an order or regulation we say so. The Ninth Schedule is printed as a wide table; we checked each row against the text and left out rows that duplicate others by cross-reference. The example is ours.
Questions people ask
What is the stamp duty on property in Nigeria?
1.5% of the consideration on a conveyance or transfer on sale, paid by the buyer, under the Ninth Schedule to the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. Property worth ₦10 million or less is exempt.
Who pays the ₦50 stamp duty on transfers?
The Ninth Schedule names the transferor. It applies to electronic transfers or receipts of ₦10,000 or more, with exemptions for salary payments and transfers between the same owner's accounts at the same bank.
What is the stamp duty on a tenancy agreement in Nigeria?
0.78% for leases of up to 7 years and 3% for longer leases, paid by the lessee. Property with an annual value under ₦1 million is exempt.
How long do I have to stamp a document in Nigeria?
30 days from execution, under section 125 of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. Late stamping attracts a 10% penalty plus interest.
Sources
- Nigeria Tax Act, 2025 (Act No. 7), Official Gazette No. 117, Vol. 112, 26 June 2025 (gazetted copy) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025 (Act No. 5), Official Gazette No. 117, 26 June 2025 (gazetted copy) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria Revenue Service: Laws and regulations · 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.