New Tax Laws: 50 Reliefs For Workers, SMEs, Businesses

From January 1, 2026, Nigeria’s new tax framework under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025 officially took effect, introducing wide-ranging reliefs aimed at easing the burden on low-income earners, average taxpayers, and small businesses.

The reforms are designed to improve welfare, encourage compliance, and stimulate grassroots economic growth.

According to The PUNCH, the following are the reliefs that will boost the welfare of these classes of people and promote the growth of small scale businesses.

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐄

1. Exempts individuals earning the national minimum wage or less
2. Annual gross income up to N1,200,000 (translating to about N800,000 taxable income) is exempt
3. Reduced PAYE tax for those earning annual gross income up to N20 million
4. Gifts (exempt)

𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬

5. Pension contribution to PFA
6. National Health Insurance Scheme
7. National Housing Fund contributions
8. Interest on loans for owner-occupied residential housing
9. Life insurance or annuity premiums
10. Rent relief – 20% of annual rent (up to N500,000)

𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

11. Pension funds and assets under the Pension Reform Act (PRA) are tax-exempt.
12. Pension, gratuity or any retirement benefits granted in line with the PRA
13. Compensation for loss of employment up to N50 million

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐱 (𝐂𝐆𝐓) – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

14. Sale of an owner-occupied house
15. Personal effects or chattels worth up to N5 million
16. Sale of up to two private vehicles per year
17. Gains on shares below N150 million per year or gains up to N10 million
18. Gains on shares above exemption threshold if the proceed is reinvested
19. Pension funds, charities, and religious institutions (non-commercial)

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐱 (𝐂𝐈𝐓) – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩

20. Small companies (turnover not more than N100 million and total fixed assets not more than N250 million) pay 0% tax
21. Eligible (labelled) startups are exempt
22. Compensation relief – 50% additional deduction for salary increases, wage awards, or transport subsidies for low-income workers
23. Employment relief – 50% deduction for salaries of new employees hired and retained for at least three years
24. Tax holiday for the first 5-years for agricultural businesses (crop production, livestock, dairy etc)
25. Gains from investment in a labeled startup by venture capitalist, private equity fund, accelerators or incubators

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐲 – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

26. Small companies are exempt from 4% Development Levy

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐱 – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

27. Small companies, manufacturers and agric businesses are exempt from withholding tax deduction on their income
28. Small companies are exempt from deductions on their payments to suppliers

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐱 (𝐕𝐀𝐓) – 0% 𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

29. Basic food items – 0% VAT
30. Rent – Exempt
31. Education services and materials – 0% VAT
32. Health and medical services
33. Pharmaceutical products – 0% VAT
34. Small companies (N100m turnover) are exempt from charging VAT
35. Diesel, petrol, and solar power equipment – VAT suspended or exempt
36. Refund of VAT on assets and overheads to produce VATable or 0% VAT goods and services
37. Agricultural inputs – fertilizers, seeds, seedlings, feeds, and live animals
38. Purchase, lease or hire of equipment for agric purposes
39. Disability aids – hearing aids, wheelchairs, braille materials
40. Transport – shared passenger road transport (non-charter)
41. Electric vehicles and parts – exempt
42. Humanitarian supplies – exempt
43. Baby products
44. Sanitary towels, pads or tampons
45. Land and building

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭

46. Electronic money transfers below N10,000
47. Salary payments
48. Intra-bank transfers
49. for transfer of Transfers of government securities or shares
50. All documents stocks and shares