Crypto Tax 2026: How Much You’ll Pay in Nigeria 

From 1 January 2026, Nigeria will tax crypto only when you actually make money from it. The simplest way to think about it is that you are taxed only when you make a profit, not while just holding. 

Individuals use the personal income tax bands, starting with a ₦800,000 tax-free slice, then 15%, then higher bands if their gains are bigger. Losses do not trigger tax, and current guidance suggests you can only use crypto losses to offset crypto gains, not your salary.

What’s changing?

Crypto profits will fall under personal income tax. That means your rate depends on how much profit you make, and potentially your other taxable income, not a flat rate. Headlines that say 15% crypto tax are describing the first taxable band above the ₦800,000 tax-free slice. If your profit is larger, part of it can spill into higher bands of 18%, 21%, 23%, and 25%.

You are taxed only on a realised profit, which is when you sell for naira or swap one coin for another. Simply holding, often called HODLing, is not taxed.

If you end the year with a net loss from crypto, there is no crypto tax. However, the loss generally applies only within the crypto bucket of gains and cannot be used to reduce tax on your salary. Keep good records either way.

Exchanges and virtual asset providers are expected to record and report transactions, with penalties for failures. You should maintain your own logs as well.

The personal income tax bands that matter for crypto profits for individuals work like this. The first ₦800,000 is taxed at 0%. The next ₦2,200,000 is taxed at 15%. The next ₦9,000,000 at 18%. The next ₦13,000,000 at 21%. The next ₦25,000,000 at 23%. Anything above ₦50,000,000 at 25%.

A quick way to calculate your 2026 crypto tax

Step 1: Work out your net crypto profit for the year. Add all realised gains and subtract realised losses, including fees where relevant.

Step 2: Apply the personal income tax bands in order. Start with ₦800,000 at 0%, then 15% on the next ₦2,200,000, and move up to 18%, 21%, 23%, 25% only if your profit crosses those thresholds.

Step 3: File and keep records. With reporting obligations on exchanges and penalties in play, accurate documentation, such as dates, amounts, fees, and exchange rates, will save you stress.