The New Stamp Duties in Nigeria (2026): What You Must Pay, Why It Matters, and How to Stay Ahead

INTRODUCTION: THE TAX YOU DON’T SEE IS THE ONE THAT CONTROLS YOU

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Taxes don’t ruin people. Ignorance does. Stamp duties are not loud taxes. They don’t scream like VAT. They don’t show off like income tax. They sit quietly in documents, transfers, agreements, and transactions, waiting patiently to take their cut. And from January 1, 2026, under the Nigeria Revenue Act 2025, they’ve become sharper, clearer, and more deliberate.

As you know, every serious adult who wants peace of mind, financial control, and long-term wealth must understand the rules of the system they’re operating in. You don’t beat a system by ignoring it. You beat it by mastering it.

READ ALSO: Stamp Duties in Nigeria Just Changed Forever: What You Must Know Under the New Tax Law (2026)

SECTION 1: WHAT STAMP DUTY REALLY IS

Stamp duty is a transaction tax. Simple. Anytime value changes hands and it’s captured in writing or digitally, government wants proof and payment. That proof is stamping. That payment is stamp duty. You can pretend it doesn’t matter, but the law doesn’t pretend back.

Think of stamp duty like gravity. You don’t see it, but everything obeys it. Contracts, property, shares, loans, insurance, receipts, transfers – they all fall under its pull.

SECTION 2: THE BIG SHIFT – WHAT CHANGED IN 2026

The Nigeria Revenue Act 2025 didn’t reinvent stamp duty. It disciplined it. Rates are now clearer. Liable persons are defined. Exemptions are narrowed. Enforcement is tighter. Digital transactions are fully captured.

The message is blunt: if it’s documented, traceable, or electronic, it’s taxable.

SECTION 3: PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE STAMP DUTIES (THE HEAVIEST HITTER)

TABLE 1: PROPERTY-RELATED STAMP DUTIES

Instrument	Rate	Who Pays	Key Exemptions
Conveyance / Transfer on Sale	1.5%	Transferee	Property ≤ ₦10m
Mortgage / Security	0.375%	Mortgagee	Property ≤ ₦10m
Lease (≤7 years)	0.78%	Lessee	Annual value ≤ ₦1m
Lease (>7 years)	3%	Lessee	Same
Transfer of Mineral Assets	2%	Transferee	None

ILLUSTRATION:
You buy a ₦50m property in Lekki. Stamp duty at 1.5% = ₦750,000. Ignore it, and you don’t own peace. You own future litigation.

SECTION 4: LOANS, MORTGAGES, AND FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Debt is a tool. But tools have rules. Loans, bonds, debentures, overdrafts – they attract stamp duties depending on structure.

TABLE 2: LOAN AND CAPITAL DUTIES

Instrument	Rate	Liable Person
Loan Capital	0.125%	Borrower
Nominal Share Capital	0.75%	Company
Bonds / Debentures	0.375%	Security Holder

CASE STUDY:
A company raises ₦200m as loan capital. Stamp duty = ₦250,000. That’s not punishment. That’s the cost of access.

SECTION 5: SHARES, SECURITIES, AND MARKET TRANSACTIONS

The market rewards speed, but government rewards records. Contract notes, options, and transfers are all taxed.

TABLE 3: FINANCIAL SECURITIES

Instrument	Rate
Marketable Securities	0.225%
Contract Notes	0.08%
Option Notes	0.04%

SECTION 6: EVERYDAY TRANSACTIONS YOU IGNORE (BUT GOVERNMENT DOESN’T)

Receipts. Transfers. Cheque leaves. Guarantees. These small ₦50 and ₦500 charges look harmless. But multiply them by millions of transactions daily, and you see why government cares.

TABLE 4: DAILY TRANSACTIONS

Instrument	Duty
Electronic Transfer ≥ ₦10,000	₦50
Receipt ≥ ₦10,000	₦50
Cheque Leaf	₦50

MORAL:
If you transact digitally, you’re visible. Visibility brings responsibility.

SECTION 7: INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Insurance is protection. Stamp duty is the admission fee.

TABLE 5: INSURANCE CONTRACTS Policy Type	Rate
Life Insurance	0.075%
Other Insurance	0.075%
Marine Insurance	₦500

SECTION 8: WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOUR LIFE (NOT JUST YOUR BUSINESS)

Taxes reflect structure. Structure creates stability. Stability gives freedom. When you understand stamp duties, you price better, negotiate smarter, and sleep better.

SECTION 9: HABITS THAT KEEP YOU SAFE UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM

Document everything properly
Budget stamp duties upfront
Stamp early, not late
Work with professionals
Respect small charges

SECTION 10: CONCLUSION – CONTROL THE RULES OR THE RULES CONTROL YOU

Money respects structure. Government respects compliance. Freedom respects discipline. Stamp duty isn’t the enemy. Ignorance is. Learn the rules. Apply them. Teach others. And return here for more financial clarity that actually changes your life.

CALL TO ACTION:
Bookmark this page. Share it. Apply it. And come back for deeper, sharper financial education built for people who want control, not chaos.