Reference Guide · Nigeria Tax Act 2026

Nigeria Income Tax Bands 2026

Complete PAYE rate table, thresholds, and worked salary examples — all based on the Nigeria Tax Act 2026, effective January 1 2026.

✍️ By Sunny Simonson 📅 Updated March 2026 📋 Source: Nigeria Tax Act 2026

The 2026 PAYE Tax Bands

Nigeria uses a progressive tax system — each rate applies only to the income within that band, not your entire salary. The bands below apply to your taxable income after deducting pension, NHF, rent relief, and the Consolidated Relief Allowance.

BandAnnual Taxable IncomeRateMax Tax in This Band
1st₦0 — ₦800,0000%₦0 — Tax Free
2nd₦800,001 — ₦2,800,00015%₦300,000
3rd₦2,800,001 — ₦5,800,00018%₦540,000
4th₦5,800,001 — ₦8,800,00021%₦630,000
5th₦8,800,001 — ₦13,800,00024%₦1,200,000
6thAbove ₦13,800,00026%No cap

Worked Example: ₦6,000,000 Gross Salary (No Reliefs)

₦6,000,000 — Tax Bands Applied

Band 1: ₦800,000 × 0%₦0
Band 2: ₦2,000,000 × 15%₦300,000
Band 3: ₦3,000,000 × 18%₦540,000
Band 4: ₦200,000 × 21% (remainder)₦42,000
Total Annual PAYE₦882,000
Monthly PAYE₦73,500

⚠️ No reliefs applied above. In reality, pension (8%), NHF (2.5%), rent relief (20%), and NHIS significantly reduce your taxable income — and therefore your real tax owed. WAKATAX applies all reliefs automatically.

Apply Your Reliefs. See Your Real Tax.

The bands above are just the starting point. WAKATAX does the full calculation and gives you your exact, reduced 2026 PAYE liability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tax-free threshold in Nigeria for 2026?
The first ₦800,000 of annual taxable income is taxed at 0% under the Nigeria Tax Act 2026. Any Nigerian whose income after reliefs falls below this threshold pays no income tax.
Are the bands based on gross salary or taxable income?
The bands apply to your taxable income — gross salary after subtracting all legal reliefs. This is why your actual tax is usually much lower than a simple band calculation would suggest.
Does this apply to freelancers?
Yes. The same bands apply to self-employed and freelance Nigerians. However the reliefs and filing process differ. See the Freelancer Tax Guide.