Nigeria
Western Africa
Africa
A very low-cost West African economy with English as a working language, but a weak passport (~44 destinations), a long 15-year naturalization wait and weak institutions.
17
Overall score
Low · Penalty applied · 94% data coverage
Language
EnglishCurrency
NGNCitizenship
15 yearsPersonal tax
Up to 25% headlineCost of living
Consumer price level 21 (world = 100, 2025)Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.
Score breakdown
41
Access
17%39Residence12%
46Citizenship and passport5%
64
Earning power
25%64Salary and work12%
64Buying power13%
39
Business and wealth
20%46Taxes7%
36Business8%
32Investment5%
27
Daily life
25%24Quality of life18%
35Education7%
32
Rights and institutions
13%49Freedom6%
18Rule of law7%
Severe safety risk (19) cut the overall score from 42 to 24.
Healthcare collapse (15) cut the overall score from 24 to 17.
Pros
- Relative affordability score 99/100
- Human development score 56/100
- Internet use 41%
Cons
- Passport mobility score 23/100
- Institutional environment score 37/100
- Tax friendliness score 46/100
Best for
English-speaking applicantsCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route
Score profile
Access
Residence
39
Citizenship
60
Passport
24
Earning power
Salary & work
64
Buying power
64
Cost of living
100
Economy
44
Business and wealth
Taxes
46
Personal tax
55
Corporate tax
14
Business
36
Investment
32
Wealth building
54
Daily life
Safety
19
Healthcare
15
Environment
40
Infrastructure
46
Education
35
HDI
56
Rights and institutions
Freedom
49
Rule of law
18
Access
Residence
Openness to residents
39Limited
Migrant stock0.6% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.63 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
| Student | Admission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary. |
|---|---|
| Work | A local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply. |
| Self-employed | Business registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required. |
| Permanent | Eligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation. |
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
60Moderate
| Years required | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Dual allowed | Yes |
| Language | Language, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route. |
| Residence | Headline ordinary naturalization period: 15 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply. |
| Notes | This is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it. |
Passport
Passport power
24Low
47 / 198
Mobility
#94
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
- Visa-free19
- On arrival25
- eTA3
- Visa required151
Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.
Earning power
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
64Moderate
Output per worker$16,930 PPP (2024)
Unemployment3.1% (2025)
Participation82.5% of 15+ (2025)
Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$34 · $188 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$60 · $335 PPP (2024)
| Freelance | Internet use is 41%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status. |
|---|---|
| Job market | Latest comparable unemployment rate: 3.1%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector. |
Buying power
Purchasing power score
64Moderate
GNI / person$9,230 PPP (2025)
Price level21 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality33.9 Gini (2022)
Inflation23.0% / yr (2025)
Cost of living
Affordability
100Excellent
Price level21 (US = 100) (2025)
| Rent | Model benchmark: about $120 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing. |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Model benchmark: about $310 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline. |
| Cities | Lagos, Kano, Abuja |
Economy
Economic strength
44Limited
Output & income
GDP$290.8B (2025)
GDP / person$1,224 (2025)
GNI / person$9,230 PPP (2025)
GDP growth4.1% / yr (2024)
Stability & labour
Inflation23.0% / yr (2025)
Unemployment3.1% (2025)
Output per worker$16,930 PPP (2024)
Sector composition
Agriculture23.0% of GDP (2025)
Industry16.4% of GDP (2025)
Services58.2% of GDP (2025)
Main industries
Oil & gasAgricultureTelecomsFinancial servicesEntertainment (Nollywood)
Top exports
Crude oilLNGCocoaAgricultural products
| Type | Lower-middle-income, oil- and services-led |
|---|---|
| Key sectors | Oil & gas (the fiscal backbone), Telecoms & fintech, Agriculture |
| Summary | Africa's most populous nation and a leading oil producer, with a fast-growing tech, telecoms and film sector. |
| Currency | Nigerian naira |
Business and wealth
Taxes
Tax friendliness
46Moderate
| Personal | 25%*; ; * The Individual Income Tax rate is a graduated scale with top rate of 25%. The taxable income ascertained is taxable at the following rates. ; ; (a) First N800,000 at 0%; ; ; (b) Next N2,200,000 at 15%; ; ; (c) Next N9,000,000 at 18%; ; ; (d) Next N13,000,000 at 21%; ; ; (e) Next N25,000,000 at 23%; and ; ; (f) Above N50,000,000 at 25%. |
|---|---|
| Corporate | 30% for large companies; ; 0% for small companies |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary. |
| Dividends | Domestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility. |
| Exit tax | No harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules. |
| Foreign companies | Permanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply. |
Personal tax
Personal tax
55Moderate
| Personal | 25%*; ; * The Individual Income Tax rate is a graduated scale with top rate of 25%. The taxable income ascertained is taxable at the following rates. ; ; (a) First N800,000 at 0%; ; ; (b) Next N2,200,000 at 15%; ; ; (c) Next N9,000,000 at 18%; ; ; (d) Next N13,000,000 at 21%; ; ; (e) Next N25,000,000 at 23%; and ; ; (f) Above N50,000,000 at 25%. |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Freelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration. |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary. |
| Dividends | Domestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility. |
| Exit tax | No harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules. |
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
14Low
| Corporate | 30% for large companies; ; 0% for small companies |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary. |
| Dividends | Domestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility. |
| Foreign companies | Permanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply. |
Business
Business friendliness
36Limited
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.63 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-1.01 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Operating rules
| Foreign company | Foreign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks. |
|---|---|
| Local company | Local company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary. |
| Freelance | Freelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration. |
Investment
Investing environment
32Limited
Market cap30% of GDP (2025)
Private credit10% of GDP (2022)
| Capital gains | Capital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position. |
|---|---|
| Dividends | Data not available yet |
| ETFs & funds | Data not available yet |
| Wealth tax | Verify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes. |
| Brokers | Local and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding. |
| Foreign access | Data not available yet |
| Tax-advantaged | Data not available yet |
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
54Moderate
Salary & work
64Moderate
Business
36Limited
Investment
32Limited
Tax friendliness
46Moderate
Cost of living
100Excellent
Daily life
Safety
Safety & stability
19Low
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.11 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-2.00 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.
Healthcare
Healthcare score
15Low
Outcomes
Life expectancy54.6 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality115.6 per 1,000 births (2024)
Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.38 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds0.50 per 1,000 (2004)
Health spending$260 PPP / person (2023)
System & costs
| System | Public and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location. |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Insurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route. |
| Average cost | Health expenditure: $260 PPP per person (2023). |
Environment
Environment score
40Limited
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure65.7 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress9.7% (2022)
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
46Moderate
Digital infrastructure
Internet use41.2% (2024)
Internet resilience41 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed58 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed59 / 100 download index (2026)
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index
Utilities
Electricity access61.2% (2023)
Grid losses14.2% of output (2023)
Transport
Transport quality2.40 / 5 (2022)
Rail density3.9 km / 1,000 km² (2015)
Air connectivity259 departures / million people (2023)
Education
Education score
35Limited
Attainment
Expected schooling10.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling7.6 years (2023)
Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment10% gross (2011)
Education spending0.3% of GDP (2023)
| Tuition | Fees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used. |
|---|---|
| Public university | Check current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution. |
| Languages | English |
| Student work | Student employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits. |
HDI
Human development score
56Moderate
HDI0.560 (2023)
Knowledge
Expected schooling10.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling7.6 years (2023)
Rights and institutions
Freedom
Freedom score
49Moderate
| Freedom in the World | 43 / 100 (Partly free) |
|---|---|
| Freedom on the Net | 59 / 100 (Partly free) |
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
18Low
| Rule of Law percentile | 18 / 100 |
|---|
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.orgPwC: Nigeria corporate tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comPwC: Nigeria personal tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comNaturalization comparison and linked nationality lawsen.wikipedia.orgHenley Passport Index 2026 summaryen.wikipedia.org
Quick links
Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.