Nigeria · FIRS VAT Return
Nigeria VAT Return — box-by-box guide
Nigeria's VAT rate was raised from 5% to 7.5% under the Finance Act 2019, effective February 2020. Unlike most VAT regimes, Nigeria has no registration threshold — every business that makes taxable supplies must register with the FIRS and file monthly returns by the 21st of the following month. HelloBooks applies the correct 7.5% rate, flags exempt items automatically, and pre-populates the FIRS VAT Return from your ledger transactions.
FIRS VAT Return — box reference
| Box | Label | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Box 1 | Total value of taxable supplies (7.5%) | Total value of goods and services supplied that are subject to 7.5% VAT, net of VAT. Includes all domestic taxable sales other than zero-rated or exempt items. |
| Box 2 | VAT output (7.5%) | VAT charged on taxable supplies — Box 1 × 7.5%. This is the VAT collected from customers and remittable to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). |
| Box 3 | Zero-rated supplies | Exports of goods and qualifying international services taxable at 0% under the VAT Act. No output VAT arises; input VAT on related costs is recoverable. |
| Box 4 | Exempt supplies | Supplies specifically exempt under the First Schedule to the VAT Act — including basic food items (rice, bread, vegetables, fruit, eggs, fish, meat), books, newspapers, baby products (diapers, formula), life-saving medicines, and residential accommodation. |
| Box 5 | Total value of taxable purchases | Total value of purchases on which 7.5% Nigerian VAT was charged by suppliers. Basis for computing recoverable input VAT. |
| Box 6 | Input VAT recoverable | VAT paid on business purchases that can be offset against output VAT. Under the Nigerian VAT framework, input credit is allowed only on VAT paid on goods and services used in generating taxable supplies. |
| Net VAT | Net VAT remittable | Box 2 minus Box 6. The net amount is remitted to the FIRS by the 21st of the following month. Nigeria does not provide VAT refunds for excess input credits in most cases — excess credits carry forward. |
Key facts for Nigeria VAT
- Standard rate
- 7.5% (raised from 5% — Finance Act 2019, effective February 2020)
- Zero rate
- 0% — exports and qualifying international services
- Key exemptions
- Basic food, books, baby products, medicines, residential accommodation
- Filing frequency
- Monthly
- Deadline
- 21st of the month following the tax period
- Registration threshold
- None — all businesses must register
- Filing portal
- FIRS e-Tax Pay (etaxpay.firs.gov.ng)
- Governing authority
- Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
- Governing law
- Value Added Tax Act Cap. V1, LFN 2004 (as amended)
Page last reviewed: 2026-06-16.