The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has clarified that small-scale investors in the capital market are fully exempted from paying capital gains tax, while the 2026 tax reform law is aimed at protecting low-income earners and increasing disposable income.
Oyedele made the disclosure at the Cowry Quarterly Economic Discourse themed “Nigeria in 2026: Will Politics Trump Economic Reform?” where he addressed concerns and misconceptions surrounding the new tax regime. According to him, the law provides automatic capital gains tax exemptions for individuals whose total proceeds from asset disposal do not exceed N150m, provided the gain is not more than N10m within 12 months.
“The law says everyone is entitled to an exemption on capital gains tax. If the proceeds are not more than N150m and the gain is no more than N10m in 12 months, the exemption is automatic, with no explanation and no conditions attached,” Oyedele said.
He added that pension fund administrators and real estate investment trusts also enjoy exemptions, provided the proceeds are reinvested. High-net-worth individuals only become liable to capital gains tax when they exit investments permanently without reinvesting.
