ELIX LLP

ELIX LLP PROPERTY BRIEF | BEFORE YOU BUY — SERIES 4

OU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MILLIONAIRE TO START PLANNING FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP.

For many salary earners and business owners, the bigger question isn't:

“Can I afford to pay for a house today?”

It is:

“Can I structure a mortgage that I can responsibly repay?”

Nigeria has several mortgage-financing pathways, including the National Housing Fund (NHF), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN's) Diaspora Mortgage and the MREIF programme, alongside financing from private mortgage banks and commercial banks.

For example, FMBN currently states that eligible NHF contributors can access up to ₦50 million at 6% for up to 30 years, subject to the applicable requirements.

MREIF currently advertises mortgages at 9.75% p.a., up to ₦100 million and up to 20 years, with minimum equity contributions from 10%, subject to eligibility and participating-institution requirements.

But remember:

A mortgage is not free money.

Before committing yourself, understand the interest rate, tenor, equity contribution, repayment obligations, fees and the legal status of the property.

🏠 Your dream home may begin with understanding your financing options.

🔴 ELIX LLP Property Brief — Before You Buy Series 4

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.elixlp.com
📱 +234 906 312 3229

Need legal guidance before buying or financing a property? Consult ELIX LLP.

FREE ZONES IN NIGERIA: ARE YOU LEVERAGING THE OPPORTUNITY?

Nigeria's Free Zone regime provides businesses and investors with a unique platform for manufacturing, trade, logistics, exports and investment.

Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority - NEPZA currently lists 42 Free Zones and over 500 licensed Free Zone enterprises operating across the country.

But what makes Free Zones attractive?

🚢 KEY ADVANTAGES

🔹 Tax and fiscal incentives
🔹 Duty-free importation of eligible raw materials and equipment
🔹 Simplified customs procedures
🔹 Repatriation of capital, profits and dividends
🔹 Up to 100% foreign ownership
🔹 Access to international markets
🔹 Infrastructure and logistics advantages
🔹 Opportunities for manufacturing, oil & gas, agribusiness, logistics, ICT and other approved activities.

⚖️ BUT THERE IS A LEGAL PROCESS.

Operating in a Free Zone requires the appropriate NEPZA registration and operating licence, and businesses must operate within approved activities and comply with applicable regulatory requirements.

💡 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

A Free Zone can be more than a location.

It can be a business strategy for reducing operating costs, facilitating exports, attracting foreign investment and expanding into international markets. The and owned businesses are taking advantage and leveraging on Free Zones to eliminate import and export duties, tax liabilities as well as sell their goods at a cheaper price.

As a Nigerian business owner, are you considering a FREE ZONE for your business?

💬 Comment “FREE ZONE” and let's start the conversation.

For Free Zone licensing, investment structuring and regulatory advisory:

Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria -CITN
Corporate Affairs Commission
Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board
Nigeria Revenue Service - NRS

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.elixlp.com
📱 +234 906 312 3229

Today, the ELIX LLP family celebrates our Founding Partner, Maduka Fidorocks Onwukeme Esq., MCIArb., ACTI, ACIS, Notary Public, on his birthday.

Building a professional institution requires more than legal knowledge. It requires vision, resilience, discipline, courage and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

These qualities have been central to the journey of ELIX LLP and to the vision of building a firm capable of delivering specialised professional services to a diverse clientele in Nigeria and across borders.

Sir, we celebrate your leadership and the legacy you continue to build.

May the new year bring greater accomplishments, fulfilment, wisdom and opportunities for meaningful impact.

🎉 Happy Birthday from everyone at ELIX LLP!

Join us in wishing our Founding Partner a happy birthday in the comments. 👇

ELIX LLP TAX TITBIT THURSDAY

4 TAX REFORM LAWS EVERY NIGERIAN BUSINESS OWNER SHOULD KNOW

What changed from 1 January 2026?

Nigeria's tax system has entered a new regulatory era.

The four major Tax Reform Acts provide a new framework for taxation, administration, revenue collection and coordination among tax authorities.

1️⃣ Nigeria Tax Act 2025

This is the principal substantive tax legislation and consolidates many of the rules governing taxation in Nigeria.

It affects areas including CIT, CGT, VAT, deductions, exemptions, incentives and other taxes.

2️⃣ Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025

This provides the framework for registration, assessment, filing, payment, audits, objections, enforcement and tax administration.

3️⃣ Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025

This establishes the Nigeria Revenue Service - NRS and provides the institutional framework for federal tax administration.

4️⃣ Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025

This strengthens coordination between relevant tax authorities and provides an institutional framework for cooperation in tax matters.

📊 KNOW YOUR KEY TAX RATES

VAT — 7.5%

CIT — 30% for large companies, with qualifying small companies subject to the applicable exemption.

CGT — generally 30% for companies subject to the 30% CIT rate.

PAYE/PIT — progressive rates of 0% to 25%.

And compliance doesn't stop at knowing the rates.

Businesses need to pay attention to VAT returns, PAYE remittances, CIT returns, withholding tax obligations, record keeping, assessments and other periodic filings.

💡 WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

The reforms are intended to create a more streamlined tax system, reduce overlapping taxes, improve administration and increase certainty and transparency for taxpayers.

But for business owners, the practical question is:

“What do these changes mean for MY business?”

That's where proper tax review and planning become important.

📩 Need help reviewing your business's tax position under the new regime? Contact ELIX LLP Tax Consultants.

ELIX LLP
Attorneys • Arbitrators • Tax Consultants • Notary Public

ELIX LLP ENERGY LAW SERIES | The Power & Electricity Brief Series 2

NIGERIA'S POWER SECTOR IS CHANGING. ⚡🇳🇬

The Electricity Act 2023 introduced a significant shift in the legal architecture of Nigeria's electricity sector by opening greater space for State participation in electricity markets and regulation.

Today, the regulatory landscape increasingly involves both Federal and State institutions, depending on the nature and geographical scope of the electricity activity. Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission confirms that States may establish regulatory authorities for intrastate electricity activities, while NERC continues to exercise federal regulatory functions under the Act.

For businesses and investors, this creates important legal questions around:

⚡ Licensing
🏭 Generation assets
🔌 Distribution
⚖️ Regulatory jurisdiction
📑 Compliance
💰 Investment risk
🌍 Energy infrastructure

And there is another important issue: electricity generation depends on underlying energy resources and infrastructure, meaning regulatory decentralization does not necessarily mean every aspect of the energy value chain is decentralized.

Our latest ELIX LLP Power & Electricity Brief examines these changes and their implications.

What does the Electricity Act 2023 mean for the future of Nigeria's power sector?

👇 Tell us what you think.

ELIX LLP PROPERTY BRIEF | BEFORE YOU BUY — SERIES 3

“But I have a Deed of Assignment!”

"That's important, but is it enough?"

"Not necessarily."

A Deed of Assignment generally evidences the transfer of whatever interest the seller is able to assign. It does not, by itself, establish that the seller has good and transferable title.

Before signing and paying, investigate:

📑 The root of title
📑 Previous title documents
📑 Survey information
📑 Registration and relevant consents
📑 Encumbrances, litigation and competing claims

The document you sign is only as good as the title behind it.

💡 Don't just verify the document. Verify the title.

🔴 Need help investigating a property before you buy? Consult ELIX LLP.

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.elixlp.com
📱 0906 312 3229

ELIX LLP BUSINESS MONDAY | THE CHINESE ARE HERE — BUT WHAT DOES NIGERIAN LAW SAY?

The recent controversy over traders allegedly moving into Nigeria's retail market has sparked a much bigger conversation about foreign participation in the Nigerian economy.

But here's the legal history many people may not know:

In the 1970s, Nigeria deliberately restricted foreign participation through the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decrees.

The 1977 framework broadly divided businesses into:

🔴 Exclusive Enterprises — 100% Nigerian participation

🟠 Major Participation Enterprises — minimum 60% Nigerian participation

🟡 General Participation Enterprises — minimum 40% Nigerian participation

Then came the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission *(NIPC) Act 1995, which fundamentally changed Nigeria's investment policy.

Foreign ownership was generally liberalised outside the statutory Negative List.

Section 23 of the NIPC Act allows for 100% profit repatriation by foreign business owners so far as the capital importation is registered by the Central Bank of Nigeria and a Certificate of Capital Importation (CCI) Issued.

The NIPC Act also incentives foreign investment through provision of granting tax holidays or exemption from taxation by the Nigeria Revenue Service - NRS as well as creation of Free Trade Zones (FTZs) with tax exemptions and or local currency regulations.

But here's the part that matters today: Foreign Ownership comes with a lot of perks but does not equal unrestricted operations or benefits.

A foreign-owned business may still have to comply with Nigerian corporate, sectoral, tax and immigration requirements.

Foreign nationals working in Nigeria may require appropriate Expatriate Quota, employment visa and CERPAC/residence authorisation from the Nigeria Immigration Services, depending on their circumstances.

So the question is not simply:

“Should foreigners be allowed to invest?”

The legal questions are:

👉 What activity are they conducting?

👉 Is foreign participation permitted?

👉 Are the required permits in place?

👉 Are foreign employees permitted to be resident or employees within Nigeria?

👉 Are local businesses and consumers protected by applicable competition and regulatory rules?

That's where law meets economic policy.

💬 What is your view on foreign participation in Nigeria's retail sector?

Follow ELIX LLP for practical Nigerian business-law insights.

ELIX LLP IP Conversations

YOUR BUSINESS NAME IS NOT THE SAME THING AS YOUR TRADEMARK

You registered your business with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

You got your certificate.

You started trading.

You built your reputation.

But here's the question:

Did you protect your brand as a trademark?

Many Nigerian businesses assume that registering a company or business name automatically gives them exclusive rights over the name as a brand.

It doesn't.

CAC registration and trademark registration serve different legal purposes.

Company/Business Name Registration

It establishes your business or company under the applicable corporate registration framework.

Trademark Registration

It provides legal protection for a distinctive mark used to distinguish your goods or services, subject to the requirements of trademark law.

Why does this matter?

Imagine spending years building “ABC” into a recognised brand, only to discover that another business has registered a similar trademark covering the goods or services you operate in.

Your business registration alone may not provide the brand protection you assumed you had.

Business registration gets your business recognised.
Trademark protection helps protect the brand you build.

IP TIP FROM ELIX LLP:
If your brand matters to your business, don't wait until there's a dispute before checking its trademark position.

Have you checked yours?

Follow ELIX LLP for more practical conversations on Intellectual Property, Business Law, Tax, Property and Corporate & Commercial Law.

ELIX LLP TAX TITBIT THURSDAY

Nigeria’s New Tax Laws: What Changed from 1 January 2026?

Nigeria’s tax landscape has undergone significant reform.

From 1 January 2026, the new tax framework introduced important changes affecting businesses, employees, individuals, investors and other taxpayers.

🔴 What should taxpayers know?

For businesses:

1. A new framework for tax administration and compliance;
Changes to the treatment and administration of VAT, withholding tax and other taxes;

2. Revised rules on tax deductions, exemptions and incentives;

3. Increased emphasis on proper records, taxpayer identification and digital administration;

4. New compliance requirements that businesses need to incorporate into their accounting and payroll systems.

For individuals:

1. A new progressive personal income-tax structure;

2. The first ₦800,000 of chargeable income is taxed at 0%;

3. Subsequent income is taxed progressively at 15%, 18%,
21%, 23% and 25%, depending on the applicable band.

4. The new regime also introduces changes concerning rent relief, bonuses, gratuity, severance and other forms of income.

📊 New Personal Income-Tax Bands

₦0 – ₦800,000 → 0%
₦800,001 – ₦3,000,000 → 15%
₦3,000,001 – ₦12,000,000 → 18%
₦12,000,001 – ₦25,000,000 → 21%
₦25,000,001 – ₦50,000,000 → 23%
Above ₦50,000,000 → 25%

💡 ELIX LLP TAX TIP

The new tax regime is not simply about new tax rates. It changes how taxpayers are identified, assessed, administered and required to comply.

Businesses and individuals should review their tax position and compliance processes rather than waiting until a tax issue arises.

Stay informed. Stay compliant.

ELIX LLP ENERGY LAW SERIES | The Power & Electricity Brief

How does the Aba Integrated Power Project work?

The Aba Integrated Power Project demonstrates how private investment, structured financing, regulatory oversight and carefully allocated contractual risks can come together to support large-scale electricity generation and distribution in Nigeria.

In this edition, we highlight asset ownership, funding, regulatory oversight, the legal framework and risk allocation behind the project.

Swipe through the flyer to learn more.
APL Electric Company
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission