Numbering and timing rules
- Sequential numbering is mandatory. Every invoice carries a unique number that follows in order, so the sequence is auditable with no gaps or reuse.
- Issue on supply. The invoice must be raised when the goods or services are supplied — whether or not payment is made at that time. You do not wait for the customer to pay before issuing the VAT invoice.
Fiscalisation
Under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, taxable persons must implement the NRS-deployed fiscalisation system for issuing and reporting invoices. As the NRS rolls this out, registered businesses should plan to move their invoicing onto it rather than treating paper or ad-hoc PDFs as sufficient long-term.
Non-resident suppliers and the reverse charge
A non-resident supplier making taxable supplies into Nigeria must register and charge VAT. In the reverse-charge case, the Nigerian recipient withholds the VAT and remits it to the NRS — so VAT is still accounted for even when the supplier sits outside Nigeria.
Deadlines and penalties
- Monthly returns are due by the 21st of the month following the transaction.
- Late registration or filing: ₦100,000 for the first month and ₦50,000 for each subsequent month.
- Plus interest on any unpaid VAT.
The standard VAT rate applied on the invoice is 7.5% (VAT). Use the Nigeria VAT calculator to work out the VAT on any amount.
Generate a compliant invoice
The fastest way to hit all eight fields is to start from a structured template. The free invoice generator lets you add your business details, TIN, sequential invoice number, line items, and VAT as a separate line, then download a clean PDF — no signup, nothing stored on our servers.