By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria generated N2.96 trillion from company income tax (CIT) in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Q3 figure shows an increase of 6.55 per cent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N2.78 trillion in Q2 2025.
The NBS data revealed that domestic CIT received was N1.21 trillion, while foreign CIT payment was N1.75 trillion in Q3 2025.
The rise came ahead of the January implementation of the tax reform, which analysts said could significantly increase tax revenue. The government hopes to leverage the reform to significantly increase the tax revenue.
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, arts, entertainment and recreation activities recorded the highest growth rate with 41.98 per cent; followed by accommodation and food service activities, and mining and quarrying with 37.11 per cent and 15.36 per cent, respectively.
On a year-on-year basis, CIT collections in Q3 2025 increased by 67.19 per cent from Q3 2024.
On the other hand, activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least with –83.88 per cent, followed by Financial and insurance activities (–79.72 per cent) and construction (–66.52 per cent).
In terms of Value Added Tax (VAT), collections also rose sharply, reaching N2.28 trillion in Q3 2025 from N1.77 trillion in the same quarter of the previous year, the NBS report showed.
VAT grew by 10.66 per cent quarterly from N2.06 trillion recorded in Q2 2025, driven largely by manufacturing, information and communication and mining/quarrying.
A breakdown of the N2.28 trillion generated in Q3 showed that local payments accounted for N1.12 trillion. Foreign VAT payments stood at N680.23 billion, while import VAT contributed N479.79 billion.
Sectoral analysis revealed that manufacturing recorded the largest share of VAT at 25.89 per cent in Q3 2025. Information and communication followed at 18.77 per cent, while mining and quarrying accounted for 14.85 per cent.
Together, the three sectors contributed more than half of the total VAT generated in the quarter.
In terms of growth performance, administrative and support service activities recorded the highest quarter-on-quarter increase at 89.28 per cent.
Arts, entertainment and recreation followed with 82.49 per cent growth, while human health and social work activities rose by 32.4 per cent.
However, not all sectors recorded gains. Real estate activities posted the sharpest decline, contracting by 51.33 per cent quarter on quarter.
Activities of households as employers and undifferentiated goods and services producing activities of households for own use fell by 36.22 per cent, while other service activities dropped by 20.3 per cent.
The report noted that activities of households as employers and undifferentiated goods and services producing activities of households for own use recorded the lowest VAT share at 0.003 per cent.
This was followed by activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies, and water supply, sewerage and waste management, which accounted for 0.03 per cent each.
Overall, the year-on-year comparison shows a striking rebound in both corporate and consumption-based tax revenues, signalling stronger taxable activities and improving compliance across key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
