How to Get a Tax ID (TIN) in Nigeria Online Using Your NIN

Your Tax ID in Nigeria is now your NIN (for individuals) or your CAC registration number (for businesses) — you don't apply for a new number, you retrieve it. As of September 2026, the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) and Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) run a single portal, taxid.nrs.gov.ng, where you enter your 11-digit NIN and your name and date of birth exactly as captured by NIMC, and it shows you a 13-digit Tax ID in under a minute. It's free, it replaced the old TIN system on 1 January 2026, and you never need to visit a tax office or pay anyone to get it.

Quick facts: TIN vs the new Tax ID

Source: Nigerian Tax ID Portal Goes Live, FCT Internal Revenue Service, checked September 2026.

What changed: your Tax ID is now tied to your NIN

Nigeria's tax system was overhauled on 1 January 2026 under the Nigeria Tax Act and the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, which also renamed the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). One of the quieter but more useful changes: instead of juggling a separate TIN certificate, individuals now use their National Identification Number (NIN) as the base of their Tax ID, and registered companies use their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) number. If you haven't registered yet, see what CAC registration actually costs in 2026 before you start — it's less than most people assume, especially for a limited company.

The Nigeria Tax Act itself refers to this simply as your "Tax ID" — Section 155 of the Act requires anyone remitting VAT on your behalf to record your Tax ID on the return, which is one reason you'll be asked for it more often now, from opening a business bank account to bidding for a government contract. Opening that account also means producing your BVN — see how to check your BVN on any network if you don't already have it to hand.

If you already had an old 10-digit TIN, you don't need to remember it. The new portal replaces previously issued TINs — your NIN or CAC number is now the reference point tax offices, banks and government agencies check against. This is one of several changes covered in our Nigeria tax and money guides.

How to get your Tax ID online with your NIN

This is the whole process, and it takes most people under five minutes:

1. Go to taxid.nrs.gov.ng (the mirror site taxid.jrb.gov.ng works too).
2. Click the "Individual" tab on the homepage.
3. Select "National Identification Number (NIN)."
4. Enter your 11-digit NIN.
5. Click "Retrieve Tax ID."
6. Enter your first name, last name and date of birth — exactly as NIMC has them on your NIN record. A mismatch here (a nickname, a maiden name, a typo) is the most common reason the lookup fails.
7. Click "Continue." Your 13-digit Tax ID displays on screen.

That's it. The process is described step by step by the Joint Revenue Board and NRS as a self-service lookup — there's no form to submit and nothing to wait on, because the system is simply pulling the Tax ID already linked to your NIN record.

Screenshot it or write it down once it appears; the portal doesn't email it to you automatically. You'll need that Tax ID again when you register or log in on NRS's Rev360 portal to actually file returns and pay tax — taxid.nrs.gov.ng only looks up the number, it doesn't file anything for you.

Don't have a NIN yet? Do this first

If you've never enrolled for a NIN, you'll need one before you can retrieve a Tax ID, since your NIN is what the whole system checks against. Start at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) — you'll need to visit an enrolment centre in person for your biometrics (fingerprints and photograph can't be captured online), so it isn't an instant fix if you're trying to register the same day you need your Tax ID. Give yourself a few days' lead time before a tax deadline or a bank appointment that needs one. See our NIN registration cost and requirements guide for what to bring and how long it takes.

How a business gets its Tax ID

For registered companies, partnerships and enterprises, the steps run through your CAC number instead of a NIN:

1. Go to taxid.nrs.gov.ng and click the "Corporate" tab.
2. Select your organisation type (limited company, business name, incorporated trustee, and so on).
3. Enter your CAC registration number.
4. Click "Retrieve Tax ID." Your business's 13-digit Tax ID displays immediately.

If your business isn't registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission yet — say you're a sole trader running a phone accessories stall, a small catering business, or a POS agent stand — you'll need to register it with CAC first to get a registration number, which then becomes the basis of your business Tax ID. Many freelancers and small operators skip this until a client, bank or payment platform asks for a Tax ID directly; if you invoice international clients through PayPal or a similar platform, it's worth sorting out before someone asks and you're stuck doing it under time pressure.

Is retrieving your Tax ID really free?

Yes. Pulse Nigeria reported that the Nigeria Revenue Service confirmed the retrieval process is free, whether you do it online or in person at a tax office, and the same report carries an explicit warning against paying agents or third parties to "get" you a Tax ID. The official NRS/JRB notice never mentions a fee either — it's a self-service lookup against a record that already exists.

What to watch out for

• Don't pay anyone for this. If an agent, a "business centre," or a website asks for money to generate your Tax ID, they're either charging you for a free government service or running a scam outright.
• Get your name and date of birth exactly right. The lookup matches against your NIMC record letter for letter. If you've ever gone by a shortened first name or your NIN record has a spelling error, the retrieval will fail — you'll need to correct your NIN details with NIMC first, not the tax portal.
• Keep your Tax ID somewhere safe once you have it. You'll be asked for it repeatedly: opening or updating a business bank account, registering for VAT, bidding on contracts, or filing your PAYE return.
• Salaried workers on PAYE still need one. Your employer deducts and remits tax on your behalf, but you're still the taxable person on record — run your numbers through our Nigeria PAYE calculator once you have your Tax ID to see what you should be paying.
• Nigeria isn't the only country doing this. Tanzania has followed a similar path, tying TIN registration to your national ID (NIDA) number rather than issuing tax IDs separately.

Frequently asked questions

Is my old TIN still valid in Nigeria?

Your old 10-digit TIN itself doesn't disappear, but the new Tax ID system, live since 1 January 2026, replaced previously issued TINs as the reference number banks, government agencies and the NRS now use. For anything you need to do now — banking, filing, contracts — use your new 13-digit Tax ID, retrieved with your NIN.

How do I check my TIN using my NIN?

Go to taxid.nrs.gov.ng, click "Individual," select NIN, enter your 11-digit NIN plus your first name, last name and date of birth as NIMC has them, then click "Retrieve Tax ID." Your 13-digit Tax ID appears on screen — this is the same process whether you're getting it for the first time or just checking it.

Do I need a Tax ID if I don't have a registered business?

If you're an individual — salaried, self-employed informally, or a freelancer — your Tax ID is simply your NIN, converted automatically. You don't need to register a business to have one; you only need a NIN. That applies even if your income arrives from abroad through something like Payoneer — see our guide on Payoneer fees and withdrawals in Nigeria for how that income lands and what it costs to move.

What if the portal can't find my Tax ID with my NIN?

Double-check you've entered your first name, last name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your NIMC record, not how you usually write them. If it still fails, the mismatch is likely in your NIMC record itself, which you'd need to correct at a NIMC centre before the tax portal can match it.

Can I get a Tax ID without visiting an office?

Yes, for both individuals and CAC-registered businesses, the retrieval at taxid.nrs.gov.ng is entirely online and instant. You only need to visit an office in person if you're enrolling for a NIN for the first time or registering a new business with CAC.

Is there a deadline to get my new Tax ID?

No fixed deadline has been published for individuals to retrieve theirs, but since it's now the reference number for banking, contracts and tax filing, it's worth doing before you're asked for it under time pressure — especially if your name or date of birth might not match your NIMC record cleanly.