Nigeria
Nigeria ECOWAS free movement
ECOWAS free movement (citizens of ECOWAS member states)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
ECOWAS free movement is a long-stay route for Nigeria. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Only for passports from 11 countries
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The person is a citizen of an ECOWAS member state other than Nigeria.
- ECOWAS citizens have the right to reside in another member state to seek and carry out paid employment.
- The right of establishment covers non-salaried activities and running a company on the same terms as nationals of the host state.
Documents1
- Entry needs a valid passport or other valid travel document and an international health certificate.
Steps5
- Visits of up to 90 days are visa-free; staying longer needs permission for an extension from the immigration authority.
- Citizens who want to reside must obtain an ECOWAS residence card or a residence permit from the host immigration department.
- The applicant receives a receipt for the application, and processing may not delay the start of a job contract.
- Jobs in the civil service are excluded unless the host state's own laws allow ECOWAS citizens to take them.
- The Nigeria Immigration Service offers online application, renewal and status checks for the ECOWAS Residence Card.
What happens at day 183
How Nigeria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in 12-month period including leave and temporary absenceSojourn in Nigeria counts as one of six alternative limbs of resident individual status; a person with none of the limbs and fewer than 183 days is non-resident.
- Foreign-source income
Resident status turns on any one of the domicile, permanent place, habitual abode, family-and-economic-ties, 183-day or diplomat limbs; the Act taxes residents on worldwide income without a remittance condition (s.12).
All tax rules for Nigeria Tax records checked
Full official text
Citizens of other ECOWAS member states have a treaty right to reside in Nigeria to take up paid employment, on obtaining an ECOWAS Residence Card. 1 2 3 4 5
Requirements
- The person is a citizen of an ECOWAS member state other than Nigeria. 4 1
- ECOWAS citizens have the right to reside in another member state to seek and carry out paid employment. 2
- The right of establishment covers non-salaried activities and running a company on the same terms as nationals of the host state. 3
- Entry needs a valid passport or other valid travel document and an international health certificate. 1
- Visits of up to 90 days are visa-free; staying longer needs permission for an extension from the immigration authority. 1
- Citizens who want to reside must obtain an ECOWAS residence card or a residence permit from the host immigration department. 2
- The applicant receives a receipt for the application, and processing may not delay the start of a job contract. 2
- Jobs in the civil service are excluded unless the host state's own laws allow ECOWAS citizens to take them. 2
- The Nigeria Immigration Service offers online application, renewal and status checks for the ECOWAS Residence Card. 5
Stay
- Visa-free entry for up to 90 days; longer residence needs an ECOWAS residence card or a residence permit.
- Visa-free entry up to 3 months: Valid travel document and international health certificate.
- Residence: ECOWAS residence card or residence permit from the host immigration department.
Nationality
Citizens of the other ECOWAS member states: Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Open to: Benin, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
Work
Right to reside to seek and carry out paid employment, and to set up non-salaried activities and companies on the same terms as nationals; civil service jobs are excluded unless host-state law allows them.
Official sources
- ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10 · published 1979-05-29
- ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/7/86 on the Second Phase (Right of Residence) · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10 · published 1986-07-01
- ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol A/SP.2/5/90 on the Third Phase (Right of Establishment) · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10 · published 1990-05-29
- ECOWAS Member States · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10
- ECOWAS Residence Card online services · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2025-08-06
ECOWAS free movement and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECOWAS free movement | – | – | – |
| East African free movement Kenya | – | – | – |
| East African free movement Rwanda | – | 6 mo | No |
| ECOWAS free movement Ghana | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the ECOWAS free movement?
Visa-free entry for up to 90 days; longer residence needs an ECOWAS residence card or a residence permit.
Can I work on the ECOWAS free movement?
Right to reside to seek and carry out paid employment, and to set up non-salaried activities and companies on the same terms as nationals; civil service jobs are excluded unless host-state law allows them.
Who can apply for the ECOWAS free movement?
Citizens of the other ECOWAS member states: Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Open to: Benin, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
How are ECOWAS free movement holders taxed in Nigeria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the ECOWAS free movement. The standard rules apply: Under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, in force from 1 January 2026, income, gains and profits of a resident individual are chargeable in Nigeria wherever they arise and whether or not brought into Nigeria; rates run from 0% on the first N800,000 to 25% above N50,000,000.
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- ECOWAS Protocol A/P.1/5/79 on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10
- ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/7/86 on the Second Phase (Right of Residence) · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10
- ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol A/SP.2/5/90 on the Third Phase (Right of Establishment) · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10
- ECOWAS Member States · ECOWAS Commission · checked 2026-10-10
- ECOWAS Residence Card online services · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.