Nigeria · Retire or live on savings
Retiree in Nigeria (N5A)
Retirement Visa (Retired in Nigeria) – N5A
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) is a retire or live on savings route for Nigeria. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 10 days
Time and long term
Permanent residenceConditions
This visa leads to a residence permit with indefinite stay.
CitizenshipAfter 15 years of residence
Naturalisation under section 27 of the Constitution needs 15 years of continuous residence in Nigeria, or 12 months of continuous residence plus at least 15 years in total in the 20 years before that. You must also show good character and an intention to be domiciled in Nigeria.
ProcessingUp to 10 days
The Nigeria Immigration Service Service Level Agreement sets a target of 10 days for the visa, counted from enrolment (interview and biometric capture).
Where to applyFrom abroad
Apply online and enrol at a Nigerian embassy.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Nigeria, not after arriving
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Nigeria
- Only from age 65
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is aged 65 or over.
- The applicant retired in Nigeria after at least 20 years of work there.
Documents3
- Evidence of the previous temporary residency visa is required where applicable.
- A medical insurance certificate is required.
- A passport valid for six months is required.
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
Multiple-entry retirement visa for foreign nationals aged 65 or over who retired in Nigeria after at least 20 years of service there. 1 2
What you must show
- Income · Proof of retirement income. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is aged 65 or over. 1
- The applicant retired in Nigeria after at least 20 years of work there. 1
- Evidence of the previous temporary residency visa is required where applicable. 1
- A medical insurance certificate is required. 1
- A passport valid for six months is required. 1
Stay
- Residence permit with indefinite stay.
Work
Permitted to reside in Nigeria.
Family
Dependants apply under N6A, N6B, N6C and N6D.
Official sources
- Retirement Visa (Retired in Nigeria) – N5A · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Permanent Residence Visa (PRV) category · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27 · Federal Republic of Nigeria (published by the National Human Rights Commission) · checked 2026-10-11
Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) | – | – | Yes |
| Retiree from abroad (N5B) | – | 2 yr | No |
| Own-means residence card Morocco | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| PR · Financially independent South Africa | Needs assets of ZAR 12M+ ≈ $725k | – | – |
| Retired non-citizen permit Mauritius | Needs income of $2,000+ a month | 10 yr, renewable | No |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A)?
Residence permit with indefinite stay.
How long does the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) take to process?
The Nigeria Immigration Service Service Level Agreement sets a target of 10 days for the visa, counted from enrolment (interview and biometric capture).
Can I work on the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A)?
Yes. Permitted to reside in Nigeria.
Can I bring my family on the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A)?
Dependants apply under N6A, N6B, N6C and N6D.
Does the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) lead to permanent residence in Nigeria?
This visa leads to a residence permit with indefinite stay. Time on the Retiree in Nigeria (N5A) counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 15 years of residence.
More in Nigeria
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ 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 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
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.
- Retirement Visa (Retired in Nigeria) – N5A · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Permanent Residence Visa (PRV) category · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27 · Federal Republic of Nigeria (published by the National Human Rights Commission) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. 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.