NBS reports 28% year-on-year rise; real estate posts sharp contraction despite overall quarterly growth…..
Nigeria’s aggregate Value Added Tax (VAT) collection rose to ₦2.28 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, reflecting sustained growth in government revenue from consumption and business activity.
The latest figures released Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics show that VAT receipts increased by 10.66 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis, climbing from ₦2.06 trillion recorded in the second quarter of the year.
According to the agency, local VAT payments accounted for the largest share at ₦1.12 trillion. Foreign VAT payments contributed ₦680.23 billion, while import VAT added ₦479.79 billion during the period under review.
On a year-on-year basis, VAT collections grew by 28.10 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024, underscoring stronger tax inflows relative to the same period last year.
“Value Added Tax (VAT) in Q3 2025 was ₦2.28 trillion, showing an increase of 10.66% on a quarter-on-quarter basis from ₦2.06 trillion in Q2 2025,” the bureau stated.
It added that local payments stood at ₦1.12 trillion, foreign VAT payments at ₦680.23 billion, and import VAT at ₦479.79 billion in Q3 2025.
A closer look at sectoral performance shows significant variations across industries. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, administrative and support service activities recorded the fastest growth rate at 89.28 percent. Arts, entertainment and recreation followed with 82.49 percent growth, while human health and social work activities expanded by 32.40 percent.
In contrast, real estate activities recorded the steepest decline, contracting by 51.33 percent. Activities of households as employers, including undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities for own use, fell by 36.22 percent, while other service activities declined by 20.30 percent.
In terms of sectoral contribution to total VAT, manufacturing emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for 25.89 percent of total collections in Q3 2025. Information and communication followed with 18.77 percent, while mining and quarrying contributed 14.85 percent.
At the lower end of the spectrum, activities of households as employers, including undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities for own use, accounted for just 0.003 percent of total VAT. Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies, alongside water supply, sewerage and waste management, each contributed 0.03 percent.
The latest data highlight both the overall expansion in VAT revenue and the uneven pace of growth across sectors within the Nigerian economy.
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