How To Get Your Tax Identification Number (TIN) In Nigeria In 2026

Your Tax ID is a number you’ll need in more than one place. You might need it for a new job, a freelance contract, a tax return, or a form from your bank. Since January 2026, you no longer apply for a TIN. If you have a NIN, you already have a Tax ID, and you can find it online in a few minutes.

In this guide, we’ll explain what changed in 2026, who needs a Tax ID, how to get yours with your NIN, how to check an old TIN, and what to do if the portal can’t find you.

What changed in January 2026?

On 1 January 2026, Nigeria moved to a 13-digit Tax ID for every taxpayer under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025. The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), which replaced the FIRS, and the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) launched an online portal where you can find yours.

For individuals, the Tax ID is linked to your National Identification Number (NIN). For registered businesses, it’s linked to the CAC registration number. That’s why you retrieve your Tax ID instead of applying for one.

The NRS and JRB have also said the Tax ID won’t lead to money being deducted from your account or your account being closed. So if you’ve seen messages saying bank accounts will be frozen, you don’t need to worry.

Who needs a Tax ID?

The NRS says every taxable person needs a Tax ID. For individuals, that usually means anyone who earns income, including:

• Employees who earn a salary.
• Freelancers and self-employed people.
• Small business owners trading under their own name.
• Landlords earning rent.
• Anyone filing a personal income tax return.

If you’re a student or a dependant with no income, you don’t need to do anything right now. Your Tax ID will still be linked to your NIN when you start earning.

Under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, a taxable person who fails to register for tax can be fined ₦50,000 for the first month and ₦25,000 for each month after that. If you earn an income, getting your Tax ID now means you’ll have it ready whenever an employer, client, or bank asks for it.

How to get your Tax ID with your NIN

You’ll do this on the Nigerian Tax ID Portal at taxid.nrs.gov.ng or taxid.jrb.gov.ng. Both addresses show the same information, so you can use either one.

Before you start, have these ready:

• Your 11-digit NIN
• Your first name and last name, spelt exactly as they appear on your NIN slip
• Your date of birth as NIMC recorded it

Then follow these steps:

1. Go to taxid.nrs.gov.ng on your phone or computer.
2. Select “Individual”.
3. Under “Tax ID Retrieval Method”, choose “National Identification Number (NIN)”. If you use NIMC’s NINAuth app, you can choose “NINAuth Share Code” instead.
4. Enter your NIN and click “Retrieve Tax ID”.
5. Enter your first name, last name and date of birth, then click “Continue”.
6. Your 13-digit Tax ID will show on the screen.
7. Write it down or take a screenshot, and keep it somewhere safe.

Retrieving your Tax ID is free. The number on the screen is your Tax ID.

Watch the details. The portal checks your name and date of birth against your NIMC record, so type them exactly as they appear on your NIN slip. If you type your name the way you usually write it and NIMC recorded it differently, the portal won’t return your Tax ID.

Forgotten your NIN? Dial *346# from the phone number you used when you registered with NIMC, and your NIN will show on your screen. If you haven’t linked your NIN to your SIM yet, here’s how to link your NIN to your phone number.

How to check your TIN number

The same portal works as a lookup. If you’ve lost your Tax ID or want to confirm it, repeat the steps above, and the portal will show the same 13-digit number linked to your NIN.

If you have an older TIN, the kind FIRS or the Joint Tax Board issued before 2026, you can check it on the TIN verification page at apps.firs.gov.ng/tinverification. Choose “Tax Identification Number” as the search criteria, enter your old TIN, and click search.

Is there a code to check your TIN number?

No. The NRS and JRB haven’t published a USSD code for getting or checking a Tax ID. The only code you’ll use is *346#, NIMC’s code for getting your NIN, which you then enter on the portal. Please be careful with posts that share other codes, because they don’t come from the tax authorities.

I already have a TIN. Do I need a new one?

You don’t need to register again. Your old records should already be linked to your NIN in the new system.

What’s new is the 13-digit Tax ID. When a form, employer or bank asks for your Tax ID, get your 13-digit number from the portal and give them that.

If you had an old TIN and your records don’t match, please visit the nearest NRS office with your old TIN certificate, your NIN slip and a valid ID. They’ll help you link your old TIN to your NIN.

What to do if the portal can’t find you

If the portal shows an error, it’s usually one of these:

• Your details don’t match your NIN record: Check your NIN slip and type your name and date of birth exactly as they appear there. If NIMC recorded your details wrongly, you’ll need to correct them with NIMC.
• Your NIN isn’t active yet: If you’ve only just registered with NIMC, wait until your NIN is active, then try again.
• The portal is busy: Try again later.
• It still won’t work: Visit your nearest NRS office or your state Internal Revenue Service with your NIN slip and a valid ID. They’ll help you link your records.

What about businesses?

A registered business has its own Tax ID; you can retrieve it on the same portal. Just select Corporate, choose your business type, enter your CAC registration number, and click Retrieve Tax ID.

Kuda Business will soon have a page that explains how to get your business Tax ID and use it with your account.

Keeping your tax records in one place

Once you have your Tax ID, keep it with your other important numbers, your NIN and your BVN. If you need to find your BVN too, here’s how to check your BVN.

You’ll also need your Tax ID for tax filings, so have it ready when it’s time to file your personal income tax returns. And if you’d like to know more about what the new tax laws mean for your salary and savings, read our guide to the 2026 tax reform.

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