From 1 January 2026 , Nigeria’s new tax laws officially took effect. While much of the public conversation has focused on income tax, one quiet but important change affects almost every property transaction in Lagos: stamp duty on leases. For years, stamp duty has sat in the background of Lagos real estate, inconsistently applied, poorly explained, and often overlooked in everyday transactions. That has now changed. This article explains what stamp duty means in 2026, what is different, and how it is already shaping real estate practice in Lagos, clearly, practically, and without legal jargon. What Is Stamp Duty in Real Estate? Stamp duty is a tax paid on certain legal documents to give them formal recognition and validity. In real estate, it applies to documents such as: Tenancy agreements Lease agreements Subleases Assignments and conveyances In simple terms, stamp duty is what makes a property document legally usable. An unstamped document may exist, but it can be diffic...