If you run a registered company in Nigeria — whether it's an LLC, PLC, or any CAC-registered entity — you're required to file a Company Income Tax return annually. This guide walks you through the entire CIT filing process on Taxly, from gathering your documents to clicking submit.
The good news: you don't need to be a tax expert. Taxly's interface collects the information, and certified accountants handle the technical filing with the Nigeria Revenue Service. Your job is to provide accurate company details and upload the right documents.
Plan requirement: CIT filing on Taxly requires a Business plan or higher. If you're on the Personal plan, you'll see a tier gate banner when you select CIT — upgrade to Business to proceed.
What to Prepare Before You Start
CIT filing requires more documentation than personal income tax. Gather these before you begin — having everything ready makes the process significantly faster.
Company Details
- Company RC Number — your Corporate Affairs Commission registration number (e.g. RC123456)
- Company TIN / Tax ID — your company's Tax Identification Number
- Date of incorporation — when the company was registered with CAC
- Business address — your registered office address
- Director / Authorised representative details — full name and contact email of the person authorising the filing
Financial Information (Optional — Taxly Can Compute)
- Annual turnover — total revenue for the tax year
- Assessable profit — net profit before tax
- WHT credits — Withholding Tax deducted by your customers during the year
Documents to Upload (PDFs)
- Audited financial statements — your annual accounts prepared by a registered auditor (required)
- Bank statements for the year — all business bank accounts covering the tax year (required)
- Asset register — list of company assets with values and depreciation (required, PDF or Excel)
- Tax computation schedule — if available; Taxly's accountants can prepare this if you don't have one (optional)
- Previous TCC or tax payment receipts — evidence of prior tax compliance (optional)
Don't have a tax computation schedule? No problem — that's one of the things Taxly's accountants prepare on your behalf as part of the filing process.
Step 1: Select CIT from the Filing Page
Log into your Taxly dashboard and click "File Taxes" in the sidebar. From the tax type cards, select "Company Income Tax (CIT)".
Note: If you see a lock banner instead of the form, your account is on the Personal plan. CIT filing requires the Business plan or Corporate plan. Upgrade your plan to access the CIT filing form.
The CIT form loads with four sections: Company Information, Financial Information, Upload Documents, and Declaration & Submission. Each section collapses and expands as you work through them.
Step 2: Company Information (Section 1)
The first section identifies your company. Here's what you'll see, as at the time of writing:
| Field | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company name | Yes | Your full registered company name as it appears on your CAC certificate |
| RC Number (CAC) | Yes | Your Corporate Affairs Commission number (e.g. RC123456) |
| Company TIN / Tax ID | Yes | Your company's Tax Identification Number |
| Date of incorporation | No | When your company was registered with CAC |
| Business address | Yes | Registered office address of the company |
| State | Yes | State where the company is registered/operates |
| LGA | Yes | Populates based on State selection |
| Director / Authorised Rep | Yes | Full name of the director or person authorised to file on behalf of the company |
| Contact email | Yes | Where filing updates and the Document ID will be sent |
Tip: Use the company's official registered name exactly as it appears on CAC documents. Mismatches between your filing name and CAC records can cause delays during NRS processing.
The State and LGA fields work as a linked dropdown — select your state first, then the LGA options populate automatically. For CIT, this typically corresponds to where your company's registered office is located.
Step 3: Financial Information (Section 2)
This section captures your company's financial data for the tax year. Here's the important part: all financial fields in this section are optional. If you don't know your exact figures or haven't completed your tax computation, leave them blank — Taxly's accountants will compute everything from your uploaded financial statements.
| Field | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual turnover (₦) | No | Total revenue for the year |
| Assessable profit (₦) | No | Net profit before tax |
| Corporate tax (₦) | No | Computed tax liability (if you know it) |
| WHT credits (₦) | No | Withholding Tax deducted by your customers — creditable against CIT liability |
| Tax year | Yes | The financial year you're filing for |
| Industry | No | Dropdown: Technology, Manufacturing, Trading, Services, Agriculture, Oil & Gas, Other |
Understanding WHT Credits
When your customers pay you, they may deduct Withholding Tax (WHT) at source — typically 5% or 10% depending on the transaction type. These WHT deductions are creditable against your CIT liability. Enter the total WHT deducted by customers during the year. You'll ideally have WHT receipts or certificates from your customers as evidence.
The Section 56 Small Company Exemption
Section 56 NTA 2025: If your company meets ALL three criteria — annual turnover ≤ ₦50M, total assets ≤ ₦250M, and you provide non-professional services — you qualify for 0% CIT. All other companies pay 30% CIT + 4% Development Levy. This hint is displayed in the form to help you understand whether the exemption applies.
If you think your company qualifies for the small company exemption, still file the return — you're just filing at a 0% rate. The exemption doesn't remove the obligation to file; it removes the tax liability.
Tip: If you're unsure about any financial figures, enter what you know and leave the rest blank. The hint text in the form confirms: "we can compute from your financials." Your audited financial statements contain all the data needed for Taxly's accountants to prepare a complete tax computation.
Step 4: Upload Documents (Section 3)
Document uploads are crucial for CIT filing. The accountants need these to verify your financials and prepare the tax computation that gets submitted to NRS.
Required Documents
- Audited financial statements — your annual accounts as prepared by a registered auditor. This is the single most important document. It contains your profit & loss, balance sheet, cash flow, and notes. PDF format, max 10MB.
- Bank statements — statements from all business bank accounts for the tax year. These verify turnover and cash movements. PDF format, max 10MB.
- Asset register — a list of all company assets showing acquisition cost, depreciation, and net book value. Used to compute capital allowances. PDF or Excel format, max 10MB.
Optional Documents
- Tax computation schedule — if your accountant has already prepared a tax computation, upload it here. If not, the form shows this note: "Taxly accountants can prepare this on your behalf if not available." This is a value-add service — Taxly handles it for you.
- Evidence of previous tax payments / TCC — receipts of prior tax payments or your previous Tax Clearance Certificate. Useful if you're claiming WHT credits or need to demonstrate payment history.
All three required documents must be uploaded. Without audited financials, bank statements, and an asset register, the filing cannot proceed. If you're still waiting for your audit to complete, wait until it's done before starting your CIT filing on Taxly.
Tip on asset registers: If your asset register is in Excel format, you can upload it directly — the upload zone accepts both PDF and Excel files for this document. No need to convert to PDF first.
Step 5: Declaration & Submit (Section 4)
The final section is straightforward. Tick the declaration checkbox to confirm:
- The information provided is true and correct
- You authorise Taxly to file this Company Income Tax return with NRS on behalf of the company
Then click "Submit CIT Filing".
Make sure the person ticking this declaration is an authorised representative of the company — typically a director or someone with a board resolution authorising them to handle tax matters.
What Happens After Submission
The post-submission flow for CIT follows the same pattern as other Taxly filings:
- "Submitted" — your filing enters the review queue immediately
- "Processing" — a certified accountant is reviewing your documents, verifying financials, and preparing the tax computation (if you didn't provide one)
- "Filed" — your CIT return has been submitted to the Nigeria Revenue Service
- "Completed" — NRS has accepted the filing
- Document ID delivered — you receive your official NRS Document ID via email and on your dashboard
Track progress from the "My Filings" section on your dashboard. Status updates happen automatically as your filing moves through each stage.
Timeline: CIT filings typically take slightly longer to process than PIT filings because of the additional complexity — audited statements need careful review, capital allowances must be computed, and the tax computation needs preparation. Expect 2 to 5 business days from submission to Document ID delivery.
CIT Filing Checklist
Use this quick-reference checklist before you submit:
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Company name matches CAC certificate exactly | ☐ |
| RC Number is correct | ☐ |
| Company TIN is correct | ☐ |
| Tax year is correct (the year income was earned) | ☐ |
| Audited financial statements uploaded | ☐ |
| Bank statements uploaded (all business accounts) | ☐ |
| Asset register uploaded | ☐ |
| WHT credits entered (if applicable) | ☐ |
| Declaration checkbox ticked | ☐ |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Filing with unaudited accounts — NRS requires audited financials for CIT filings. Draft accounts or management accounts won't be accepted. Wait for your audit to complete.
- Missing bank statements — if your company has multiple bank accounts, upload statements for ALL of them. Accountants need to reconcile total cash movements with declared turnover.
- Wrong tax year — if your financial year ends in December 2025, you're filing for tax year 2025. Some companies have non-calendar financial years — make sure the tax year matches your accounting period.
- Forgetting WHT credits — if customers deducted WHT from payments to you, those credits reduce your CIT liability. Don't leave money on the table.
- Using personal plan — CIT is only available on the Business plan or higher. If you see a lock banner, you need to upgrade before you can file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my company had no revenue this year?
You still need to file a nil return. Select CIT, enter your company details, set annual turnover to 0, upload whatever financial documentation you have (even if it shows zero activity), and submit. The obligation to file exists regardless of whether you earned income.
Do I need a tax computation schedule?
Not necessarily. If your external auditor or tax adviser has prepared one, upload it — it speeds up processing. If you don't have one, Taxly's accountants will prepare the tax computation from your audited financial statements and asset register. This is included in the filing service.
What's the CIT filing deadline?
CIT returns are due within 6 months of the end of your company's accounting year. For companies with a December year-end, the deadline is June 30 of the following year. Late filing attracts penalties — don't wait until the last day.
Does the 0% small company rate mean I don't need to file?
No. The Section 56 exemption removes your tax liability, not your filing obligation. You still must file a CIT return. Your tax computation will simply show 0% applied to your assessable profit. Filing proves your small company status to NRS.
Ready to file your company's CIT?
Get your audited financials, bank statements, and asset register together. Taxly's accountants will handle the tax computation and NRS submission on your behalf.
File CIT on Taxly →