Namibia vs Nigeria
Crypto regulation comparison
Namibia
Nigeria
Namibia enacted the Virtual Assets Act (Act 10 of 2023) establishing a comprehensive licensing framework for VASPs. The Bank of Namibia is designated as regulator. Crypto is legal but not legal tender. No specific crypto tax framework yet.
Nigeria has the highest crypto adoption rate in Africa and among the highest globally. After the CBN banned banks from servicing crypto exchanges in 2021 (driving activity to P2P), the ban was lifted in December 2023. The SEC Nigeria now regulates digital asset exchanges and issuances under its Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP). Nigeria's progressive rates up to 25% applies to crypto disposals.
Key Points
- Virtual Assets Act (Act 10 of 2023) signed into law July 2023
- VASPs must obtain licenses from Bank of Namibia to operate
- Provisional licenses granted to first two exchanges in 2025
- Non-compliance penalties up to NAD 10 million and 10 years imprisonment
- Crypto is not legal tender but merchants may accept at their discretion
Key Points
- CBN lifted the 2021 banking ban on crypto in December 2023
- SEC Nigeria oversees VASPs under the Investments and Securities Act and ARIP
- Progressive rates up to 25% applies to profits from crypto asset disposals according to Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (eff. Jan 2026)
- Nigeria ranks among the top 5 globally for crypto adoption (Chainalysis index)
- P2P trading dominates the market; Binance and other platforms face regulatory scrutiny