Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement (Nigeria)

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement in Nigeria governs the letting of property, fixing the rent, duration and the duties of landlord and tenant.

Short-term holiday rentals operated through online platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and local Nigerian platforms like Spleet and Shortlet Nigeria have grown substantially in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other major cities. While there is no dedicated short-term rental statute in Nigeria, property owners must comply with applicable local government hotel and guesthouse registration requirements, state hospitality regulations, and the Consumer Protection Council Act (Cap C25, LFN 2004), which protects guests from unfair terms and practices.

For tax purposes, short-term rental income in Nigeria is subject to Personal Income Tax under the Personal Income Tax Act 2011 (PITA 2011) for individual hosts and to Companies Income Tax under the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) for corporate owners. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has indicated that platform-supportd rental income is assessable, and hosts who receive payment through digital platforms may also be subject to the digital services VAT provisions introduced by the Finance Act 2020 if annual turnover exceeds the NGN 25 million VAT registration threshold.

The Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement establishes the terms of the guest's temporary licence to occupy the property, the rental fee, the security deposit, house rules, the check-in and check-out procedure, and the liability allocation for damage to the property during the guest's stay.

The legal framework governing the Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement (Nigeria) in Nigeria draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Parties executing a Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement (Nigeria) in Nigeria should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Land Use Act 1978 (Cap. L5) sets the foundational requirements.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement in Nigeria is needed whenever a property owner allows a guest to occupy their property for vacation or short-stay purposes and the parties require a written record of the terms.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement is required when a Lagos property owner lists a serviced apartment, duplex, or holiday villa on Airbnb, Booking.com, or a Nigerian short-let platform and receives bookings from domestic and international guests. The agreement protects the host against damage, overstaying, and unpaid fees.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement is needed when a corporate housing manager or real estate company provides furnished apartments in Lekki, Victoria Island, Abuja's Maitama or Wuse II, or Port Harcourt's GRA to corporate travelers, expatriates, or project workers on stays of less than one month.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement is required when a Nigerian property owner rents out their residential property for the duration of an event — such as the Lagos Carnival, Afrocentric music festivals, or international conferences — and wishes to document the terms of the short occupation.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement is needed when a guest books a beachfront property in Elegushi, Tarkwa Bay, or the Calabar waterfront for a holiday, to set out the check-in time, house rules, no-party policy, and the procedure for handling damages to furniture and appliances.

A Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement is required when a property management company manages multiple short-let units on behalf of property investors in Nigeria and requires a standard-form guest agreement to use across all managed properties.

Parties in Nigeria should prepare a Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement (Nigeria) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

A valid Nigeria Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement must contain the following essential elements to protect both the host and the guest.

Parties: Full names and contact details of the host (property owner or manager) and the guest. For corporate bookings, include the company name and CAMA 2020 RC number.

Property description: Full address of the property, including floor (if applicable), type of property (apartment, villa, bungalow), and a description of the furnished amenities included in the rental.

Rental period: Precise check-in date and time, check-out date and time, and the total number of nights. The agreement should address the consequences of overstaying without the host's prior written consent.

Rental fee: The total rental fee in Nigerian Naira (NGN), the payment schedule (typically 100% in advance for short-let bookings), the payment method (bank transfer to specified account), and the platform fees if the booking is made through a third-party platform.

Security deposit: The amount of the security deposit (typically equivalent to one or two nights' rent), the conditions under which it will be deducted (damage to property, loss of keys, excessive cleaning), and the timeline for refund after check-out.

Occupancy and house rules: The maximum number of guests permitted to occupy the property, rules regarding noise, parties, smoking, pets, and use of shared facilities, and the consequences of breach (immediate termination of the stay without refund).

Inventory: A list or schedule of the property's furnishings, appliances, and equipment, confirmed by the guest at check-in. The guest is responsible for damage to any listed item beyond fair wear and tear.

Cancellation policy: The host's cancellation and refund policy — specifying the proportion of the rental fee refundable for cancellations made before the check-in date, including any non-refundable deposit.

Liability: Limitation of the host's liability for theft, loss, or damage to the guest's personal property during the stay, subject to Nigerian Consumer Protection Council Act obligations.

Governing law: Nigerian law and the laws of the state in which the property is located.

Additional compliance elements for a Short-Term Holiday Rental Agreement (Nigeria) used in Nigeria include: Under Nigerian law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 (CAMA) regulates corporate entities through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The Labour Act (Cap L1 LFN 2004) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) govern employment disputes. The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) protect personal data. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) administers tax obligations under the Companies Income Tax Act. The Federal High Court and state High Courts have jurisdiction over civil matters. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Nigeria-compliant documentation.