Common Tax Mistakes Nigerian SMEs Make (And How to Avoid Them)
A practical list of the most common SME tax mistakes and simple fixes that keep you compliant.
The problem: small mistakes become big headaches
Most SME tax issues come from simple mistakes repeated over time.
The good news is that most of them are easy to fix with a cleaner invoicing process.
Simple explanation: common mistakes to avoid
Here are the mistakes that show up most often and how to avoid them.
- No invoices for cash payments
- Mixing personal and business expenses
- Duplicate invoice numbers
- Charging VAT without showing it separately
- Missing customer details on invoices
Real business example
An SME mixed personal and business payments in one account and could not prove business income totals.
After separating accounts and invoicing every sale, their reports became clean and reliable.
Why this matters
These mistakes increase audit risk and make it harder to access funding.
Fixing them early protects your reputation with clients and regulators.
A calm path forward
Standardize your invoicing process so mistakes do not repeat each month.
- Use a single invoice template
- Keep personal and business funds separate
- Run a monthly invoice review
Avoid the common mistakes
ShieldInvoice keeps invoices consistent and VAT-ready so you stay out of trouble.
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