Most digital nomad visa guides assume a US, UK, or EU passport. This list checks seven programs against Nigerian passports first, and it names other passports only where an official list does. Each entry shows the income test, the length of stay, and the extra steps a Nigerian applicant may face. The information is current as of October 25, 2026.
Each program was checked for Nigerian eligibility and for any visa needed before applying. The income proof each one asks for is listed. Programs with lower income tests come first, and later entries add higher tests or more consulate steps. For a wider comparison of thresholds, see income requirements by country.
The seven programs
1. Cape Verde Remote Working Program
Cape Verde runs one of the few nomad programs that names West African passports as eligible. The official Visit Cabo Verde page lets citizens of ECOWAS countries apply. Europe, North America, and Portuguese-speaking countries are also listed. Nigeria and Ghana are both ECOWAS members.
- Money test: an average bank balance of EUR 1,500 over the last six months, or EUR 2,700 for a family. Some guides describe this as monthly income, but the official wording refers to a bank balance.
- Stay: six months to start, with a six-month renewal available.
- Documents: proof of remote work or foreign clients, health insurance for the full stay, a place to stay, and a clean criminal record.
- Tax: several guides report that foreign earnings are exempt from Cape Verdean income tax under the program.
Applications are made online, and the program launched in 2020. The total fee was reported at about EUR 54 at launch, though the official page does not publish a current figure. Holders cannot take work with Cape Verdean companies. The Cape Verde guide covers costs and visa options on the islands.
Best for: ECOWAS passport holders with savings but a lower monthly income than most European programs require.
2. Mauritius Premium Visa
Mauritius offers a free visa of up to one year to remote workers paid from outside the island. The visa can be renewed, according to the Economic Development Board FAQ. The FAQ is dated November 2023, so the board’s current page should be checked for changes.
The board lists countries whose citizens can apply before they travel. Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and India appear on that list, and Nigeria is absent. Citizens of unlisted countries enter on a tourist visa and apply during their stay. Sources disagree on how Nigerians enter Mauritius, since some list visa on arrival and one lists visa-free entry. A Mauritian embassy can confirm the rule.
- Income: USD 1,500 per month per adult and USD 500 per dependent child, shown with three months of bank statements.
- Cost: free, with no processing fee.
- Stay: more than six months and up to one year, renewable. A return ticket and health insurance are part of the application.
- Rules: holders may not enter the Mauritian labour market. Money deposited in a Mauritian bank account can be taxed unless the holder shows tax was paid abroad.
The Mauritius guide covers living costs and other visa options on the island.
Best for: workers with a steady USD 1,500 income who want a free, one-year start.
3. Brazil Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV)
Brazil accepts nomad applications from countries whose citizens need a visa. A Brazilian embassy page states that nationals who require a visa may request the digital nomad visa. Nigerian citizens need a Brazilian visa for entry, according to passport-index data.
- Income: USD 1,500 per month, or USD 18,000 in savings, according to Brazil’s foreign ministry.
- Stay: 12 months, renewable once, for a maximum of two years.
- Where to apply: a Brazilian embassy or consulate. Brazil has an embassy in Abuja and a consulate general in Lagos.
- Limits: the visa does not lead to permanent residency, and holders cannot work for Brazilian companies or clients.
Some Brazilian posts do not process the nomad visa. Confirm with the Abuja embassy or Lagos consulate before paying for translations or insurance. The fee also varies by nationality. A Brazilian law firm notes that spending 183 days in Brazil within 12 months can create tax residency, so day counts matter. The Brazil visa guide walks through the application steps.
Best for: applicants who want a two-year Latin America base with a moderate income bar.
4. Kenya Class N Digital Nomad Permit
Kenya added the Class N permit in its 2024 immigration regulations. A law firm reported it operational by April 2025. Kenya also dropped visa requirements for citizens of African states other than Libya and Somalia, according to Clyde & Co. Nigerian citizens fall inside that rule.
- Income: sources disagree. One law firm reported USD 24,000 a year in early 2025, and one database lists USD 55,000. A March 2026 legal article says recent policy checks for steady foreign income and names no fixed figure.
- Fees: USD 200 to process, plus USD 1,000 per year on approval, according to two law firms. A third reported USD 100 per year.
- Stay: one or two years, renewable.
- Documents: three months of bank statements or payslips, proof of accommodation, and police clearance. One firm also listed a no-objection letter from the home country’s embassy.
Freelancers should plan carefully. A Kenyan law firm says officers examine self-employed applicants closely. Some may be moved to another permit class with different rules. Staying more than 183 days in a 12-month period may also create Kenyan tax residency. The Nairobi guide covers daily costs and the permit.
Best for: African passport holders who earn from one or two foreign employers and can document steady income.
5. Costa Rica Digital Nomad Stay
Costa Rica created its nomad stay through Law 10008. The stay lets remote workers live in the country for a year. Guides report no Costa Rican income tax on foreign earnings.
Nigerian applicants face an extra step. Costa Rican immigration lists a consular or restricted visa as a basic requirement for nationals of countries that need one. Two guides list Nigeria among the consular-visa countries.
- Income: USD 3,000 per month for one person, or USD 4,000 with dependents, as reported from the official requirements.
- Stay: one year, with one renewal for a total of two years.
- Insurance: a health policy valid in Costa Rica for the whole stay.
- Processing: immigration first promised a decision within 15 calendar days, but a September 2026 report says real waits run longer.
The consular visa comes before the nomad application, so Nigerian applicants should allow extra months. The stay does not lead to permanent residency. The Costa Rica visa guide covers the process in more detail.
Best for: workers on US time who can document USD 3,000 a month and wait through a longer paperwork timeline.
6. Croatia Temporary Stay for Digital Nomads
Croatia’s Interior Ministry opens its nomad stay to any citizen outside the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland. Nigerian citizens need a visa to enter Croatia, so the application goes to a Croatian embassy or consulate. The ministry says it rejects applications from visa-required nationals filed at a police station.
- Income: EUR 3,622.50 per month, shown with a bank statement or six months of payslips. Savings of EUR 43,470 can cover a 12-month stay.
- Stay: up to 18 months. A new application can be filed six months after the last stay ends.
- Fees: EUR 55.74 for the stay at an embassy or consulate, plus EUR 93 for the long-stay D visa.
- Documents: health insurance, proof of foreign work, and a legalised criminal-record certificate.
Applicants apply first and collect the D visa from the embassy after approval, so two steps with the mission are involved. Reports say Croatia exempts permit holders from local income tax on foreign earnings. The Croatia visa guide lists the full document set.
Best for: applicants who earn above EUR 3,600 a month and want a Schengen base for a long stay.
7. Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa
Portugal’s D8 is a residence visa for remote workers who earn from outside Portugal. All applications begin outside the country, through a consulate or its visa partner.
- Income: EUR 3,680 per month in 2026, four times Portugal’s EUR 920 minimum wage, averaged over three months.
- Savings: many guides cite EUR 11,040 in a Portuguese bank account, equal to 12 months of minimum wage.
- Insurance: health cover valid in Portugal, with at least EUR 30,000 in coverage reported.
- Stay: after arrival, the visa converts to a two-year residence permit through the AIMA agency.
The income test counts active work only. Pensions, rent, and dividends do not qualify, and the D7 visa covers those instead. Portugal’s threshold rises each January with the minimum wage. The Portugal D8 guide covers the steps in order.
Best for: higher earners who want EU residency and a stay longer than one year.
Other European options
Four more European programs are open to non-EU applicants. Nigerian citizens need a visa to enter these countries, so a consulate step applies to each.
- Spain: EUR 2,849 per month in 2026, with a one-year visa from a consulate.
- Greece: EUR 3,500 net per month. Since February 2026, the first application goes through a Greek consulate abroad, according to two guides.
- Malta: EUR 42,000 per year gross, plus a rental or purchase agreement and a police certificate, according to the Residency Malta Agency.
- Estonia: EUR 4,500 gross per month for six months, according to Estonia’s e-Residency page. Estonia’s foreign ministry lists EUR 132 per day, or about EUR 3,960 a month.
Programs left out
- Colombia: descriptions of Resolution 5477 limit the nomad visa to nationalities exempt from Colombia’s short-stay visa. Passport-index data lists Nigeria as needing a visa for Colombia, so Nigerian passports appear to fall outside the program. Colombia’s foreign ministry can confirm.
- UAE Virtual Working Programme: published income figures disagree, with USD 3,500 in some guides and USD 5,000 in others. Current rules for Nigerian applicants could not be confirmed.
Before you apply
Most programs above ask for health insurance, and most ask for a police certificate. For plan options, see health insurance for digital nomads. Partners and children follow different rules in each country, and the guide to visas with family provisions covers them. For the wider list of countries with official programs, see countries with digital nomad visas.
Cape Verde, Mauritius, and Brazil have the lowest income needs on this list. Croatia and Portugal suit higher earners who want a longer stay. Pick the program that fits your income and timeline. Then search flights to Praia, Port Louis, or São Paulo on FlyBibe and plan the trip.
Immigration and tax rules change. Confirm current requirements with the relevant embassy or a qualified professional before making plans. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice, and it reflects research done on October 25, 2026. Staying past 183 days can create tax residency in several countries listed above, so a tax professional can advise on individual cases.