How much does it cost to paint a house in Nigeria?

Updated 24 October 2026 · By the Fixgent team

Short answer

Painting labour in Nigeria runs about ₦400 to ₦900 per square metre for interior walls in 2026, or ₦12,000 to ₦25,000 per painter per day in Lagos. With paint included, budget roughly ₦1,500 to ₦4,500 per m². A full interior repaint of a flat is often ₦300,000 to ₦800,000; a whole 3-bedroom house, inside and out, can run from about ₦500,000 to well over ₦1.5 million depending on wall area and paint grade.

Typical painting prices in 2026

Job	Typical price	Notes
Interior labour, per m²	₦400 – ₦900	Walls in fair condition; repairs extra.
Paint and labour, per m²	₦1,500 – ₦4,500	Higher in Lagos and with premium paint.
Painter's day rate (Lagos)	₦12,000 – ₦25,000	Per painter.
Emulsion paint, 20 litres	₦25,000 – ₦45,000	Standard grades; premium brands cost more.
Interior repaint, apartment	₦300,000 – ₦800,000	Paint and labour.
3-bedroom house, interior and exterior	₦500,000 – ₦2.5m	Sources differ widely; wall area decides it.

Ranges are from the sources listed below, checked 24 October 2026. Prices move with fuel, parts and exchange rates; always confirm the price before work starts.

Why quotes differ so much

The biggest factors are the wall area (not the number of rooms), the paint grade and the preparation needed. Walls with cracks, damp or peeling paint need scraping, filling and a primer before any colour goes on, and that can take as long as the painting itself.

What changes the price

Emulsion or textured finish. Textured and specialty finishes cost more in paint and labour.
Exterior work. High walls need scaffolding and more time.
Number of coats. A big colour change, such as dark to light, needs an extra coat.
Who buys the paint. Agree it upfront and count the buckets that arrive.

Get a fair quote

Ask for labour and paint priced separately, with the brand and number of buckets.
Agree what preparation is included: scraping, filling, sanding, primer.
Ask how furniture and floors will be covered.
For a big job, pay in stages tied to finished rooms, not everything upfront.

Get a price for painting

Describe the job and compare ID-checked artisans' prices before you book. Payment is held until the job is done.

See prices

Questions people ask

How many buckets of paint does a room need?

A typical bedroom often needs one to two 20-litre buckets for two coats, depending on the room size, wall condition and paint quality.

How long does it take to paint a flat?

A two-person team can usually repaint a 2–3 bedroom flat in three to six days, longer if the walls need repairs.

Is it cheaper to pay per day or per square metre?

Per square metre makes quotes easier to compare and protects you from slow work; day rates suit small touch-up jobs.

Sources

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