Nigerians may want to consider investing in properties in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This is because Zug, a city in Switzerland, has ranked as the best city that has effectively preserved individual wealth over the past decade, according to Multipolitan’s, Wealth Preservation Cities Index report of 2015–2025.
The report also indicates that Abu Dhabi in the UAE as well as Dubai has been ranked as the top two tax friendly cities for 2025, for having a very affordable tax climate with broader economic and legal frameworks essential to long-term wealth planning.
The report titled ‘Wealth Report 2025: The Taxed Generation’ offers key insights into which cities are best positioned to preserve and protect wealth in today’s evolving global landscape.
As Nigeria’s private wealth segment expands and more families build cross- generational assets, the report offers a practical framework for identifying jurisdictions that offer not just low tax exposure, but long-term access to international markets, regulatory certainty, and sustainable wealth structures.
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It reflects the growing trend among high-net-worth families which is wealth preservation, access to the world’s GDP and investment that enhances global mobility, not necessarily the ‘Japa’ movement.
Global mobility is now not simply for migration purposes, but a strategy to secure access to international markets, educational opportunities, and asset protection.
The findings also provides timely intelligence for Nigerian investors where wealth can be protected for emerging high-net-worth individuals and wealth managers can navigate an increasingly complex economic environment.
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Other cities in the wealth preservation ranking
Other cities in the wealth preservation index after Zug in Switzerland are Hong Kong, and Basel which are as the cities that best preserved purchasing power over the last decade.
The other cities are San Francisco (United States), Singapore (Singapore), Tel Aviv (Israel), Seattle (United States), Sydney (Australia), Luxembourg City (Luxembourg), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Reykjavik (Iceland), Copenhagen (Denmark), Vaduz (Liechtenstein), Frankfurt (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden), Munich (Germany), Victoria (Seychelles), Macau (China), Wellington (New Zealand), Vancouver (Canada), Melbourne (Australia), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Vilnius (Lithuania), Dubai (UAE), and Dublin (Ireland).
In addition, the Sustainable Cities Index 2025, shows that Wellington, Copenhagen, and Singapore are recognised for their climate resilience, digital infrastructure, and future-focused planning.
Other cities in the tax-friendly ranking
For cities ranked as tax-friendly, asides Abu Dhabi and Dubai are five other gulf cities: Manama, Doha, Kuwait City, Riyadh, and Muscat, which were listed among the top 20.
These cities were recognised for their investor- friendly tax regimes, legal stability, and strong governance.
The others in the list are: Doha, Zurich, Hong Kong, Kuwait City, George Town, Hamilton (Bermuda), Macau, Riyadh, Stockholm, Bucharest, Port Louis, St. John’s, Muscat, Prague, Sofia, and Tallinn.
According to Nicholas Michael, group head of market development at Multipolitan,
“After a decade in private banking, one truth has stuck with me: Where you place your wealth can matter just as much as how you grow it”.
“The UAE and Singapore aren’t just attracting capital, they’re protecting it through fiscal prudence and stable governance”.
“The report is a strategy document to provide insights on securing access to international markets, educational opportunities, asset protection and even lifestyle” Chee Okebalama, executive partner for Africa at Multipolitan notes.
She also asserts that “Nigerian entrepreneurs are more transnational; they seem more global opportunities. They look at the most tax-friendly cities where wealth has most been preserved, digitally ready, smart and sustainable cities who can handle the future”.
“Wealth that sleeps in uncertainty isn’t wealth, it’s risk. For Nigerian families with foresight, the focus has shifted from chasing returns to securing resilience”, Okebalama says.
In addition to city rankings, the report includes expert commentary from leading professionals in tax, wealth strategy, and cross-border planning, including former partners from EY, Deloitte, and BDO.
Their perspectives covers topics such as compliance in a transparent world, AI-driven tax strategy, and new jurisdictional opportunities across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
