Cost of Screeding a House in Nigeria: 2026 Price Guide

Discover the real cost of screeding a house in Nigeria in 2026. Get current prices for POP screeding paint, white cement, and labour per square metre.

Published November 2026 · Skills · by Skillnaija Team

If you are putting the finishing touches on your new building or renovating an old apartment, one major question will definitely come up: what is the cost of screeding a house in Nigeria right now? Screeding gives interior and exterior walls that ultra-smooth, mirror-like finish you admire in luxury duplexes across Lekki, Abuja, and Ibadan before applying the final coat of paint.

However, building materials and labour costs shift rapidly in Nigeria. A budget drawn up twelve months ago will leave you stranded at the market today. Whether you are a homeowner managing direct labour or an artisan looking to sharpen your knowledge of profitable trade skills in the building sector, this detailed guide breaks down current material prices, labour charges per square metre, and practical estimates for common house types.

What Is Wall Screeding and Why Does It Matter?

Wall screeding is the process of applying a fine compound—usually a blend of POP screeding paint (screed acrylic emulsion), white cement, or pre-mixed wall putty—over rough plastered blockwork. It fills pinholes, hides plastering waves, and creates a seamless, glass-smooth surface ready for high-sheen or matte emulsion.

Without screeding, applying expensive gloss or satin paint directly on standard cement plaster reveals uneven trowel lines and sand bumps. Screeding also protects your paint film from peeling early, saving you millions of naira in repetitive maintenance over time.

Current Cost of Screeding a House in Nigeria (2026 Material Breakdown)

Before hiring an artisan, you need to understand the basic materials required. The three most common materials are screeding bonding paint, white cement, and sandpaper.

• POP Screeding Paint (20L Drum): Good quality acrylic screeding bond currently ranges between ₦18,000 and ₦32,000 per drum depending on the brand (such as Dulux, Meyer, or trusted local chemical mixers). You typically need 1 drum to mix with white cement to achieve the right pasty consistency.
• White Cement (40kg or 50kg Bag): Premium imported and local white cement brands (like Super White or JK White) cost between ₦24,000 and ₦35,000 per bag.
• Waterproof/Exterior Putty: For external screeding exposed to heavy rainfall, specialized exterior weather putty costs ₦18,000 to ₦26,000 per 20kg bag or bucket.
• Sandpaper (Rolls or Sheets): Sanding paper of grades 80, 100, and 120 costs roughly ₦8,000 to ₦14,000 for a 10-metre roll, or ₦300 to ₦500 per individual sheet.
• Topcoat / Primer Paint (20L Drum): Applying an acrylic primer after sanding costs between ₦14,000 and ₦22,000 per drum.

Labour Cost of Screeding Per Square Metre in Nigeria

Labour charges depend heavily on your location and the skill level of the artisan. Screeding is back-breaking, precision work that involves applying two coats, waiting for them to dry, and dry-sanding the entire wall flat with handheld halogen lamps.

Here is what professional painters and screeders charge per square metre (m²) across Nigerian cities:

• Lagos (Island / Lekki / Ikeja): ₦800 – ₦1,400 per m² (labour only).
• Lagos (Mainland / Ikorodu / Alimosho): ₦600 – ₦1,000 per m² (labour only).
• Abuja (Maitama / Guzape / Gwarinpa): ₦900 – ₦1,500 per m² (labour only).
• Port Harcourt & Asaba: ₦700 – ₦1,100 per m² (labour only).
• Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, & Abeokuta: ₦500 – ₦850 per m² (labour only).

If you prefer an all-inclusive "material plus labour" contract, expect to pay between ₦2,200 and ₦3,800 per square metre, depending on the paint tier you select.

Estimated Cost to Screed Common House Types in Nigeria

To help you prepare a realistic bank budget, here are rough estimates for standard Nigerian residential buildings. These figures cover both interior wall surfaces (living rooms, bedrooms, lobbies, and corridors) for labour and materials, excluding the final coloured coat of paint.

1. Standard 2-Bedroom Flat

An average 2-bedroom apartment has roughly 350m² to 450m² of wall surface area.

• Materials: ₦280,000 – ₦390,000
• Labour: ₦240,000 – ₦360,000
• Total Estimated Cost: ₦520,000 – ₦750,000

2. Standard 3-Bedroom Flat

A standard 3-bedroom flat accounts for roughly 550m² to 700m² of internal wall surface area.

• Materials: ₦440,000 – ₦620,000
• Labour: ₦380,000 – ₦550,000
• Total Estimated Cost: ₦820,000 – ₦1,170,000

3. 4-Bedroom Duplex

Duplexes have high headroom staircases, double living rooms, and wider footprints, easily totaling 1,100m² to 1,500m² of wall area.

• Materials: ₦900,000 – ₦1,450,000
• Labour: ₦750,000 – ₦1,300,000
• Total Estimated Cost: ₦1,650,000 – ₦2,750,000

Builder's Tip: Always demand a sample patch before awarding the full contract. Have your painter screed a 2-metre square area in the master bedroom, sand it, and inspect it under a bright torch or bulb. If you see bumps or scratches, do not hand over the entire building.

POP Screeding vs Regular Wall Putty: Which Should You Choose?

Homebuilders often ask whether they should mix POP screeding paint with white cement on-site or buy factory-formulated wall putty in bags or tubs.

Site-Mixed POP Screeding (White Cement + Screeding Paint)

This is the most common method in Nigeria. The painter buys drums of screeding binder and blends them with bags of white cement using an electric drill mixer. It dries rock-hard, fills large plaster hollows easily, and is very economical for large projects. However, poor mixing ratios can lead to surface cracking or premature chalking.

Factory-Packed Wall Putty

Companies like Asian Paints, Berger, and Dulux sell pre-polymerized waterproof putties that only require clean water on-site. They produce an exceptionally fine powdery surface that requires minimal sanding. The downside is that they cost 25% to 40% more than manual mixing, making them better suited for high-end residential interiors.

Ways to Avoid Getting Cheated by Painting Contractors

Building in Nigeria requires vigilance. Many site owners lose money to dishonest artisans who cut corners. Keep these three rules in mind:

1. Never Buy Cheap Bonding Glue: Unscrupulous painters sometimes recommend cheap carpentry Top-Bond or diluted glue instead of proper acrylic screeding paint. Glue screeding turns brittle after two dry seasons, causing your expensive satin paint to peel off in large sheets.
2. Measure the Walls Yourself: Do not accept guesswork estimates. Use a cheap laser measuring tool or tape measure to calculate height by width for each room. Multiply total square metres by your agreed labour rate.
3. Never Skip Sanding Inspection: The hardest part of screeding is not applying the paste; it is sanding it down flat. Lazy painters rush the sanding stage. Run your open palm across the dry walls—if you feel grit or sharp ridges, instruct them to sand it again before opening the paint buckets.

Turning Practical Construction Skills into a Business

House finishing in Nigeria is a booming industry. Reliable site supervisors, professional painters, and project estimators earn dependable daily wages and subcontracts on sites from Lekki to Abuja. As young Nigerians explore the highest-paying skills in Nigeria, technical trades paired with digital project management are in high demand.

If you run a contracting team or operate a building supply store, knowing how to position your brand online helps you attract affluent homeowners. You can learn how to manage clients, run targeted adverts, and market your enterprise by studying digital marketing principles or discovering how to start a small business properly.

You can also check our curated jobs board to discover openings for site estimators, field supervisors, and project assistants across various construction and interior fit-out firms in Nigeria.

Ready to build career-ready skills that employers and clients value? Explore over 146 practical, recognized free courses on Skillnaija today and upgrade your technical and business expertise.

Frequently asked questions

How many bags of white cement do I need for a 3-bedroom flat?

A standard 3-bedroom flat in Nigeria typically requires between 14 and 20 bags of 40kg/50kg white cement for internal screeding, depending on how smooth the initial plastering was.

Can I screed external walls in Nigeria?

Yes, but you must use specialized exterior waterproof wall putty or exterior acrylic screeding compound. Standard indoor white cement mixes will absorb rainwater and peel when exposed to harsh tropical downpours.

What is the current labour price per square metre for screeding in Lagos?

In Lagos, professional screeding labour ranges from ₦600 to ₦1,000 per square metre on the Mainland and ₦800 to ₦1,400 per square metre in Lekki, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi.

Should I apply a primer after screeding before painting?

Yes. Applying an acrylic wall primer or undercoat sealer after sanding binds remaining dust particles and prevents the screeded wall from drinking excessive amounts of expensive topcoat paint.