By Barnabas Esiet.
The Nigeria Customs Service has launched the automation of its excise registry, marking a significant step towards modernizing the country’s trade processes.
The Automated Excise Register System has gone live at three major excise facilities across Nigeria, including British American Tobacco Nigeria PLC in Oyo State, International Tobacco Company Limited in Kwara State, and Leaf Tobacco & Commodities Nigeria Ltd in Kaduna State.
The system is designed to reduce reliance on manual documentation, eliminate inconsistencies in data reporting, and enhance transparency across the excise value chain.
With live operations now active, all excise-related transactions at the pilot factories will be handled exclusively through the ERS, including production recording, duty computation, and report generation.
According to Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS National Public Relations Officer, the pilot phase achieved notable successes, including a 75% efficiency score during user acceptance testing at British American Tobacco Nigeria, successful integration of production and reporting systems, and strengthened collaboration between the NCS and factory management teams.
The NCS is calling on industry operators and stakeholders to support the reform and provide constructive feedback as the system is expanded nationwide.
The service seeks stakeholders’ support in building a more robust and transparent excise regime that fosters compliance, enhances operational efficiency, and guarantees sustainable revenue growth for the Federal Government.
The launch of the ERS is a central pillar of the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader Trade Modernisation Project, aimed at creating a more accountable and technology-driven excise administration framework.
The system will be extended to cover other excise-regulated industries, including beverages, spirits, and additional segments of the manufacturing sector.
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