Customs Launches Automated Excise Register System to Boost Transparency, Revenue

Customs Launches Automated Excise Register System to Boost Transparency, Revenue

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the live operations of its Automated Excise Register System (ERS), marking a major milestone in the Service’s ongoing trade modernisation agenda.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS said the ERS has officially gone live at three key excise factories across the country: British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) PLC in Oyo State, International Tobacco Company (ITC) Limited in Kwara State, and Leaf Tobacco & Commodities Nigeria Ltd in Kaduna State.

According to Maiwada, the ERS will now serve as the exclusive platform for recording production figures, computing excise duties, and generating statutory reports in the pilot factories.

“With this development, all excise-related transactions will henceforth be managed digitally, thereby reducing manual documentation, eliminating data inconsistencies, and enhancing transparency across the excise value chain,” he said.

The pilot phase of the project, conducted between July and August 2025, recorded significant milestones, including a 75 per cent efficiency score during User Acceptance Testing (UAT) at BATN, seamless integration of production and reporting systems, and strengthened collaboration between NCS and factory management.

Maiwada described the transition as “a crucial step towards building a more accountable and technology-driven excise administration framework” and a central pillar of the Service’s broader Trade Modernisation Project.

He added that insights from the pilot stage will serve as a blueprint for nationwide rollout, with the system expected to be extended to other excise-regulated industries such as beverages, spirits, and additional segments of the manufacturing sector.

Calling on operators to embrace the reform, the Customs spokesperson said; “We urge industry stakeholders to support this noble initiative by providing constructive feedback as the system is expanded nationwide. Together, we can foster compliance, enhance operational efficiency, and guarantee sustainable revenue growth for the Federal Government.”