Customs Deploys Excise Register To Three Tobacco Factories

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded the pilot phase of its Automated Excise Register System (ERS), activating the platform in three excise factories across the country.

The Service tested the digital platform between July and August 2025, using it as a proving ground to assess efficiency, integration, and transparency in excise administration.

The pilot facilities included 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 the NCS spokesperson, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, “These factories were deliberately chosen as pilot sites in recognition of their strategic importance to Nigeria’s excise sector and their capacity to provide a strong foundation for the nationwide rollout.”

The Service undertook extensive field activities before activating the ERS. These included rigorous User Acceptance Testing (UAT), system validation processes, and hands-on training sessions for Customs officers and factory personnel.

Maiwada highlighted key outcomes of the pilot phase stating: “Notable achievements from the pilot phase included the attainment of a 75 per cent efficiency score during UAT at BATN, the successful integration of production and reporting systems across the factories, and strengthened collaboration between NCS and factory management teams.

“With the commencement of live operations, all excise-related transactions at the three factories will now be managed exclusively through the ERS.

“This includes recording production figures, computing excise duties, and generating statutory reports.

“The adoption of the platform is expected to drastically reduce reliance on manual documentation, eliminate inconsistencies in data reporting, and enhance transparency across the excise value chain.

“Ultimately, this transition is a crucial step towards building a more accountable and technology-driven excise administration framework.”

The Service said lessons drawn from the pilot project will guide a nationwide rollout.

The ERS, considered a central component of the NCS’s Trade Modernisation Project, will gradually extend to cover other excise-regulated industries such as beverages, spirits, and segments of the manufacturing sector.

Maiwada explained that the success of the next phase depends on cooperation from industry stakeholders.

The NCS, therefore, urged operators to provide constructive feedback and support efforts to establish a transparent, technology-based excise system that strengthens compliance and improves revenue administration.

Customs Deploys Excise Register To Three Tobacco Factories is first published on The Whistler Newspaper