By Martha Agas
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has begun the automation of its Excise Register System(ERS) used to register, monitor and regulate companies that produce or import goods subject to excise duties.
The NCS’s spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NCS in had August announced plans to phase out the manual ERS and replace it with an automated ERS as part of efforts to modernise its excise operations and boost revenue collection.
The ERS is a digital system integrated with the Unified Customs Management System known as B’odogwu, developed to enhance transparency and block revenue leakages.
Maiwada said that the ERS officially went live at three key excise facilities across the country.
He said the facilities were: British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) PLC in Oyo State, International Tobacco Company (ITC) Limited in Kwara, and Leaf Tobacco and Commodities Nigeria Ltd in Kaduna State.
He explained that 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.
According to him, 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,” Maiwada said.
The spokesman explained that the introduction of the automated system followed the successful conclusion of the pilot phase of its automated ERS conducted within July and August.
“The formal activation of the ERS followed a series of extensive field activities undertaken by the service.
“This included rigorous User Acceptance Testing (UAT), system validation processes and comprehensive hands-on training engagements with both Customs officers and excise factory personnel,” he said.
Maiwada said that the pilot phase served as an evaluation phase for the new digital platform which recorded notable achievements including the attainment of a 75 per cent efficiency score during UAT at BATN.
According to him, the service also recorded the successful integration of production and reporting systems across the factories and strengthened collaboration between NCS and factory management teams.
Consequently, he said, the insights and lessons drawn from the pilot phase would provide a solid blueprint for the system’s nationwide rollout.
Maiwada emphasised that the ERS was a central pillar of the NCS’s broader Trade Modernisation Project.
According to him, in its next phases, the ERS will be extended to cover other excise-regulated industries, including beverages, spirits and additional segments of the manufacturing sector.
He urged the stakeholders to embrace the system and provide feedback which would guide them in expanding its rollout nationwide.
“The NCS, therefore, calls on industry operators and stakeholders to embrace this noble reform and provide constructive feedback as the system is expanded nationwide.
“The service also 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, “ he urged.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)