The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced full operations of its Automated Excise Register System (ERS), following the successful completion of a pilot phase aimed at modernizing excise administration and improving efficiency across the sector.
The pilot, conducted between July and August 2025, was deployed at three major excise facilities 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. These sites were selected for their strategic relevance and capacity to support the nationwide rollout.
According to the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, PhD, the pilot phase achieved remarkable milestones, including a 75 percent efficiency score during User Acceptance Testing (UAT), successful integration of production and reporting systems, and improved collaboration between Customs and factory management teams.
“With the commencement of live operations, all excise-related transactions at the pilot factories will now be handled exclusively through the ERS,” Maiwada said. “This transition is expected to reduce manual documentation, eliminate data inconsistencies, and enhance transparency across the excise value chain.”
The NCS explained that lessons learned during the pilot will serve as a model for nationwide implementation. The ERS is a key component of the broader Trade Modernisation Project and will eventually cover other excise-regulated industries such as beverages, spirits, and additional manufacturing segments.
The Service has urged industry stakeholders to embrace the reform and provide feedback to strengthen the system further, assured that the automation would promote compliance, boost operational efficiency, and ensure sustainable revenue growth for the Federal Government.
