The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has rolled out its Automated Excise Register System (ERS), a major step toward digitising excise administration in the country.
NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada announced the launch in a statement on Thursday, saying the system followed a successful pilot phase that ended in August.
The ERS went live at three excise factories: 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.
Customs deliberately chose the sites because of their strategic role in the excise sector and their capacity to support a national rollout.
Maiwada explained that the pilot phase achieved a 75 per cent efficiency score during testing at BATN. The exercise also integrated production and reporting systems across the factories and strengthened collaboration between NCS and industry operators.
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“With live operations now underway, excise-related transactions at the three factories will run only through the ERS,” Maiwada said. “This covers recording production figures, computing excise duties, and generating statutory reports.”
The new system replaces manual documentation. It also eliminates inconsistent data reporting and improves transparency across the excise value chain.
NCS said lessons from the pilot will guide its expansion to other excise industries. The ERS forms a central pillar of the Service’s Trade Modernisation Project.
The next rollout phases will cover beverages, spirits, and additional manufacturing sectors.
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The service urged operators to embrace the reform and provide feedback. It stressed that the ERS would improve compliance, boost efficiency, and secure more sustainable revenue for the federal government.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
