Nigerian Customs leaps into digital excise administration with ERS launch

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully launched the Automated Excise Register System (ERS), marking a significant milestone in its efforts to modernize excise administration and boost revenue collection.

The effort is geared towards an extensive modernisation agenda, with a strong commitment. The ERS activation follows a series of extensive field activities undertaken by the Service, which included rigorous User Acceptance Testing (UAT), system validation processes, and comprehensive hands-on training engagements with both Customs officers and excise factory personnel.

The ERS leveraging on this progress has officially gone live at three key excise facilities 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.

In a release signed by Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, National Public Relations Officer, for Comptroller-General of Customs, Thursday 4 September stated 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.

Abdullahi Maiwada, PHD

He said, “The pilot phase, which was conducted between July and August 2025, served as a proving ground for the new digital platform. Notable achievements from the pilot phase included the attainment of a 75% 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.”

He went on to reveal that the insights and lessons from the pilot phase will inform the system’s nationwide rollout, serving as a solid foundation for expansion. Notably, the ERS is a key component of the Nigeria Customs Service’s Trade Modernisation Project, which aims to modernize trade processes. Future phases will see the ERS extended to other industries, including beverages, spirits, and more manufacturing sectors, further broadening its impact

He stated, “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.”