Customs, Beer Manufacturers Brainstorm on Proposed Tax Stamp Policy
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for broader stakeholder engagement and stricter data validation in ongoing fiscal and regulatory reforms as discussions continue over the proposed tax stamp policy for the beer industry.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the call on Monday during a meeting with the Beer Sectoral Group at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The engagement, held at the CGC’s Board Room, brought together senior executives of major brewing companies operating in Nigeria to deliberate on issues relating to tax administration, trade transparency and the proposed tax stamp framework currently under consideration by the Federal Government.
Speaking during the meeting, Adeniyi stressed that policy decisions affecting key sectors of the economy must be guided by credible data and a proper understanding of market realities.
“We need to have a clear understanding of what constitutes illicit trade. Some of these products are legitimately manufactured in Nigeria. In other jurisdictions, customs administrations are already engaging in discussions around how such products find their way across borders and into unauthorised markets,” he said.
The Customs boss noted that while government reforms aimed at strengthening revenue assurance and compliance remain necessary, the accuracy and credibility of industry data presented to policymakers must not be compromised.
“One thing we need to understand more clearly is where some of these estimates came from. When we are making policy decisions of this nature, the credibility and accuracy of data must never be in doubt,” he added.
Adeniyi also highlighted ongoing reforms introduced by the Service to improve trade facilitation and reduce bottlenecks within the supply chain.
According to him, initiatives such as the Advance Ruling system and the Authorised Economic Operator programme were introduced proactively to enhance operational efficiency and support legitimate trade.
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“We have consistently introduced initiatives aimed at facilitating trade. We introduced the Advance Ruling. We introduced the Authorised Economic Operator programme. We also rolled out several reforms on our own initiative, not because we were under pressure, but because we recognised the need to improve trade facilitation,” he stated.
On the proposed tax stamp policy, the CGC clarified that consultations were still ongoing and no final decision had been taken on implementation.
“As far as I am concerned, consultations are still ongoing. If this initiative is legitimate and beneficial, then we all have a responsibility to ensure that we are heading in the right direction,” he said.
He urged private-sector stakeholders to sustain engagement with relevant government agencies to ensure that any eventual policy framework achieves a balance between revenue protection and industrial growth.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Girish Sharma, said the beer industry sought the meeting to present concerns over the proposed tax stamp policy, which he said had generated intense debate within the sector.
Sharma acknowledged the importance of tax stamps in combating illicit trade and counterfeiting but argued that the beer industry in Nigeria remains highly structured and faces minimal counterfeiting risks.
“We fully understand the purpose and importance of tax stamps, particularly in industries where counterfeiting is a major concern. However, within the beer sector, counterfeiting is minimal,” he said.
He added that existing monitoring and compliance mechanisms already provide adequate visibility across the industry’s production and distribution chains.
“From an end-to-end compliance perspective, we believe there is already sufficient transparency and oversight,” Sharma stated.
The Guinness Nigeria CEO further underscored the sector’s contribution to employment, tax generation and national economic output, warning that excessive regulatory measures could have unintended consequences on the industry if not carefully implemented.
By PRNigeria
