The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has called for stricter data validation and broader stakeholder engagement in ongoing fiscal and regulatory reforms as the Service hosted the leadership of the Beer Sectoral Group at its Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The meeting, held in the CGC’s Board Room, brought together senior executives from major brewing companies across the country to discuss tax administration, trade transparency and concerns surrounding the proposed tax stamp policy currently under consideration by the government.
Addressing the delegation, Adeniyi stressed that policy decisions affecting critical 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 are aimed at strengthening revenue assurance and compliance, the integrity of industry figures presented to policymakers must remain unquestionable.
“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 Nigeria Customs Service to improve trade facilitation and ease bottlenecks within the supply chain.
According to him, the Service had rolled out several initiatives, including Advance Ruling and the Authorised Economic Operator programme, to support efficient trade processes.
“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 said.
On the proposed tax stamp policy, the Customs chief clarified that consultations were still ongoing and that no final decision had been reached 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 stated.
He urged private-sector operators to sustain engagement with relevant government agencies in order to achieve a balanced policy outcome that protects government revenue while supporting industrial growth.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Girish Sharma, said the group visited to present concerns over the proposed tax stamp framework, which he noted had generated intense debate within the industry.
Sharma said the beer industry recognises the importance of tax stamps in sectors prone to counterfeiting, but argued that the beer sector remains one of the most structured and closely monitored industries in the country.
“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.
According to him, existing monitoring systems already provide end-to-end visibility across production and distribution channels.
“From an end-to-end compliance perspective, we believe there is already sufficient transparency and oversight,” Sharma added.
He further highlighted the sector’s contribution to employment, tax revenue and economic growth, while cautioning that additional regulatory measures could have unintended consequences if not properly calibrated.
