Nigeria’s brewing industry has sounded the alarm over the Federal Government’s plan to introduce tax stamps on excisable goods, warning that the policy could disrupt production and worsen the nation’s inflation woes.
The Executive Director of the Beer Sectoral Group (BSG), Abiola Laseinde, made this known ahead of the upcoming Nigerian Economic Summit scheduled for October 6. She urged the government to stick with the country’s existing digital excise systems, arguing that tax stamps—also called track-and-trace identifiers—would be counterproductive and unnecessary for the sector.
According to Laseinde, applying tax stamps in the beer industry would not curb illicit trade since beer counterfeiting is almost non-existent, given the complexity of brewing and the low resale value of the product. She emphasized that breweries already comply with stringent excise monitoring through digital counters, on-site Customs officers, and auditable records.
She called on the government to consolidate its gains through the Nigeria Customs Service’s B’Odogwu Excise Reporting System (ERS), a locally built digital platform that monitors production in real time and tracks excise duties efficiently. The system, launched in October 2024, has already generated ₦230 billion in revenue—proof of its success and transparency.
“The ERS and the FIRS e-Invoicing systems are effective and homegrown,” Laseinde stated. “What government should do is strengthen these innovations, not burden manufacturers with imported tax stamp systems that add no value.”
The BSG warned that introducing tax stamps could fuel inflation, trigger job losses, and cause capital flight, as foreign vendors often dominate the supply of tax stamp materials. The group urged policymakers to learn from other countries where similar initiatives had failed, and instead focus on enhancing digital excise tools that already promote transparency and revenue assurance.
As stakeholders prepare for national economic policy discussions, Nigeria’s brewing sector reiterated its commitment to supporting government revenue generation—but through efficient, transparent, and sustainable frameworks that safeguard both public and private sector interests.
