The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has called for stricter data validation and broader stakeholder engagement in ongoing fiscal and regulatory reforms, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) hosted the leadership of the Beer Sectoral Group at its Maitama, Abuja headquarters on Monday.
The meeting, held at the CGC’s boardroom, brought together senior executives from major brewing companies and centred on tax administration, trade transparency and the proposed tax stamp policy currently under government consideration.
Addressing the delegation, CGC Adeniyi said policy decisions affecting critical sectors must be grounded in verifiable data and a shared 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.
He stressed that industry figures presented to policymakers must remain beyond question.
“When we are making policy decisions of this nature, the credibility and accuracy of data must never be in doubt,” he added.
The CGC also highlighted ongoing reforms within the Service, citing several trade facilitation tools introduced to reduce bottlenecks and improve supply chain efficiency.
“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, Adeniyi confirmed that consultations remain ongoing and that no final implementation decision has been reached.
“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 stakeholders to deepen engagement with relevant government institutions to achieve a balanced outcome that protects revenue while sustaining industrial growth.
Earlier, delegation leader and Guinness Nigeria Plc CEO Girish Sharma said the industry had come to present its concerns on the proposed tax stamp framework, which he described as generating significant debate within the sector.
While acknowledging the importance of regulatory controls, Sharma maintained that the beer industry is among Nigeria’s most structured and closely monitored sectors, with minimal counterfeiting exposure.
“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, adding that existing systems already provide end-to-end visibility across production and distribution chains.
Sharma also highlighted the sector’s broader economic contribution , spanning employment, tax revenue and national output and cautioned that poorly calibrated regulatory additions could trigger unintended economic consequences.