The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday urged the Federal Government to begin the collection of excise duty from carbonated drinks producers in the country such as Coca-Cola, Seven-Up Bottling Company (7up) and others.
The NCS also urged the government to terminate the tax waivers regime granted local companies producing soft drinks in the country. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service (CIS). Col Hameed Ali (rtd), stated this at the stakeholders’ interactive session on the 2021-2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning.
Ali wondered why companies such as Coca Cola, Pepsi cola and other non-alcoholic beverage firms were not paying taxes in Nigeria when they do in other countries where they have operations. He noted that the defunct Interim National Government of Ernest Shonekan, granted the waivers to the carbonated drinks manufacturers in 1993 to encourage local firms.
He, however, said the policy should no longer be sustained in view of the current reality occasioned by the nation’s dwindling revenue. Ali said: “We have been pushing for the expansion of our own excise collection. During the Shonekan regime, excise was stopped for carbonated drinks manufacturers like Coca-Cola.