THE report that the Federal Government has introduced an excise duty of N10/liter on all non-alcoholic, carbonated, and sweetened beverages is currently trending and generating reactions and counter-reactions across Nigeria. As a quick clarification to readers who might not understand what excise duty means, excise duty is a form of tax imposed on the production, licensing, and sale of goods. Certain reports have it that sometimes in the year 2020, Hameed Ali, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), had also proposed the collection of excise duty on soft drinks. The government has since discussed several reasons that necessitated the introduction of the said excise duty in the finance act. Plastic pollution in Nigeria has gotten to worrisome levels and a sustainable model that can be seamlessly integrated into the country’s extended producer’s responsibility policy is highly recommended.

Source: Nigerian Tribune January 17, 2022 03:47 UTC