OPS Seeks Tinubu’s Intervention to Halt Passage of CETA Bill

Oriarehu Bonny

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, comprising the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), has called on President Bola Tinubu’s intervention to halt the passage of the proposed Customs, Excise and Tariff Amendment (CETA) Bill currently before the National Assembly which seeks to introduce a percentage levy per litre of the retail price on non-alcoholic beverages.

The call was outlined in an advertorial published in key newspapers and signed by the presidents of all members of the Organised Private Sectors of Nigeria.

The group urged the federal government to engage with the leadership of the National Assembly to stop the ongoing legislative process with a view to stepping down the CETA Bill, thus allowing the executive-led fiscal reforms to be fully integrated and aligned.

According to the group, this approach would strengthen policy coherence, enhance predictability, and improve the effectiveness of the nation’s excise framework. it stressed that halting the bill will encourage structured, evidence-based engagement with industry stakeholders, thereby ensuring that any future measures will effectively balance revenue generation, public health objectives, and economic sustainability.

“While we fully support well-designed fiscal reforms and evidence-based public health interventions, we are concerned that the Bill, in its current form, raises significant social, economic, administrative, and legal issues that could undermine Your Excellency’s broader fiscal reform objectives,” it stated.