The Organised Private Sector (OPS) of Nigeria has sought President Bola Tinubu’s intervention to halt the passage of the proposed Customs, Excise and Tariff Amendment (CETA) Bill currently before the National Assembly.

The bill seeks to introduce a percentage levy on the retail price per litre of non-alcoholic beverages.

The OPS comprises the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME).

The call was outlined in an advertorial published in key newspapers and signed by the presidents of all OPS members.

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.