SOME stakeholders have urged the Federal Government to fully implement and increase taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations.
The stakeholders made the appeal at the National Conference on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs), organised by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, on Wednesday, October 25, in Abuja.
They also highlighted the effects of fully implementing the taxation of SSB.
SSB contains various forms of sugars, such as brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose, glucose, honey and include carbonated drinks, energy drinks, milk-based drinks, pre-sweetened teas, coffees and juice drinks.
Speaking at the event, which was themed ‘Towards Sustainable Pathway for Pro-health Tax in Nigeria,’ the National Coordinator, of Non-Communicable Diseases Division of the Health Ministry, Deborah Bako Odoh noted that the implementation of the SSB was a strategic move to reduce various health risks.
The coordinator, who was represented by Amadi Dorathy, stressed that the Federal Government through her department was committed to providing leadership for the proper implementation of the SSB tax in the country.
Also, the keynote speaker, Gafar Alawode, explained that the lack of funding to tackle the health consequences of illnesses linked to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and other unhealthy lifestyle choices in Nigeria, should fuel the increase in the SSB tax.
According to him, financing is one of the major challenges of Nigeria’s health system, which consequently results in a weakened healthcare system in the country.
“As long as we are having issues with financing, it will be extremely difficult to achieve standard healthcare,” the public financing expert said.
He, however, suggested raising and effectively enforcing the SSB tax. He also emphasised that the revenue generated from such taxation could enhance funding for the healthcare sector.
We are committed to attaining global best practice on NCDs tax – Minister
The Coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, while giving his remark, assured Nigerians that the administration of the President Bola Tinubu was committed to attaining the global best practice as recommended by the WHO.
The Health Minister, who was also represented by the Director Public Health Department, Chukwuma Anyaike, noted that the commitment aligned with other government efforts in improving the public health of the Nigerian populace.
“NCDs remain the leading cause of death in Sub Saharan Africa. The World Health Organisation has endorsed a package of 16 evidence based interventions focusing on addressing NCD Risk Factors (SSB, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet).
“One of the interventions is the use of taxes on products that have a negative public health impact with the explicit goal of reducing consumption of such products. These taxes are considered to have the potential to reduce NCDs while advancing health equity.”
According to Pate, the introduction and sustenance of SSB tax in Nigeria will reduce excess consumption of SSBs and thus reduce the burden of NCDs. He noted that taxation on SSB had shown effective reduction on its consumption in countries where it was in force.
“Numerous studies have linked high consumption of SSB to an increased risk of tooth decay and cavities, weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and other NCDs,” he said.
The Minister also revealed that Nigeria was amongst the countries that contribute 77 per cent of the global 41 million deaths caused by NCDs.
Earlier in the event, the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the mortality rate of NCDs were alarming as over 30 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria are linked to the diseases.
According to him, Nigeria is burdened by avoidable health issues linked to urbanisation of diets and increasing normalization and overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
He also said the SSBs had gained much prominence as a public health concern that the Federal Government, through the 2021 Finance Act, introduced a N10/lite Excise Duty on SSBs.
“The tax on SSBs is an evidence-based approach used globally to combat overconsumption of these products. Beyond its proven success rate in reducing the overconsumption of free sugar, the tax helps to reduce the burden on a nation’s health infrastructure, relieve overworked health personnel, and leaves room for innovative health practices towards overall improvement of a country’s health outcomes.”
The CAPPA boss further called on policymakers to immediately put together a policy framework that considers Nigeria’s priorities in rejuvenating and strengthening the nation’s health system.
“The Federal Government, through all necessary mechanisms, must retain the SSB tax in the next fiscal policy and increase it to at least N50 while working with all stakeholders to find the most effective minimum tax rate that will help the government in achieving its goal,” he added.
In a report in April, The ICIR revealed how weakened regulation by the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) posed threats to Nigerians consuming sugar-sweetened beverages.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M