By Perpetua Onuegbu
Diabetes Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Health Watch and civil society organisations on Wednesday commended President Buhari administration and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, after the announcement of a proposed “pro-health” tax increase on soft drinks in Nigeria in the 2022 budget.
The Finance Minister said during the Public Presentation and Breakdown of the Highlights of the 2022 Appropriation Bill that the government would increase “exercise duties on carbonated drinks in the 2021 Finance Act.”
Under the aegis of the National Action on Sugar Reduction, a coalition of public health organisations are advocating for health and fiscal policy measures to combat the devastating impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria.
Reacting to the development, Coalition co-chair Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu of Nigeria Health Watch said, “The proposed increase in the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages is a step in the right direction.
“Because it will enable revenue to be generated for public health programmes, especially those targeted at addressing the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.”
In his reaction, Comrade Bernard Enyia, the Coalition co-chair and Secretary General of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, a type 2 diabetes patient, said, he was excited he learnt about the plan.
“I was particularly excited when I read that the Minister of Finance has made it clear that there will be higher taxation on carbonated drinks by 2022.
“This will make funds available for the national response to non-communicable diseases. I believe that her promise will come to pass.”
The minister’s announcement came after the House of Representatives considered a motion to formulate a tax policy on sugar-sweetened beverages in Nigeria.
The possible increase in soft drink taxes, which the Minister described as “work in progress”, aligns with the recently updated National NCDs Policy and Multisectoral Action Plan for the Control and Prevention of NCDs in Nigeria.
The revised National NCDs Policy included recommendations to enact new laws to increase taxes and excise duties on carbonated beverages.
Leading research had called attention to the role that soft drinks play in raising the risk of diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Recent evidence suggests that taxation was effective in reducing the consumption of soft drinks. To date, several countries have successfully implemented sugary drink taxes, including a health promotion levy in South Africa.
Researchers stress that taxation discourages the consumption of soft drinks and lowers the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.
Such conditions produce a two-pronged difficulty in that they often cause a lifetime of ill health and a lifetime of healthcare spending.
In addition to the economic benefits of the tax, the Coalition recognizes the positive effect this will have on the health of Nigerians. NCDs account for the deaths of one in three Nigerians and present a significant cause of premature death.
The Coalition applauds the Federal Government for this significant step towards protecting the lives of Nigerians.
