Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Co-Chairman of the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition, Dr. Alhassan Umar, has called for increased tax on sweetened beverages and alcoholic drinks as a way to help poor Nigerians avoid risks that come with sugar and alcohol consumption.
The NASR coalition has consistently argued that imposing significant taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and alcohol could dissuade Nigerians, especially indigents, from purchasing these products.
Dr. Umar highlighted in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, that such taxes would not only discourage consumption but also alleviate the burden of diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases associated with the consumption of sugary substances.
NASR’s demand aligns with a recent report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which recommends higher sugary drink taxes to create healthier food environments and prevent non-communicable diseases and deaths.
According to the coalition, the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee recently conducted a stakeholders meeting, including trade associations, civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to discuss tax reforms aimed at boosting economic growth in Nigeria.
The Committee Chairman, Taiwo Oyedele, stated that its primary focus is on reducing the tax burden on Nigerians by primarily taxing the wealthiest one percent of the population, rather than introducing new taxes.
He asserted that this approach has proven more effective and is expected to result in increased revenue.
“The SSB tax is not a tax on the poor. It is a tax on products that are harmful to health, and thus a pro-health fiscal policy,” remarked Runcie Chidebe, a member of the NASR coalition and Executive Director of Project Pink Blue.
Chidebe stated, “Many of the poor have lower socioeconomic status and are more prone to consume SSB, processed foods that place them at a higher risk of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.”
