Stakeholders Push for Higher Taxes on Harmful Products

During a national stakeholders’ inception workshop in Abuja, stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector called for higher taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The workshop, organized by Development Governance International Consult in collaboration with the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation and the National Health Insurance Authority, aimed to promote sustainable health financing and curb non-communicable diseases.

Wole Alawode, the Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist at DGI Consult, stated that while Nigeria has made progress in taxing harmful products, significant gaps remain in tax rates and implementation. Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, representing NHIA's director-general Dr. Kurfi Abubakar, noted that efforts to advance health taxes, particularly on sugar-sweetened beverages, have been initiated.

Abubakar emphasized the importance of harmonizing existing initiatives to enhance coordination and implementation, aiming to translate progress into effective health financing results.