At a news conference in Abuja to mark the global week of action against non-communicable diseases, on September 10, 2022, a coalition of non-governmental organizations against sweetened products. Known as National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) had requested that the federal government implement the 20 percent tax burden on sweetened beverages as recommended by the World Health organization (WHO) in 2017. The implementation of the tax was tasked on the note that it would discourage consumption.
The conference, themed “Invest in NCDs today, save lives and money tomorrow,” was addressed by speakers, the Health Communication Specialist for NASR, Omei Bonos-Ikwne; Vice President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Mr. Elijah Elijah and the Program Coordinator for Project Pink Blue, Mrs. Gloria Okwu, and many more. NASR, a collaboration of non-governmental organizations, advocates for policy measures to address the health risks associated with the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and products, popularly known as ‘soft drinks.’
Nigeria has the fourth highest consumption rate of SSBs.
Nigeria, after the United States, China and Mexico, has been recorded as the country with the fourth highest soft drink consumption across the globe, with sales estimation of over 38 million litres every year. Excessive in-take of sugar-sweetened beverages is however linked with obesity and diverse non-communicable diseases such as the type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental caries, liver disease and different types of cancers. Due to these health risks, the WHO cautioned that countries should impose a 20 percent tax on companies that produce sugar-sweetened beverages, so as to fight non-communicable diseases.
Okwu added that non-communicable diseases are now a global emergency which requires the raising of more funds and awareness, as it has led to many early deaths in low-income counties. In her words, investments are required to fight against NCDs, which is why The Global Week of Action signifies a clamor to the government, media, civil societies, international agencies and other stakeholders. This is to contribute to the provision of sustainable solutions for the mobilization of effective investments in health.
SSBs tax imposition will promote public health.
Bonos-Ikwne, during the conference, appealed to the federal government to urgently implement the tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to discourage excessive consumption, given that the WHO recommends it as a very effective method to immensely reduce the rates of obesity and many kinds of non-communicable diseases. Placing emphasis on the tax implementation he stated that it would be difficult for national development to occur without the inclusion of public health concerns into a short or medium term national strategic plan.
Asides discouragement of consumption through the discouragement of purchase, the imposition of the tax will enable the promotion of public health and generation of new revenue cover the massive cost of managing non-communicable diseases and raising public awareness. The tax is also likely to raise doubts on how much sugar a sweetened beverage contains and resultantly lead to the reformulation of the products such that the companies responsible for their production will reduce the sugar content.
Tax revenue should be allocated to the health sector for control of NCDs.
Non-communicable diseases are said to be responsible for the deaths of over 41 million people every year, an equivalence of seven out of 10 deaths worldwide. In a bid to reduce these death rates, the NASR urges the federal government to build a sustainable SSBs tax for allocation to the Nigerian health sector and with the specific purpose of preventing, controlling, and treating non-communicable diseases. Elijah also suggested that a non-communicable disease fund is created from revenue gotten from the SSB tax for NCDs prevention and control.
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Imposition of tax to discourage consumption of SSBs and then promoting public health is applaudable. But why not pass a regulation that ensures these companies maintain the benchmark of sugar content allowed in their products.
Implementation of this tax rate will actually increase the cost of beverages. So it might reduce to the regular intake by some people, but that doesn’t mean others won’t continue to take it. I just hope the tax increment won’t be so heavy on the suppliers and producers of the beverages
just imagine the high consumption of sweetened beverages over 38 million litres yearly in Nigeria or country is the fourth highest in the world,the government need it laws in place this is too.much for the sake of or health.
Public health is important and should be made priority. The health risks that comes with these products are way to worrying to be waved. So imposing tax to discourage consumption doesn’t seem proactive and efficient enough, cos people will still buy. Rather, a regulation that ensures maintainanace of safety standards in these products or a benchmark of sugar content allowed in their products.
Our health is at risk here the too much consumption of the sweetened product is too much imposing more than will just help a little but people will still consumed it the health sector need to come in here and government so they can reduce the quality of make it sweet to be less sweet for the sake of health
every little government will be taking about tax impose, As if is the solution to it. All this tax they are collecting where is the record self. If the consumption of sweetened beverages is too high. They should create awareness about the danger on health, to the public. On radio station, television and newspaper etc..
Government too like tax
Imposing these tax will go a long way, but then the tax won’t stop the wealth ones from consuming these sugary things, government should just create awareness on how bad these things are for one’s health
The damage excess sugar causes to the body is more than enough reason for people to stop consuming sugary items.
This must be another means of stealing from the public, the government comes up with different type of taxes every now and then and it is still not evident in our standard of living that we contribute a lot to the revenue of the country
It will be a very good initiative if it implemented because millions of bottle of this SSBS – NASR is been consume on daily basis and huge revenue will be generated from this .
Imposing too much tax will only make things hard more for the people and individuals making use of sugar for production.
The imposition of the tax was given the duty of being overseen with the understanding that it would serve to reduce consumption.
A coalition of non-governmental organisations has come together to lobby for policy changes in an effort to mitigate the negative health effects that are linked to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
It’s not good news that Nigeria, behind the United States, China, and Mexico, has been ranked as the country with the fourth greatest consumption of soft drinks in the entire world.
It is also possible that the levy may cause consumers to question the amount of sugar that is in sweetened beverages, which will ultimately result in the items being reformulated.
This is done in order to make a contribution toward the creation of long-term solutions for the mobilisation of efficient investments in health.
It has been proposed that funds obtained from the SSB tax be used to establish a non-communicable disease fund for the purpose of NCDs prevention and control.
The application of the tax will, in addition to discouraging consumption by making it less attractive to make purchases, make it possible to improve public health and generate additional income.
I hope the tax increment won’t be so heavy on the suppliers and producers of the beverages
If government can Implement of 20% tax on SSBs it curb excessive intake of SSBs which will invariably reduce mortality rate.
It has been proven that NCDs caused by excessive intake of SSBs so I go by the Implementation of 20% tax on SSBs by FG.