2022 budget: Coalition lauds Buhari over proposed tax on soft drinks

The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR), a coalition of public health organizations has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the proposed “pro-health” tax increase on soft drinks in the 2022 budget.

A statement Wednesday in Abuja, jointly signed by the coalition co-chair, and secretary-general of the Diabetes Association, Bernard Enyia and co-chair and managing director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, stated that the proposed tax policy as announced by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Hadiza Ahmed, in her budget breakdown, would boost non-communicable diseases prevention in Nigeria.

“During the public presentation and breakdown of the highlights of the 2022 Appropriation Bill, the minister said the government would increase excise duties on carbonated drinks.

”We are advocating for health and fiscal policy measures to combat the devastating impact of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the country. The proposed increase in the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages by 2022 is a step in the right direction.

“This is because, it will enable revenue to be generated for public health programs, especially those targeted at addressing the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases,” they said.

The coalition said the possible increase in soft drink taxes aligns with the recently updated National NCDs Policy and Multisectoral Action Plan for the Control and Prevention of NCDs in Nigeria.

They said the revised National NCDs Policy includes recommendations to enact new laws to increase taxes and excise duties on carbonated beverages.

The statement said leading research has 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 is effective in reducing the consumption of soft drinks”, they said.

They said to date several countries had successfully implemented sugary drink taxes, including a health promotion levy in South Africa.

The coalition claimed that researchers stressed that taxation would discourage the consumption of soft drinks and lowers the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.