Health Experts Urge Nigeria To Hike Sugary Drink Tax As NCDs Surge
As Nigeria grapples with a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, public health experts are calling on the government to urgently increase taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) as a bold preventive measure.
At the forefront of this advocacy is the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, who is pushing for a significant hike in the existing SSB tax to at least ₦130 per litre.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja, Oluwafemi, stressed that this aligns with global best practices and recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), which highlights taxation as a cost-effective way to curb excess sugar consumption and reduce the burden of NCDs.
Currently, Nigeria’s SSB tax sits at a modest ₦10 per litre, representing just 1% of the price, a figure experts say is far too low to influence consumer behaviour or impact public health meaningfully.
Dr Joseph Ekiyor, a public health advocate, warned that regular consumption of sugary drinks contributes heavily to lifestyle-related illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and even certain cancers.
He recommended raising the tax to between 10–20% of the product’s retail price to effectively discourage excessive intake.
“The rising trend in NCDs is a ticking time bomb,” Ekiyor said. “It’s not just about curbing sugar intake it’s about reducing the number of preventable deaths in this country.”
Health economist, Austin Iraoya, echoed these concerns, noting that beyond health benefits, increased taxation on sugary drinks presents an opportunity to boost government revenue for healthcare.
He lamented that Nigeria’s budgetary allocation to health remains worryingly low hovering around 4.9–5% instead of the 15% benchmark agreed upon in the Abuja Declaration.
“The funds generated from SSB taxes can be reinvested into critical healthcare infrastructure, disease prevention programmes, and community health services,” Iraoya said. “This isn’t a punitive measure it’s a smart, life-saving policy.”
All three experts were unanimous in their belief that a higher SSB tax would serve as a protective shield for the most vulnerable populations, especially low-income families disproportionately affected by poor nutrition and limited healthcare access.
With the country facing an escalating public health crisis, stakeholders are urging the Nigerian government to act now — not only by raising the SSB tax but also by investing more significantly in preventive health measures.
For Nigeria, the message from experts is clear: taxing sugar is no longer optional it’s a public health imperative.
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