Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, alongside leading civil society organisations and public-health advocates,has backed Senate efforts to strengthen and restructure the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Tax, warning that the country is facing a rapidly escalating non-communicable disease (NCD) burden linked to high consumption of sugary drinks.
The call came during a public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Finance, Customs and Excise in Abuja. Stakeholders urged lawmakers to replace the current fixed ₦10-per-litre excise duty introduced in 2021 with a percentage-based levy tied to retail prices, arguing that the existing rate has been eroded by inflation and no longer discourages harmful consumption.
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The hearing centred on a bill sponsored by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo seeking to amend the Customs and Excise Act to establish a percentage-based tax and earmark part of the revenue for health promotion and disease prevention.
Representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Adeniyi Adegbomire described the bill as vital to protecting Nigerians’ health.
He said the proposed reform was not aimed at increasing the financial burden on citizens but at aligning fiscal policy with national health priorities. “The ₦10 per litre excise is no longer realistic in today’s Nigeria,”
The Ministry of Finance signalled general support for the proposal but raised procedural questions, noting that the President has statutory authority to vary excise rates. However, committee members insisted the National Assembly retains constitutional power to amend existing laws in the public interest.
Prof. Pate told senators that Nigeria is experiencing a surge in diabetes, stroke, obesity and heart disease conditions once considered rare but now among the country’s leading causes of premature death.
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Citing World Health Organisation data, he urged lawmakers to adopt an SSB tax of no less than 20 percent of the retail price and earmark at least 40 percent of revenues for public-health financing. He said the move would create “a valuable funding stream” for the health sector and support the push toward Universal Health Coverage.
Civil society groups also made strong appeals for a tougher tax regime.
The Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, called for a 50 percent retail-price levy with a minimum 20 percent threshold as recommended by global health experts. He also urged the establishment of a national task force to monitor implementation, evaluate health outcomes and track consumption trends.
“Nigeria can no longer rely on a fixed ₦10 duty that has lost its value and purpose,” Oluwafemi said. “A percentage-based levy that reflects market realities is the only credible way to reduce consumption and generate measurable health gains.”
Other organisations supporting the amendment included the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Nigerian Cancer Society, the Diabetes Society of Nigeria, the Healthy Food Policy Vanguard and the National SSB Tax Coalition.
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Dr. Mansur Ramalan, Vice President of the Diabetes Society of Nigeria, said the country’s diabetes prevalence has risen to 7 percent and warned that cases could worsen without decisive action. He dismissed concerns that a higher tax could hurt revenue, saying rather it could boost government earnings “by as much as 200 percent.”
The Senate Committee is expected to review submissions before preparing its final report on the bill.