The Federal Government has unveiled plans to introduce a 20% tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) as a proactive measure to mitigate the overconsumption of these beverages and combat the rising prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria.
Dr. Chukuma Anyaike, Director of the Public Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, announced the strategy during a public unveiling in Abuja. The initiative follows a simulation study exploring the potential fiscal and public health impacts of the SSB tax in Nigeria.
SSBs, as defined by Anyaike, encompass a broad range of beverages infused with natural or artificial sweeteners, including sugars such as brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose. This category comprises sodas, juices, sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks, nectars, and flavored dairy products.
Anyaike emphasized that implementing an SSB tax is deemed the most effective approach to curbing excessive consumption of sugary beverages and subsequently reducing the incidence and prevalence of NCDs across the population.
Source: Nairametrics