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As part of measures to control tobacco smoking in Nigeria, the Federal Government has disclosed that it will increase excise tax on tobacco products from 30 per cent ad-valorem to 50 per cent.
Dr Mangai Malau, Head, Tobacco Control Unit, Noncommunicable Disease Division, Federal Ministry of Health, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the National Tobacco Control Budget Advocates Meeting in Abuja.
Malau presented a paper titled “Overview of Tobacco Control Funding/Budgeting in Nigeria: Why Tobacco Control Budgeting and Funding?
He said that presently, the Federal Government imposed a 30 per cent tax on tobacco products but its target was to increase it to 50 per cent in order to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) standard.
According to Malau, funding for tobacco control must come majorly from taxation and there is also a need for relevant stakeholders to apply tax measures rightly if they are to address the issues of tobacco control in the country.
In his words, “In effectively controlling tobacco and tobacco products in Nigeria, funding is a critical component. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control recognises this and clearly stipulates it in Article 26.
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“It states that parties shall provide financial support in respect of its national activities intended to achieve the objective of the Convention, in accordance with its national plans, priorities and programmes.
“It is also important to state that funding is a major provision of the National Tobacco Control Act.
“Section eight of the Act provides for the Tobacco Control Fund, which shall be used to fund tobacco control activities programmes and projects.”
He said the meeting was therefore important as it would seek better funding for tobacco control, in order for Nigeria to meet the objectives of the WHO FCTC and the NTC Act.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, stressed the need for Civil Society Organisations to advocate for more budgetary allocation for tobacco control in the country.
Oluwafemi called on CSOs to begin the budgetary advocacy in July when the government’s ministries, departments and agencies would commence the 2024 budgets presentation and defence.
According to him, it is also important that CSOs form alliances while carrying out the advocacy.
