CAPPA advocates 100% tobacco tax increase to save lives

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Federal Government to immediately increase the excise tax on tobacco products to 100 per cent, warning that such a measure could save thousands of lives and help Nigeria recover at least ₦526 billion annually lost to healthcare costs and productivity decline linked to tobacco use.

In a statement, the organisation cautioned that despite the well-documented health risks of tobacco consumption, the tobacco industry continues to aggressively target Nigerians, particularly young people, with both traditional and emerging products, including vapes and e-cigarettes.

“Tobacco use remains a major risk factor for a wide range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are both debilitating and expensive to treat,” the statement read.

Citing World Health Organization (WHO) data, CAPPA noted that tobacco use is linked to premature deaths from illnesses such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), birth defects, cardiovascular disease, vision loss, skin damage, and weakened bones.

It further highlighted data from the Nigerian Tobacco Control Data Initiative, which shows that 90 per cent of global tobacco production occurs in developing countries such as Nigeria, where the environmental and health impacts are most severe, while high-income nations reap the economic benefits.

“As far back as 2018, the Federal Government reported that Nigerians consumed more than 20 billion sticks of cigarettes annually,” the statement continued. “Government data also revealed that nearly 30,000 Nigerians die each year from tobacco-related diseases.”

CAPPA explained that Nigeria currently operates a mixed excise tax system for tobacco products, comprising a 30 per cent ad valorem tax on the unit cost of production, a specific excise tax of ₦84 per 20-stick cigarette pack (effective since 1 June 2022), and a shisha/tobacco tax of ₦3,000 per litre or ₦1,000 per kilogram, with annual increments of ₦500.

The organisation recalled that in April 2023, the Federal Government proposed increasing the tobacco tax to 50 per cent, but the policy is yet to be implemented.

CAPPA urged the government to adopt stronger tobacco control measures in line with international best practice, noting that several African countries have already taken bolder steps to curb tobacco use and protect public health.