By John Ikani
As part of efforts geared towards reducing the demand and consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products in the country, the federal government of Nigeria has commenced implementation of a new three-year tobacco tax regime with effect from 1st June 2022 to 2024.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing at Abuja in commemoration of 2022 World No Tobacco Day with the theme: “Tobacco: a threat to our environment.”
The briefing also saw the launching of Nigeria’s Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI) Dashboard.
What the Nigerian Government is saying
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, with effect from 1st June 2022, commenced implementation of a new three-year tobacco tax regime which will end in 2024. This new regime increased the Ad-Valorem tax rate from 20 per cent to 30 per cent,” the minister said.
Also, he said there is a specific excise rate increase from N58 to N84 for a pack of 20 sticks which will have a continuous increase to N94 in 2023 and N104 in 2024.
The minister said Shisha is also taxed at N3,000 per litre and N1,000 per kilogram and would increase yearly by N500.
“This pro-health tax increase is effective and has the capacity to reduce demand and consumption of tobacco in Nigeria,” he added.
Mamora said the development had also prompted tobacco users to switch expending their resources on tobacco products to healthy alternatives like education, health, nutrition, and others.
He also said the ministry had commenced screening and issuance of operational license to qualified major tobacco businesses in the country with the view to profiling and monitoring tobacco industry activities nationwide, adding that the tobacco industry must ensure that the unit packages of all their tobacco products have the approved text and pictorial/graphic health warning message so that the public, especially tobacco users are made aware of the harmful effects tobacco use.
Speaking further, the minister said the ministry, with Development Gateway had developed version-1 of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI), a virtual (web-based) dashboard to provide information on tobacco prevalence and other parameters.
He urged Nigerians to avoid tobacco and exposure to second-hand smoke, saying quitting tobacco is beneficial as it decreases the risk of many diseases.
“It will also protect even babies, children and women as they are the topmost victims of second-hand smoke. I also urge citizens to report infringements on provisions of the National Tobacco Control Laws and Regulations to the Law Enforcement Agencies,” he said.
Tobacco dashboard
The Dashboard, which can be accessed via www.nigeria.tobaccocontroldata.org is a virtual (web-based) database for information necessary for the implementation of tobacco control laws in the country.
According to the organisers, it contains authentic information on prevalence, taxation issues, harm, illicit trade, industry interference on tobacco use, and the use of shisha.
The dashboard can also be used as an advocacy tool for stakeholders in the tobacco community to make decisions and engage with policy makers.
