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A civil society organisation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has said that its sustained campaign for increased taxation on tobacco products is to curb tobacco-related health hazards in the country.
The Executive Director of CISLAC and Head, Transparency International, Nigeria, Auwal Rafsanjani, gave the clarification while featuring on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series on Sunday in Abuja.
Rafsanjani said that the primary goal of the campaign was to save lives and reduce the growing health burden associated with tobacco consumption in Nigeria.
According to him, tobacco use contributes significantly to serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses.
Rafsanjani added that such risks were particularly alarming in a country where healthcare financing remained limited and inadequate.
He said that raising tariffs on tobacco products would not only discourage consumption but also provide additional revenue window for government to address tobacco-related health challenges.
He explained that while the financial gains from increased taxation might not be significant, the policy could serve as an important step toward mitigating the long-term health costs linked to tobacco use and supporting public health interventions.
“The percentage might not be that much but at least, it’s something that the government can take from the consumption of tobacco in Nigeria to address some of the damages that tobacco consumption does in Nigeria.
“So it is not about how much money; it is about how much you can help to save people; it’s saving Nigerians from having health challenges.
“If the consumption continues to destroy the health of the citizens, whatever revenue you gain from that, you would have helped to fix that health crisis,” he said.
Rafsanjani underscored the need for protecting Nigerians from preventable diseases.
He suggested that any funds realised from tobacco consumption be channelled into tackling the health consequences caused by the products, noting that reducing tobacco use remained critical to preventing avoidable health crises across the country.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
