CISLAC Urges Tinubu to Implement Effective Tax Policy on Tobacco

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to implement effective tobacco tax regimes in Nigeria as part of his efforts to address the harmful effect of Tabbaco smoking.

Addressing newsmen in Kano yesterday, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, said that Tinubu’s administration should have an agenda and policy on Tabbaco usage in the country.

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO), estimated that 30,000 Nigerians lose their lives yearly to illnesses caused by tobacco, which is much more than the 3,000 lives claimed by COVID-19 during the three years of the pandemic.

At a press conference on a programme tagged “Tobacco Taxation Agenda Setting for President Bola Tinubu’s Administration,” Rafsanjani explained that the organisation has been championing effective tobacco taxation regimes in Nigeria.

He said: “Nigeria remains one of the leading tobacco markets in Africa, with its young and growing population a constant attraction to the tobacco industry.

“As a global tool for the control of tobacco use, effective tax administration on the products is an advantage to the health and economy of nations.

“Nigeria continues to lag in implementation of its commitments under the global Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with less than 5.0 per cent of the population having any form of health insurance coverage.

“Most Nigerians bear the full financial cost of health care as data shows that out-of-pocket expenditure represents about 75 per cent of total health spending in the country.

“What this further means is that those without money are unable to access health care in the country.”