The Federal Government will be increasing the excise tax on tobacco products from 30 per cent ad-valorem to 50 per cent

The excise duty on tobacco goods will increase from 30% ad-valorem to 50% by the federal government. 

Dr. Mangai Malau, head of the federal ministry of health's noncommunicable disease division's tobacco control unit, revealed this on Tuesday, April 18, during the National Tobacco Control Budget Advocates Meeting in Abuja.

Malau, who gave a presentation on "Overview of Tobacco Control Funding/Budgeting in Nigeria: Why Tobacco Control Budgeting and Funding?," claimed that the federal government's desire to reduce smoking is reflected in the tax hike. 

In addition to saying that taxes must be used to pay for tobacco control, he said that if relevant parties want to address the country's tobacco control problems, they must properly implement tax laws.

Malau stated

"Financing is a crucial element in successfully managing tobacco and tobacco products in Nigeria. It is expressly stated in Article 26 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which acknowledges this. 

According to its national goals, priorities, and programs, "it says that parties shall give financial support for its national actions intended to fulfill the objective of the Convention.

"Funding is a key aspect of the National Tobacco Control Act, it is also crucial to note. The Tobacco Control Fund is established in Section 8 of the Act and is used to finance tobacco control projects and programs.

The world's biggest cause of mortality, sickness, disability, and poverty is tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.

It is the biggest risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, cancer, and non-communicable diseases like hypertension and stroke.

"Tobacco usage directly causes more than seven million of the more than eight million fatalities that it causes each year worldwide.

"And roughly 1.2 million as a result of secondhand smoke exposure among non-smokers. Additionally, even a brief exposure to tobacco smoke can be hazardous to one's health because there is no safe limit of exposure.