Advocates 50% retail price tax on SSB
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has proposed a significant increase in the Tobacco Control Fund from N13 million to N300 million.

The proposal came as Nigeria joined the global community to mark World Health Day 2026, raising fresh concerns over persistent gaps in health financing and policy implementation across the country.

The organisation said the call reflects deep-rooted challenges in Nigeria’s health budgeting system, where inadequate allocations and poor fund releases continue to undermine the delivery of essential healthcare services.

CAPPA also urged governments at all levels to adopt stronger fiscal and regulatory measures to tackle rising non-communicable diseases, including a proposed increase in the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage tax to at least 50 per cent of retail price, in line with global recommendations.

The group emphasised that without urgent reforms to health financing and preventive policies, Nigeria’s growing disease burden and overstretched health system would remain a major threat to public health outcomes.

In a statement to commemorate the day, CAPPA urged governments at all levels to move beyond rhetoric and urgently address chronic underfunding and structural weaknesses undermining the health sector and worsening Nigeria’s disease burden.

The organisation decried what it described as a pattern of inadequate investment in healthcare, noting that budgetary allocations had consistently fallen short of the 15 per cent target set under the Abuja Declaration. It added that even when funds were approved, they were often not fully released, limiting effective implementation.

Citing recent examples, CAPPA said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was unable to implement its 2025 capital budget, as only N36 million of the N218 billion allocated was released. It noted that a similar situation occurred in 2024, when just N26.552 billion was released from the N233.656 billion earmarked for capital projects.

CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the persistent gap between budget promises and actual releases had weakened the health system and continued to short-change Nigerians.

According to him, the consequences are evident in limited access to essential medicines, overstretched facilities, a shortage of health workers worsened by migration, and rising out-of-pocket costs.

In reference to the 2026 theme, “Together for health: Stand with science,” CAPPA called for stronger adoption of evidence-based policies, particularly those targeting unhealthy diets.