*Despite MAN’s opposition
The Federal government says it has started the implementation of a N10 per litre sugar tax on carbonated sugar drinks and beverages, arguing that it would help combat the menace of non-communicable diseases.
The government took the decision despite pleas by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for it to halt the policy introduced in the Finance Act, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 2021, alongside the 2022 Appropriation Bill.
The Chief Superintendent of Customs, Department of Excise, Free Trade Zone and Industrial Incentives, Mr. Dennis Ituma, disclosed the new development on Thursday during an interactive session at a Policy Breakfast Meeting in Abuja.
The event was organized by the National Action on Sugar Reduction to proffer ways to implement tax and other interventions to reduce consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) in Nigeria.
The Customs boss said the services had commenced taxing companies that produced Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on the 1st of June, 2023.
“The N10 per litre of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages has been implemented on June 1, by July 21, all excise duties must have been collected and paid into the federation account.
“It should interest you that taxation on SSBs was a policy of the Federal Government in 1984 but was stopped in January 2009.
“Previously, SSBs, alcoholic drinks and tobacco were all taxed until 2009 when SSBs was removed from taxable beverages.