Senate Seeks Dedicated SSB Tax Fund for Primary Healthcare, Cancer Screening

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), Senator Ipalibo Banigo, has urged the Federal Government to dedicate revenue generated from the proposed Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) Tax to strengthening primary healthcare, preventive medicine and disease screening programmes across the country.

Banigo made the call on Thursday in Abuja while receiving members of a coalition of more than 80 civil society organisations and professional groups advocating the passage of the SSB Tax Bill.

The delegation visited the National Assembly to commend the senator for championing the legislation in the Senate and to seek her support in encouraging the House of Representatives to also pass the bill.

Speaking during the meeting, Banigo stressed that proceeds from the proposed tax should not be absorbed into the government's general revenue but should instead be specifically earmarked for health interventions aimed at tackling the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

"For me, it must be ring-fenced. Part of the money should go to health promotion, primary healthcare, preventive care and cancer screening. That is the only way Nigerians will see the impact and buy into it," she said.

The senator, who is a medical doctor and former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, warned that diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and obesity are placing increasing pressure on Nigeria's healthcare system and imposing heavy financial burdens on families.

"When people fall sick and develop complications, it affects the economy. Prevention is better and cheaper than cure," she added.

Banigo commended the coalition for presenting evidence-based research in support of the bill and for actively engaging lawmakers and other stakeholders throughout the legislative process.

She assured the delegation that the Senate would continue supporting efforts to ensure the proposed legislation is eventually signed into law.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, who led the delegation, said the visit was to appreciate Banigo's leadership in advancing the bill.

He appealed to the senator to also engage members of the House of Representatives to facilitate the passage of the legislation.

"We are here to say thank you for championing this bill. Like Oliver Twist, we are asking that you assist with reaching out to your colleagues in the House of Representatives to also pass the bill," Oluwafemi said.

The proposed Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) Tax Bill seeks to impose levies on sugary drinks as part of broader efforts to discourage excessive sugar consumption while generating additional resources to fund healthcare interventions.

Supporters of the bill argue that the tax will help address the rising prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and other non-communicable diseases by promoting healthier consumption habits and providing sustainable funding for preventive healthcare programmes.

If eventually passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and assented to by the President, the legislation is expected to become a key component of Nigeria's strategy to combat the growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases.