This policy brief addresses the significant role health taxes can play in combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, which claim 41 million lives annually. By taxing harmful products such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), governments can both reduce unhealthy consumption and generate revenue for public health initiatives and universal health coverage (UHC). The brief emphasizes Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to implement such taxes, highlighting the political, social, and economic challenges to their success. Key recommendations include strengthening local policy development, ensuring stakeholder collaboration, and earmarking revenue for health programs to effectively reduce NCDs.
