Nigeria’s health financing: Lessons From Canada’s $32.5bn tobacco settlement
September 23, 2025 by pmnewsnigeria.com
Nigeria’s health financing: Lessons From Canada’s $32.5bn tobacco settlement
Nigeria’s decision to allocate SIN taxes—levies on alcohol, tobacco, and sugary drinks—to health financing demonstrates a strong commitment to protecting public health and reflects long-standing demands from local advocates and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The move comes at a critical time. A recent investigation found Nigerians spend around N1.92 trillion ($1.26 billion) annually on treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Nearly 30% of all deaths in the country are linked to NCDs, with tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks identified as major contributors.
2.90% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 3.8 million current smokers in Nigeria 5.40% of men are current smokers but only 0.30% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
