Private Sector Rejects Sugared Beverages Tax Increase, Cites Threat To 1.5m Jobs

The Organised Private Sector (OPS), led by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has opposed plans to increase excise duties on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), warning that the move could jeopardise more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs across the country.
Speaking in Lagos on behalf of the non-alcoholic drinks sector, MAN director general, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, expressed concern over the provisions of the Customs and Excise Tariff (Consolidation) Act Amendment Bill 2025, which seeks to replace the current excise duty of N10 per litre on SSBs with a percentage-based levy tied to retail prices.
Ajayi-Kadir said while manufacturers support government efforts to improve...