NUFBTE urges House to stop CETA Bill that would raise soft drink taxes

NUFBTE leadership, led by President Comrade Garba Dankama, sent an open letter to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen urging the House of Representatives to withhold concurrence on the CETA Bill, which would replace the current ₦10-per-litre specific tax on soft drinks with a percentage levy based on retail price.

Dankama warned that the proposed tax would add burden to workers and manufacturing sector already strained by high borrowing costs, energy/logistics expenses, forex constraints, and weak purchasing power; capacity utilization has fallen, production lines scaled back or shut; the sector supports over a million jobs. An aggressive percentage tax could cause higher prices, weaker demand, factory closures, retrenchments, and push consumers to unregulated alternatives, while contributing only 5% of national sugar intake, so little public health benefit.

He urged the House to protect workers’ interests amid ongoing fuel subsidy removal and forex reforms, noting workers’ incomes haven’t kept pace with rising transport, food, housing costs; the union calls for a pause to let industry adjust. Will lawmakers heed the union’s warning and halt the bill, or proceed despite the risk to jobs and affordability?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/19/nufbte-urges-house-of-representatives-to-halt-passage-of-ceta-bill/