Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), in partnership with Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana), is set to officially launch the tobacco tax advocacy project in Ghana at a high-level kick-off meeting in Accra, Ghana, from 3–5 June 2026.
The meeting will convene policymakers, tax administrators, health officials, civil society organisations (CSOs), academia, and development partners to officially launch the project in Ghana.
It will provide a platform for dialogue on tobacco taxation, health financing, domestic resource mobilisation, and multi-sector coordination in advancing public health outcomes.
The Tobacco Tax Advocacy Project, a flagship initiative of TJNA across Africa, supports governments and stakeholders in designing and implementing effective tobacco tax policies that reduce consumption and increase public revenues. Its expansion into Ghana marks a significant step towards strengthening health taxes as part of the country’s broader development and health-financing agenda.
Ghana presents a strong opportunity for tobacco tax reform. While adult tobacco use remains relatively low at approximately 3.5 per cent, tobacco-related diseases still impose a significant public health and economic burden, causing more than 6,700 deaths annually and costing an estimated GHS 668 million in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity. Although the country has made notable progress through the Public Health Act, Tobacco Control Regulations, and recent excise reforms, tobacco taxes account for only about 23 per cent of the retail price of cigarettes—far below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended benchmark of at least 75 per cent. Strengthening tobacco taxation, therefore, offers a clear pathway to reduce tobacco consumption, improve health outcomes, and generate additional domestic resources for development priorities.
The kick-off meeting will serve as a high-level policy dialogue platform, enabling stakeholders to review Ghana’s current tobacco taxation framework and identify key policy and implementation gaps. It will also build consensus on tobacco taxation as a sustainable health financing mechanism, strengthen collaboration between the finance and health sectors, and develop a coordinated national advocacy roadmap for 2026 and beyond.
The meeting will also address emerging tobacco control concerns, including youth tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke, and the increasing use of alternative nicotine products such as shisha and smokeless tobacco.
The launch comes at a critical time, as many African countries face mounting pressure on national budgets from declining external aid, rising debt obligations, and growing health-sector demands. Tobacco taxation offers a practical, evidence-based solution, providing predictable revenue while reducing the consumption of harmful products and lowering long-term healthcare costs.
VAST Ghana’s involvement brings strong national expertise in public health advocacy, community engagement, policy dialogue, and accountability in health governance, ensuring the initiative is firmly grounded within Ghana’s development context.
TJNA seeks to build a strong and coordinated tobacco tax advocacy community capable of driving sustained policy reform across Africa.
For more information, please contact John Thomi at jthomi[@]taxjusticeafrica.net
