Nigeria: Call for stronger tobacco control to protect young people

Several public health associations have issued recommendations that can help Nigeria effectively combat tobacco use, particularly to protect its youth.

Nigeria is a key market for the tobacco industry in Africa due to its large and rapidly growing population (44% of the population is under 15 years old) and its access to other markets in the region.

Health associations call for mobilization of public authorities

The associations stressed the need for proper enforcement of current regulations and the importance of prevention to discourage smoking from an early age. These associations also recommended a 70% tax increase.[1] on the prices of tobacco products to make the products less accessible.

Launch of a campaign to raise awareness among young people about the presence of tobacco in cinema

Civil society organizations also point to the process of "normalization" of tobacco in society. In November 2020, a Nigerian NGO (CAPPA) launched the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign.[2] to warn about the considerable presence of tobacco in films and series. The organization highlights the weight of influencers in the film industry and requests that Nigerian films not promote tobacco. This request corresponds to the country's simple compliance with the provisions of the FCTC and the Nigerian Tobacco Control Act. Some of the recommendations made by CAPPA include obtaining an adult classification for films containing tobacco scenes, the inclusion of strong health messages during film launches and the dissemination of prevention campaigns, the blurring of the names of tobacco brands and products in the background of film scenes and the total ban on the placement of tobacco products.

Tobacco Industry Interference in Nigeria

Nigeria ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2005. To fulfill its obligations under the treaty, Nigeria enacted the National Tobacco Control Act in 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations, adopted and gazetted in 2019.[3].

However, according to the 2020 Tobacco Industry Interference Index[4], in Nigeria, despite clear laws and policies in place, the tobacco industry continues to benefit from significant advantages from the public authorities: participation in the development of health policies, strong communication associated with so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions. These practices induce obstacles in the implementation of tobacco control programs in the country[5].