Nigeria: Associations call for ban on tobacco in Nollywood

Nigerian non-governmental organization CAPPA (Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa) called at a meeting on June 17 for a cinematographic classification of films containing smoking scenes, the inclusion of anti-smoking spots and warnings, the blurring of tobacco brand names and a total ban on the placement of tobacco products in the Nigerian film industry — Nollywood.[1].

A meeting was held on June 17 at the initiative of CAPPA[2] bringing together participants from the Federal Ministry of Health, public health associations, and representatives from the entertainment industry[3]The aim of this summit was to familiarize participants with the provisions of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015, NTC Act and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019 regarding the issue of tobacco in the cinema and entertainment sectors. It was also to reach a consensus for the implementation of the provisions of the NTC Act 2015 and associated regulations.

The #Smokefreenollywood campaign to raise awareness of the presence of tobacco in cinema

Nigerian civil society organizations point to the process of “normalization” of tobacco in society. Since November 2020, CAPPA has launched the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign to alert on the considerable presence of tobacco in films and series[4]. The organization highlights the weight of influencers in the film industry and calls for Nigerian films not to promote tobacco. This request is in line with the country's simple compliance with the provisions of the FCTC and the Nigerian Tobacco Control Act. The guidelines for the implementation of Article 13 of the FCTC include a provision that the depiction of tobacco use in films is a form of promotion that influences tobacco use, particularly among young people.

CAPPA has called for the establishment of a working group of experts to work in collaboration with regulatory agencies to develop a code of good practice in the media and entertainment space regarding smoking in films. The NGO also calls on actors, directors, musicians and producers to be aware of the dangers of promoting smoking in cultural works and not to include such promotion of smoking in their scripts.

Africa, an El Dorado for the Tobacco Industry

Acknowledging Nigeria's significant success in combating tobacco use over the past 15 years, the West Africa Sub-Regional Coordinator of the NGO Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Hilda Ochefu[5], notes that Africa has been making slow but steady progress towards implementing tobacco control measures to protect millions of citizens from the deadly consequences of tobacco use. However, the industry continues to aggressively market its products in the country. Africa has a large youth population, making the continent a lucrative market for tobacco companies’ current and emerging products. 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.

The tobacco industry is trying to exploit every loophole in the legislation regarding the ban on advertising and promotion of its products and continues to glamorize smoking among the young, especially in cultural works. Nigeria is no exception but has decided to join the good practices recommended internationally to counter this problem.

Keywords: Nigeria, Africa, Cinema, youth, interference, tobacco, Nollywood

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Nollywood is a portmanteau word that refers to the importance of Nigerian cinema. Since 2009, Nigeria has been the second largest film producer in the world in terms of the number of films produced per year.

^[2] Groups seek enforcement of smoking ban in movies, Premium Times, June 20, 2021, accessed June 24, 2021

[3] Nollywood: Stakeholders push to end smoking scene, The Nation, June 23, 2021, accessed June 24, 2021

[4] WHO Regional Office for Africa, #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign fights against smoking in Nigerian films, May 31, 2021, accessed June 24, 2021

[5] Nollywood: Stakeholders push to end smoking scene, The Nation, June 23, 2021, accessed June 24, 2021

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