Nigeria has slipped further in the global rankings of countries protecting public health policies from tobacco industry influence.

This is according to the 2025 Nigeria Tobacco Industry Interference, TII Index released in Lagos on Thursday by the the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA.

The report shows Nigeria’s score worsening from 60 in 2023 to 62 in 2025, placing the country 54th out of 100 nations assessed worldwide.

These findings, covering April 2023 to March 2025, are part of a global initiative grounded in Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO-FCTC, which warns that the interests of the tobacco industry and public health are irreconcilable.

In his opening remarks, CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said the Index highlights how tobacco companies continue to exploit weak enforcement of Nigeria’s tobacco control laws to present themselves as partners in national development.

“Despite operating a business of addiction, disease, and death, tobacco companies continue to gain access, strategically and persistently into Nigeria’s policy spaces,” he said, noting that corporate social responsibility initiatives like borehole donations, scholarships, and reforestation drives are used to “whitewash an image built on addiction and profit.”

Oluwafemi also warned that the industry’s growing involvement in policymaking discussions, particularly around emerging nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and snus, is “deeply troubling.”

While highlighting progress, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s $110 million fine against British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) and the National Film and Video Censors Board’s ban on smoking glamorization in Nollywood, Oluwafemi lamented inconsistent policies, such as the 2023 suspension of tobacco excise taxes, which reversed earlier gains.

He concluded that protecting public health from tobacco interference is not only a health issue but also a matter of governance and democracy, stressing, “There can be no middle ground between public health and corporate interest.”

CAPPA Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh presented the report, noting that the 2025 Index assessed seven key areas, including policymaking participation, CSR, benefits to the industry, transparency, and conflict of interest.

She said Nigeria’s worsening score reflects a systemic failure to fully protect public health policies from industry interference.

Key findings of the report include:

• CSR as a Gateway: British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) continues partnerships with state ministries and local governments, embedding itself in governance systems despite national laws.
• Policy Reversal: The 2023 suspension of tobacco excise tax increases shifted costs to citizens while protecting industry profits.
• Political Proximity: Government officials, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, continue to attend and endorse industry events, signaling complicity.
• Transparency Gaps: Most government agencies fail to disclose interactions with the industry as mandated by the National Tobacco Control Act.
• Weak Preventive Systems: Few officials have received training on WHO-FCTC Article 5.3, leaving many unaware that participating in tobacco-funded events violates public health ethics.

The report urges urgent government action to strengthen policy independence and transparency, including banning industry-led CSR, enforcing disclosure of interactions, restoring predictable tobacco taxation, and institutionalizing Article 5.3 training.

The Nigeria Tobacco Industry Interference Index is coordinated by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) and aims to support governments and civil society in fully implementing Article 5.3 of the WHO-FCTC.