Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA has called on the Federal Government to significantly increase funding for tobacco control, warning that current allocations are insufficient to tackle the growing public health risks posed by tobacco and emerging nicotine products.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the organisation urged the government to raise the annual tobacco control budget to at least ₦300 million, stressing that existing funding levels fall short of what is required to effectively implement the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015.
The call follows the release of CAPPA’s latest report, “New Smoke Trap: New and Emerging Nicotine and Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria,” which highlights how tobacco companies are exploiting regulatory gaps to introduce addictive products such as electronic cigarettes, vapes, and other smokeless nicotine devices into the Nigerian market, particularly targeting young people.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, warned that the rapid spread of these products, combined with weak enforcement and limited funding, poses a significant public health threat.
“We are dealing with a fast-changing nicotine market that is clearly targeting young people. Without adequate funding for regulation, enforcement, and public education, the country risks a new wave of addiction,” he said.
The organisation noted that tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in Nigeria, accounting for nearly 30,000 deaths annually. It also cited data from the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), which revealed that Nigerians spent over ₦526 billion on treating tobacco-related diseases in 2019 alone.
CAPPA lamented that despite the economic and health burden, tobacco control efforts remain underfunded, limiting critical activities such as public awareness campaigns, enforcement of smoke-free regulations, monitoring of industry practices, and research into emerging trends.
The group further noted that the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF), established under the NTCA as a sustainable financing mechanism, is yet to be fully operationalised.
According to CAPPA, increased funding would strengthen the capacity of key bodies such as the National Tobacco Control Committee and relevant units within the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to carry out nationwide sensitisation, compliance monitoring, enforcement of advertising bans, and prosecution of violations.
The organisation also called for sustained investment in alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers, stressing the need for technical support and financial backing to transition to safer and more sustainable crops.
CAPPA further warned that tobacco companies are intensifying marketing efforts on digital platforms, using influencers, lifestyle branding, and misleading claims to attract young users.
“This is a deliberate strategy to recruit new users and replace those lost to tobacco-related diseases. Government must respond by strengthening regulation and backing it with adequate funding,” Oluwafemi said.
In addition to increased budgetary allocation, the group advocated stronger fiscal measures, including raising tobacco taxes to at least 100 percent and dedicating part of the revenue to public health interventions.
It urged policymakers to prioritise tobacco control, warning that failure to act could further strain Nigeria’s healthcare system and expose more young people to preventable diseases.
“Investing in tobacco control will save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and protect the next generation from addiction,” Oluwafemi added.
