The Ekiti State Government has pledged to review its tobacco control law to address the growing use of emerging tobacco and nicotine products, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to public health, particularly among young people.
The commitment was made during a stakeholder engagement held in Ado-Ekiti to mark the 2026 World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), themed “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction.”
The event was organised by the Ekiti State Ministry of Health and Human Services in collaboration with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA.
The state government also commended CAPPA for its sustained support towards tobacco control initiatives and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining Ado-Ekiti’s smoke-free status while strengthening existing tobacco control measures.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Mrs. Sola Gbenga-Igotun, described World No Tobacco Day as a platform that offers hope in the fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction.
She expressed concern over the increasing exposure of children to nicotine products, revealing that some users are as young as seven years old.
“Some children as young as seven, eight and nine years old are already victims,” she said, urging parents and guardians to be more vigilant.
According to her, many emerging nicotine products are odourless, making it difficult for parents and caregivers to detect their use.
“Some of them are smoking, and these products are odourless, so you may not even notice. Let us leave this place as advocates. We are speaking to our conscience that this is happening and destroying our young people. Let us take action,” she added.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Sunday Omoya, who represented the Commissioner, Mrs. Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, called for collective action to curb tobacco and nicotine use.
“I am glad we are discussing this menace. We need to unmask whatever makes these products appealing. Why do people embrace smoking when it is clearly harmful to health? I pledge the support of our officers towards tackling this challenge,” Omoya said.
In a presentation on the state of tobacco control in Ekiti, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Abayomi Ibrahim, disclosed that the government plans to review its tobacco control framework to accommodate emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
He highlighted key achievements recorded by the state, including the enactment of the 2012 Smoke-Free Law, the Ado-Ekiti Declaration of 2025 which designated the city as smoke-free, and growing public awareness among women and young people.
Despite these gains, Ibrahim identified several challenges confronting tobacco control efforts, including weak enforcement, inadequate funding, increasing attraction of youths to shisha and e-cigarettes, tobacco industry interference, and insufficient data for effective policymaking.
He recommended stronger enforcement through training for health and law enforcement personnel, dedicated funding for tobacco control programmes, expansion of school-based awareness initiatives, and deeper engagement with traditional and religious leaders.
Ibrahim also called for improved monitoring systems and a review of existing legislation to align with emerging realities and global best practices.
CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Mrs. Zikora Ibeh, praised Ekiti State for its leadership in tobacco control and maintaining Ado-Ekiti’s smoke-free status.
She warned that while conventional cigarettes remain common, tobacco companies are increasingly targeting young people through new nicotine products such as vapes and nicotine pouches.
“Today, the industry is selling nicotine in different forms and devices,” she said.
According to Ibeh, the products are often packaged in colourful designs and marketed in sweet flavours such as apple and bubble gum to attract younger users.
“These are deliberate tactics to recruit new users and sustain addiction. To mask the harshness of nicotine, the industry hides behind attractive flavours and misleading claims that these products are safer alternatives,” she said.
She also criticised the tobacco industry’s “Quit Like Sweden” campaign, describing it as misleading and arguing that Sweden’s progress in reducing smoking rates resulted from comprehensive tobacco control measures rather than the promotion of alternative nicotine products.
Representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Ekiti State chapter, also expressed support for a smoke-free Ekiti, noting that both faiths discourage smoking because of its harmful effects on health and society.
Stakeholders at the event agreed on the need for stronger regulations, increased public awareness and coordinated action to protect young people from nicotine addiction and promote healthier communities across the state.
