Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) is partnering government , Kannywood and other relevant stakeholders especially those in the entertainment industry to end and restrict usage of tobacco advertising through the Nigerian film industry.
Speaking at a press conference recently in Abuja, the Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said that though the stakeholders claim using smoking scenes to drive a point, such should be rated as adult movie.
He said that movies and entertainment materials are veritable tools for the transfer of ideas and promotion of alternative lifestyles.

“Youths are initiated into using tobacco products through advertising and subliminal promotion of smoking scenes in movies, music videos and product placements.
“The tobacco industry has exploited the entertainment sector (films and music videos) to entice and conscript young people into smoking.
He urged the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and other agencies saddled with the responsibilities of enforcing the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act, 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations (NTCR) 2019 to do the needful in national interest.
He said that the enforcement of the nation’s tobacco control regulations has also been exploited by the tobacco industry, which continues to glamourize smoking on set and in music videos.

“There is a need to checkmate the industry and compel stakeholders in the sector to play active roles in the introduction of stringent measures to curb the industry’s stranglehold on the youth population,’’ he said.
He added that this made CAPPA to organise a meeting on 21 November in Lagos with Nollywood stakeholders.

The CAPPA Director explained that , “Our decision to engage with Kannywood stakeholders in the north is informed by a research carried out by CAPPA in 2020 to get a clear picture of the depth of the depiction of smoking in Nigerian movies.

“The research looked at recent films from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria (lgbo, Yoruba, and Hausa), sold in the open market and the indirect ways they were used to advance tobacco products.’’

“we are therefore elated to work with stakeholders in the entertainment industry especially Kannywood, to roll back this menace starting with the films they produce. Kannywood stakeholders are key because they are role models, influencers of our youths and relevant in ensuring Nigerian films are compliant with the WHO-FCTC and Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Act and it’s Regulation.