In a renewed call for urgent action, the Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have demanded that the Federal Government significantly increase the budgetary allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) to combat the growing health crisis caused by tobacco use.
At a press conference held at the Bolton White Hotel, Abuja, on March 25, 2025, the groups criticized the current N13 million allocation in the 2025 national budget as grossly inadequate. They urged the government to raise the funding to at least N300 million, stressing that anything short of this would severely undermine tobacco control efforts in the country.
A Call for Increased Funding
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, commended the government’s past efforts in tobacco control, including the enactment of the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015, the introduction of the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019, and the creation of the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF). However, he warned that insufficient funding has rendered these policies ineffective.
“While we recognize the significance of these legal measures, we must call the government’s attention to the problem of critically inadequate allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund,” Oluwafemi said. “The fund was established under Section 8 of the NTCA 2015 and is meant to be financed through national budget appropriations, fines for tobacco violations, and contributions from development partners. However, the N13 million allocated this year is nowhere near what is required to address the scale of the tobacco epidemic in Nigeria.”
According to Oluwafemi, Nigeria recorded 26,800 tobacco-related deaths in a single year, with countless others suffering from cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and strokes linked to tobacco use. The economic and social costs, he warned, are devastating.
The Deadly Impact of Tobacco Use
NTCA’s Alliance Coordinator, Olawale Makanjuola, stressed the importance of transparency in administering the Tobacco Control Fund. He urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW) to comply with the law by ensuring that all allocated funds are properly remitted and accounted for.
“The National Tobacco Control Act requires that funds allocated for tobacco control in the national budget or from other sources are to be remitted to the Tobacco Control Fund account for utilization. We urge the FMOHSW to provide regular updates on the status of the fund, including its balance, sources of monies in the fund, and details of expenditures,” Makanjuola stated.
Tobacco Industry Tactics and the Threat to Youth
The health advocates also warned about the growing influence of tobacco companies, which have been aggressively marketing new, alternative nicotine products to Nigerian youth.
Oluwafemi noted:
“While the government drags its feet on funding, the tobacco industry is relentlessly pushing newer, stylish tobacco products that falsely claim to be ‘safer.’ These include electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), heated tobacco products (HTPs), and nicotine pouches, which are heavily marketed to young Nigerians as alternatives to traditional smoking.”
According to Michael Olaniyan, the Country Coordinator for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, every delay in adequately funding tobacco control efforts costs lives and worsens the public health burden.
“Every day Nigeria fails to adequately fund tobacco control, more lives are lost. Our youth are targeted by deadly marketing, and our health system edges closer to collapse under the weight of preventable diseases. The cost of inaction is measured in cancer wards filled with the young and a future mortgaged to addiction and death,” Olaniyan warned.
The Need for Urgent Action
The NTCA and CAPPA emphasized that increasing the fund to at least N300 million annually would allow for:
- Public awareness campaigns to educate Nigerians on the dangers of tobacco use.
- Stronger enforcement of tobacco control laws, including bans on smoking in public places.
- Enhanced support for smoking cessation programs, helping smokers quit.
- Tougher restrictions on tobacco industry interference in policymaking.
They further cautioned that Nigeria must not rely on donor funding for tobacco control, as international aid can be unpredictable. They cited past instances where funding was suddenly withdrawn, leaving many countries unprepared.
“Right now, Nigeria’s tobacco control efforts depend heavily on donor funding, which is not inexhaustible. The government must not wait until external funding dries up before taking responsibility for protecting its citizens,” the statement read.
NTCA, CAPPA, and other stakeholders called on the Federal Government to act decisively by allocating the necessary funds for tobacco control to prevent a looming public health crisis.
“Tobacco use costs lives, causes economic losses, depletes environmental resources, and threatens sustainable development,” Oluwafemi said. “By investing more in the Tobacco Control Fund, Nigeria can pave the way for a healthier population and reduce the burden of tobacco-related illnesses.“
Source: WBN Media
