On October 30, 2025, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) organised a one-day technical session in Abuja, themed “Sustaining Tobacco Control Through the Tobacco Control Fund in Nigeria”. The meeting formed part of ongoing efforts to institutionalise long-term, domestically financed tobacco control in Nigeria through taxation, improved budgetary allocation, and other innovative financing strategies.
The session brought together key stakeholders, including representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and relevant committees of the National Assembly, alongside civil society and development partners.
In his welcome address, Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, stressed the need for sustainable, locally driven funding for tobacco control. He noted that for many years, Nigeria’s tobacco control efforts have depended on donor support, which is neither permanent nor predictable. He emphasised that with a dedicated budget line for tobacco control now in place, government agencies must ensure that the fund is adequately financed and effectively utilised to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
Speaking on behalf of NTCA, Alliance Coordinator Olawale Makanjuola reiterated the call for stronger collaboration among all actors, noting that a sustainably financed tobacco control system would reduce the disease burden, ease pressure on the health budget, and help protect citizens—especially low-income groups—who suffer the brunt of second-hand smoke and tobacco-related illnesses.
Goodwill messages followed from the Federal Ministries of Health and Finance, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), and Gatefield, all affirming commitment to domestic resource mobilisation for tobacco control.
The technical presentations began with Chibuikem Nwokorie, Programme Lead at NTCA, who provided an overview of the state of tobacco control in Nigeria. He highlighted progress made so far, existing gaps, and the road ahead, particularly in strengthening enforcement, implementing comprehensive tax reforms with public health objectives, and fully enforcing Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which requires governments to shield public policy from tobacco industry interference.
Dr. Malao, Director of the Tobacco Control Unit at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, presented an update on the status of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Fund, outlining the implementation challenges faced by the Ministry, particularly the difficulty in accessing the funds. He called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address these barriers and ensure funds earmarked for tobacco control initiatives are effectively utilised.
Michael Olaniyan, Nigeria Country Coordinator for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, spoke on ensuring budget sustainability for tobacco control. He explained that sustainable funding builds government ownership, reduces donor dependency, and enables consistent implementation of tobacco control policies and enforcement. He also shared global best practices, identified potential funding pathways for Nigeria, and outlined opportunities for leveraging existing resources.
A representative of the National Assembly’s Appropriations Committee also shared insights on effective strategies for engaging legislative bodies and budget committees to secure sustained financing for tobacco control.
A key highlight of the event was the breakout session, where participants were split into groups to brainstorm and propose actionable strategies for securing long-term, sustainable funding. The event concluded with a set of recommendations emerging from the group discussions, including:
- Increasing tobacco taxation and earmarking the generated revenue for tobacco control and non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention.
- Amending existing laws to include funding mechanisms through licensing fees for both locally manufactured and imported tobacco products.
- Integrating cessation services into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to expand access and funding support.
These recommendations will guide continued advocacy and engagement towards ensuring a sustainable financial framework for tobacco control in Nigeria.
