Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the Federal Government to substantially increase funding for tobacco control, describing current allocations as insufficient to tackle the growing health risks posed by tobacco and emerging nicotine products.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the group recommended raising the annual budget for tobacco control to at least N300 million, with consistent increments in subsequent years. It noted that existing funding falls short of what is needed to effectively implement the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015.
The call follows the release of CAPPA’s report titled “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 e-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 proliferation of these products, combined with weak enforcement and inadequate funding, poses a serious public health threat.
He stressed that without stronger regulation, enforcement, and public education, Nigeria could face a new wave of nicotine addiction among its youth.
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 indicating that over N526 billion was spent on û tobacco-related illnesses in 2019, underscoring the economic burden on the country.
CAPPA further expressed concern over the underfunding of key initiatives, including public awareness campaigns, enforcement of smoke-free laws, monitoring of industry practices, and research into emerging tobacco trends. It also lamented that the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF), established under the NTCA, is yet to be fully operational and adequately resourced.
According to the group, increased funding would strengthen the capacity of regulatory bodies such as the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) and the Tobacco Control Unit of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to carry out enforcement, compliance monitoring, and nationwide sensitisation campaigns.
CAPPA also highlighted the need to support alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers through training, technical assistance, and financial backing to encourage a shift to safer crops.
The report further revealed that tobacco companies are intensifying digital marketing strategies, using influencers and lifestyle branding, alongside misleading claims, to attract young consumers.
The organisation called for stronger fiscal and regulatory measures, including raising tobacco taxes to at least 100 percent and dedicating part of the revenue to public health programmes and tobacco control efforts.
It urged policymakers to prioritise tobacco control, warning that failure to act could further strain the healthcare system, worsen poverty, and expose millions of Nigerians—especially youths—to preventable diseases.
CAPPA maintained that increased investment in tobacco control would help save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and safeguard future generations from nicotine addiction.
source: Real vision news
