By Ireti Asemota.
Nigeria’s long-standing efforts to curb tobacco-related deaths and economic damage have taken a serious hit. The 2025 Nigeria Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index, unveiled on Thursday by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), reveals a troubling escalation in tobacco companies’ influence over public health policy.
The nation’s interference score climbed from 60 in 2023 to 62, reflecting growing industry infiltration into decision-making spaces. Among 100 countries evaluated globally, Nigeria now ranks 54th—a clear regression in protecting citizens from Big Tobacco’s tactics.
Tobacco: A Business of Addiction and Death
Speaking at the launch in Lagos, CAPPA’s Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi described the report—the fourth in its series—as a stark warning:
“Tobacco firms masquerade as development partners while peddling products that kill 29,000 Nigerians every year and drain ₦634 billion from healthcare and productivity.”
He accused the industry of using corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a calculated strategy to gain favor and access.
CSR as a Smokescreen
Despite legal restrictions, tobacco companies continue to fund public projects like:
- Boreholes in rural communities
- Scholarships for students
- Fish farming initiatives
- Tree-planting campaigns
“These are not charity. They are deliberate attempts to buy legitimacy and influence,” Oluwafemi said. “Government officials attend, applaud, and legitimize these events—helping the industry whitewash its image.”
Alarming Trends in the 2025 Index
CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director Zikora Ibeh outlined the seven core areas assessed:
| Area | Key Issue |
|---|---|
| Policy Participation | Industry invited to shape regulations |
| CSR Exploitation | Public projects used to sway officials |
| Unnecessary Engagement | Ministers and governors at industry events |
| Lack of Transparency | No public record of meetings |
| Conflict of Interest | Officials accept perks without disclosure |
| Preventive Gaps | Low awareness of WHO Article 5.3 |
| Enforcement Failures | Rules exist but are ignored |
“For every safeguard in place, there’s a loophole letting the industry back in,” Ibeh warned.
New Nicotine Products: A Growing Threat
The report highlights aggressive marketing of e-cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches as “safer alternatives” or “harm reduction” tools—especially targeting youth.
“The tobacco industry has no place in public health dialogue,” Oluwafemi declared. “Their only goal is more sales, more addiction, more disease.”
Wins and Setbacks: A Mixed Record
Progress includes:
- $110 million FCCPC fine against British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) in 2023
- Ban on smoking glamorization in Nollywood films
But major reversals undermine gains:
- Suspension of tobacco excise taxes in 2023
- Delayed 60% pictorial health warnings on packs
- Inconsistent enforcement of existing laws
“We cannot move forward one step and backward two,” Oluwafemi said. “Strong laws without action are meaningless.”
Urgent Recommendations
The report calls for immediate, decisive action:
- Ban all tobacco industry funding of public programs or events
- Restore excise taxes aligned with WHO and ECOWAS standards
- Enforce 60% graphic health warnings on packaging
- Mandate public disclosure of all government-industry interactions
- Train civil servants on Article 5.3 and conflict of interest
- Completely exclude industry from health policy processes
- Reject “harm reduction” claims for new nicotine products
Beyond Health: A Threat to Democracy
Oluwafemi framed tobacco control as a governance crisis:
“When corporations can buy influence, public institutions lose independence. This isn’t just about smokers—it’s about the integrity of our democracy.”
Global Movement, Local Urgency
The TII Index is part of a worldwide civil society effort rooted in Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Nigeria ratified in 2005.
While countries like Uganda and Kenya have stronger protections, Nigeria risks falling further behind without bold reforms.
This is a wake-up call. Civil society, lawmakers, and regulators must act before Big Tobacco entrenches itself deeper.
#StopTobaccoInterference #Article5point3 #ProtectNigerianLives #EndBigTobaccoInfluence #TobaccoFreeNigeria #HealthOverProfit #TII2025 #WHOFCTC
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