CAPPA raises alarm over youth nicotine surge, demands higher tobacco control funding

2026-03-30 - 14:34

By Chioma Obinna The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has called on the Federal Government to significantly increase funding for tobacco control, warning that inadequate budgetary allocation is undermining efforts to combat the growing public health risks posed by tobacco and emerging nicotine products. In a press statement made available to Vanguard, the advocacy group urged authorities to raise the annual tobacco control budget to at least N300 million, stressing that current funding levels fall short of what is needed to implement the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 effectively. The appeal follows the release of CAPPA’s latest report, titled “New Smoke Trap: New and Emerging Nicotine and Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria,” which highlighted how tobacco companies are increasingly targeting young Nigerians with products such as electronic cigarettes, vapes, and other smokeless nicotine devices. In the press statement, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, warned that the rapid expansion of these products, combined with weak enforcement and limited funding, poses a serious threat to public health. “We are dealing with a fast-changing nicotine market that is clearly targeting young people. Without adequate funding for regulation, enforcement, and public education, the country risks a new wave of addiction,” Oluwafemi said. According to the organisation, tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in Nigeria, accounting for nearly 30,000 fatalities annually. Citing data from the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa, CAPPA noted that Nigerians spent over N526 billion treating tobacco-related diseases in 2019 alone. Despite the heavy health and economic burden, CAPPA lamented that tobacco control initiatives remain underfunded, affecting key activities such as public awareness campaigns, enforcement of smoke-free regulations, monitoring of industry practices, and research into emerging nicotine trends. The group also raised concerns about the underperformance of the Tobacco Control Fund, TCF, established under the NTCA to provide sustainable financing for tobacco control efforts but is yet to be fully operational. “The Tobacco Control Fund was designed as a sustainable financing mechanism to protect Nigerians from the harms of tobacco. But without adequate budgetary allocation and full operationalisation, it cannot deliver on its mandate,” Oluwafemi added. CAPPA stressed that improved funding would strengthen the capacity of regulatory bodies, including the National Tobacco Control Committee, NATOCC, and the Tobacco Control Unit within the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, enabling them to enforce advertising bans, monitor compliance, and prosecute violations nationwide. The organisation further underscored the need to support tobacco farmers in transitioning to alternative livelihoods, noting that such a shift requires sustained investment in training, technical assistance, and financial support. The report also warned that tobacco companies are intensifying digital marketing strategies, leveraging social media influencers, lifestyle branding, and misleading claims about reduced harm to attract younger users. “This is a deliberate strategy to recruit new users and replace those lost to tobacco-related diseases. Government must respond by strengthening regulation and backing it with adequate funding required for enforcement,” Oluwafemi said. In addition to increased funding, CAPPA called for stronger fiscal policies, including raising tobacco taxes to at least 100 percent and allocating a portion of the revenue to public health interventions. The organisation urged policymakers to treat tobacco control as an urgent national priority, warning that failure to act decisively could worsen health outcomes, deepen poverty, and expose millions, especially youths, to preventable diseases. “Investing in tobacco control will save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and protect the next generation from addiction,” Oluwafemi added.