The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has congratulated the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, and two Nigerian-born public health experts for emerging winners of the World No Tobacco Day 2026 Awards presented by the World Health Organization, WHO.
The NFVCB, Olalekan Ayo-Yusuf of the School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, and Catherine Egbe of the South African Medical Research Council were named among the five African Region recipients unveiled by WHO on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
The other African awardees are Nare Narcisse Mathurin of Burkina Faso and Louise Mapleh Kpoto of Liberia.
CAPPA praises tobacco control efforts
In a statement issued after the announcement, CAPPA described the recognition as a reward for years of sustained advocacy and commitment to tobacco control and public health protection across Africa.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the awards reflected the growing influence of African-led initiatives aimed at resisting tobacco industry interference and shielding young people from nicotine addiction.
“We warmly congratulate the NFVCB, Professor Catherine Egbe and Professor Olalekan Ayo-Yusuf on this well-deserved global recognition,” Oluwafemi said.
“Their work has strengthened tobacco control efforts not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.”
He added that the awards demonstrate how sustained advocacy, effective regulation, and evidence-based public health policies can save lives.
NFVCB’s anti-smoking regulation commended
CAPPA particularly praised the NFVCB and its Director-General, Dr. Shaibu Hussein, for introducing regulations in 2024 prohibiting the promotion and glamorisation of tobacco and nicotine products in Nigerian films, music videos, and skits.
“The NFVCB’s Director-General Dr. Shaibu Hussein showed exemplary leadership and courage by taking a bold stand against the normalisation of smoking in entertainment media,” Oluwafemi stated.
On May 21, 2024, the NFVCB announced restrictions banning the display and promotion of tobacco, tobacco products, and nicotine products in Nollywood productions and related entertainment content.
The regulation, approved by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and backed by the NFVCB Act of 1993, aligns with provisions of Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019.
The move made Nigeria the first African country and the second globally after India to implement such restrictions in entertainment media.
CAPPA noted that the development followed years of advocacy under the #SmokeFreeNollywood campaign spearheaded by tobacco control groups, including CAPPA and the Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance.
WHO honours global tobacco control advocates
CAPPA also congratulated other global recipients recognised by the WHO, including Shaya Mohsin Zindani, who received the WHO Director-General’s Special Award.
According to the organisation, WHO honoured 38 individuals and organisations across Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific regions for outstanding contributions to tobacco control.
Oluwafemi urged Nigerian authorities to build on the recognition by strengthening implementation of existing tobacco control laws and resisting interference from the tobacco industry.
“Recognition is important, but the bigger task remains protecting Nigerians, especially young people, from the devastating health and economic consequences of tobacco use,” he said.
World No Tobacco Day is commemorated annually on May 31. This year’s theme, “Unmask the appeal – countering tobacco and nicotine addiction,” focuses on exposing tactics used by tobacco and nicotine companies to lure young people into addiction.
