The Nigerian tobacco-control community has rejected the proposed National Tobacco Control Act Amendment Bill, describing it as a dangerous setback to public health and urging its immediate withdrawal.
This was disclosed in a statement jointly signed by Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, NTCA, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation in Africa, CAPPA, Gatefield Impact, Nigerian Cancer Society, and Youth Coalition Against Cancer.
Others are; Centre for Youth Inclusion and Development, Call Off Cancer Initiative, A New Thing International Foundation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC.
Still others are, Development Initiative for Society Health, Oncology Nursing Society of Nigeria, Association of Resident Doctors, Abuja, and Trailblazers Initiative.
The 13 civil society and other health advocacy organisations, represented by Emmanuel Onwuka, NTCA and Robert Egbe, CAPPA, said the bill weakens the landmark National Tobacco Control Act, NTCA 2015 by easing restrictions on electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other non-combustible tobacco products.
The coalition called on the National Assembly to recall the bill and urged President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent if it is transmitted for approval, warning that the proposed law prioritises commercial interests over public health.
According to the groups, the bill creates legal inconsistencies by excluding heated tobacco products from the definition of tobacco products, despite their tobacco content.
They argued that this contradicts the standards of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO FCTC, to which Nigeria is a party.
The organisations also faulted provisions allowing advertising in so-called adult publications, online promotions, point-of-sale displays, product sampling and remote sales of vaping and nicotine products.
They warned that these measures would expose children and young people to increased tobacco marketing.
Citing Nigeria’s youthful population and internet usage among minors, the coalition argued that age-verification measures proposed in the bill would be ineffective and difficult to enforce.
The statement further criticised provisions reducing packaging restrictions, weakening health warning requirements and allowing tobacco companies to classify product information as trade secrets, thereby limiting public access to critical health information.
The coalition also expressed concern over a clause empowering the Minister of Health to exempt certain products from regulatory requirements under an undefined “public interest” provision, warning that it could encourage regulatory capture.
The organisations questioned how the amendment bill emerged in its current form, claiming that many controversial provisions were absent from the draft presented during a public hearing in November 2024.
They demanded the release of all committee reports, public hearing records, stakeholder submissions and voting records relating to the legislation.
The groups urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Attorney-General of the Federation, national regulators and the National Tobacco Control Committee to publicly clarify their positions on the bill.
They maintained that all tobacco and nicotine products should remain subject to a single, strong regulatory framework that prohibits advertising, promotion, sponsorship, retail displays, promotional sampling and online sales.
The coalition also called on healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, the media and the public to oppose the amendment, insisting that Nigeria’s tobacco control laws must continue to prioritise public health over commercial interests.
