…Accuse tobacco firms of targeting youths through flavours, culture, social media
By Chioma Obinna

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, in partnership with the Make Big Tobacco Pay, MBTP, Alliance, has called for stricter enforcement of tobacco control laws to curb the growing spread of tobacco and emerging nicotine products in Nigeria.

The groups made the call during a press conference in Lagos to commemorate the 2026 World No Tobacco Day themed: “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction.”

Briefing journalists, CAPPA Executive Director, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, accused tobacco companies of reinventing addiction through flavoured products, social media campaigns, entertainment and cultural branding targeted at young people.

According to him, while awareness of the dangers of smoking has increased globally, the tobacco industry has merely changed tactics.
“The industry has changed the language, the products, the flavours, the smell and the packaging, but the objective remains the same — to maximise profit by creating addiction to products that cause disease and death,” he said.
Oluwafemi said tobacco companies now market products as “tobacco-free, clean nicotine, smoke-free, and harm reduction to make them appear safer and socially acceptable.
He warned that vapes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products were being packaged in colourful and attractive designs to appeal to youths.
“These products are promoted using sweet flavours, bright colours and aggressive social media marketing, particularly targeting young people,” he stated.
CAPPA disclosed that it had documented over 517 emerging nicotine product brands being sold across supermarkets, convenience stores and online platforms nationwide.
“The industry is deliberately targeting our children, students and young people to turn them into the next generation of nicotine addicts,” Oluwafemi added.
He also condemned “World Vape Day,” describing it as a deceptive campaign created by the tobacco industry to undermine the World Health Organisation’s World No Tobacco Day campaign.
“World Vape Day is a deceptive public relations campaign and Nigerians must not be misled by it,” he warned.
Oluwafemi further expressed concern over the glamorisation of smoking at cultural festivals, particularly the Ojude Oba Festival.
“We are deeply concerned by images and videos glamorising smoking and portraying tobacco use as fashionable, prestigious and culturally admirable,” he said.
According to him, smoking imagery on television and social media was shaping public perception and making tobacco use appear attractive to young people.
He disclosed that tobacco use kills over 30,000 Nigerians annually and urged authorities to intensify enforcement of the National Tobacco Control Act and related regulations.
Also speaking, CAPPA Assistant Executive Director, Ms. Zikora Ibe, said the tobacco industry was redesigning nicotine products to attract younger consumers.
“These products are brightly coloured, sweet-smelling, discreet and technologically appealing,” she said, adding that some resemble cosmetics, flash drives and toys.
She warned that flavours such as mango, strawberry, bubblegum and mint were being used as “entry points into addiction.”
“Many young Nigerians had never smoked cigarettes before but are now addicted to vapes and nicotine pouches,” she added.
Ibe called for stricter marketing controls, prohibition of flavoured nicotine products and stronger restrictions on youth access.
Meanwhile, public health expert, Dr. Goke Akinrogunde, warned that tobacco and nicotine addiction had become a major public health concern in Nigeria.
He disclosed that cases of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD, were now being recorded among teenagers aged 15 to 18.
“That is alarming,” he said.
Akinrogunde revealed that Nigeria records about 29,000 tobacco-related deaths annually, while approximately 4.7 million adults currently use tobacco or nicotine products.
He, however, noted that advocacy and taxation policies were beginning to impact cigarette consumption, which dropped from about 17 billion sticks in 2022 to 14 billion sticks last year.