Groups seek tobacco amendment bill recall

A coalition of tobacco control organisations has called for the immediate recall of the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, warning that the proposed legislation would weaken existing tobacco control measures and expose more Nigerians, especially young people, to tobacco and nicotine products.

The groups, in a joint statement issued on Thursday, urged the relevant committees of the National Assembly to recall the bill and called on President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent if it is transmitted to him.

The coalition argued that rather than strengthening regulation, the bill would dismantle key protections contained in the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015, by creating a more permissive framework for electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other non-combustible tobacco products.

“The bill must not advance, regardless of its current administrative stage after passage through the National Assembly,” the coalition said.

The organisations said the amendment would reverse the public health principles underpinning the 2015 Act by granting newer tobacco and nicotine products freedoms denied conventional cigarettes.

“In one of its most embarrassing contradictions, the bill defines non-combustible products to include heated tobacco products, then defines tobacco products to exclude all non-combustible products. The legal effect is that a product containing actual tobacco would cease to be treated as a tobacco product merely because it is heated rather than burned,” the coalition stated.

According to the groups, the provision contradicts the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which recognises heated tobacco products as tobacco products that should be subject to comprehensive tobacco control measures.

They also faulted provisions that would permit tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship through what the bill describes as adult publications, point-of-sale promotions, online advertising and adult events.

The coalition argued that the definition of an adult publication as one with at least 50 per cent of readers above 18 years would still expose large numbers of children and teenagers to tobacco advertisements.

Citing UNICEF data, the groups said more than 60 per cent of Nigerians are below 30 years, over 70 per cent are under 35 years, while 43 per cent are aged 15 years or younger.

They also cited a Nigerian Communications Commission study showing that 93 per cent of surveyed children aged 11 to 16 and 45 per cent of those aged four to 10 accessed the internet using their own mobile phones.

“Against this reality, the supposed definition of ‘adult advertising’ would create a lawful route for tobacco and nicotine advertisements to reach young people through newspapers, magazines, blogs and digital platforms,” the coalition said.