Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Federal Government to increase Nigeria’s annual tobacco control budget to at least N300 million, warning that the current N9.2 million allocation is grossly inadequate to protect public health.
The organisation said the allocation under the 2026 Appropriation Act fell short of the minimum funding required to implement the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015 and counter tobacco industry interference in public health policies.
Robert Egbe, CAPPA’s Media and Communications Officer and a tobacco control advocate, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Egbe recalled that CAPPA had urged the National Assembly in January 2025 to raise the tobacco control budget to at least N300 million, arguing that the previous N10 million allocation was insufficient to meet the responsibilities prescribed by law.
He said the situation had worsened, with the national tobacco control budget reduced from N13 million in 2025 to approximately N9.2 million in 2026.
According to him, the funding shortfall has weakened the capacity of government institutions responsible for tobacco regulation, public education, monitoring and enforcement.
Egbe also raised concerns over alleged attempts to alter proposed amendments to the NTCA 2015, saying tobacco control advocates discovered that two bills, House Bills 1151 and 47, had reportedly been expanded from four pages to 31 pages, with provisions that differed from those presented during a public hearing on November 22, 2024.
He alleged that the revised proposals sought to remove key protections under the existing law and establish weaker regulations for electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other emerging nicotine products.
The tobacco control advocate described the development as a potential case of tobacco industry interference, warning that commercial interests must not be allowed to undermine public health safeguards.
He said the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) and the Tobacco Control Unit of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare required adequate funding to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
These responsibilities include coordinating tobacco control policies, conducting public education campaigns, monitoring compliance, enforcing smoke-free provisions, regulating tobacco advertising and sponsorship, and protecting children and young people from nicotine addiction.
Egbe noted that tobacco companies had substantial resources to promote their products and shape public narratives, while government institutions lacked sufficient funds to counter such activities effectively.
He warned that without adequate funding, authorities would struggle to detect and prosecute violations, monitor public spaces and respond to emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
Egbe said the consequences of inadequate tobacco control extended beyond regulation, noting that tobacco-related illnesses contributed to cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory conditions, placing additional burdens on families, the healthcare system and the economy.
Citing estimates, he said tobacco-related illnesses claim approximately 26,800 lives in Nigeria annually, while tobacco use kills more than seven million people globally each year, including over 1.6 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.
He added that nicotine was highly addictive and particularly harmful to children, adolescents and young adults whose brains were still developing.
Egbe maintained that the N300 million proposed by CAPPA represented a minimum requirement for effective tobacco control, rather than an excessive expenditure.
He urged the government to prioritise public health funding and protect Nigeria’s tobacco control framework from conflicts of interest and commercial interference.
According to him, Nigeria cannot effectively protect its citizens from tobacco-related diseases while denying the institutions responsible for tobacco control the resources needed to perform their duties.
