Nigeria tobacco control groups reject amendment to 2015 law, demand recall

A coalition of Nigerian tobacco‑control organisations issued a joint statement urging the immediate withdrawal of the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill 2025. The groups say the bill would dismantle core protections of the 2015 Act, create a permissive regime for electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other non‑combustible products, and reopen advertising, promotion and sponsorship rules. They argue the amendment contradicts the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, noting that “the bill defines non‑combustible products to include heated tobacco products, then defines tobacco products to exclude all non‑combustible products,” effectively removing tobacco‑product status from heated items. The coalition called on legislative committees to recall the bill and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold assent if it reaches the executive stage, warning that the change would set a dangerous precedent for Africa and undermine public‑health gains.