Nigeria tobacco control monitoring centre warns against Act amendments

The Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM) has called on Nigeria's National Assembly to reconsider proposed amendments to the National Tobacco Control Act 2015. The organization warns that the introduction of "Tobacco Harm Reduction" provisions could undermine previous progress in reducing smoking prevalence in the country.

While the amendment process was initially framed as a way to strengthen the existing legal framework and close loopholes, ATIM noted that the current bill considered by the House of Representatives introduces new objectives regarding non-combustible products. These include electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as vapes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches.

Activists argue that "Tobacco Harm Reduction" is a tactic used by the industry to market addictive nicotine products by claiming they aid in smoking cessation. ATIM emphasized that Nigeria's adult smoking prevalence has dropped to approximately 5–6% and urged the government to maintain proven control measures in line with World Health Organization (WHO) obligations.