By Gabriel Ameh
Abuja | Media360Impact Report
The Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM) has urged the National Assembly to reconsider proposed amendments to Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Act 2015, warning that some provisions could weaken existing tobacco control measures.
In a statement dated August 9, 2026, ATIM backed calls by tobacco control organisations for greater scrutiny of provisions described in the proposed legislation as “Tobacco Harm Reduction.”
The organisation said the proposed changes could create new regulatory openings for non-combustible tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic nicotine products and nicotine pouches, with potential implications for young people and public health.
ATIM said the development was particularly concerning because Nigeria has made progress in reducing smoking prevalence and remains a party to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
“Nigeria should be strengthening the measures that have helped reduce smoking, not creating new policy openings that could undermine those gains,” the organisation said.
According to ATIM, the amendment process was initially presented as an effort to strengthen the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015, address identified weaknesses and close loopholes affecting emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
However, the organisation said the harmonised Bill subsequently considered by the House of Representatives introduced “Tobacco Harm Reduction” as one of its objectives and created separate provisions for non-combustible products.
ATIM argued that the changes warrant greater transparency and public scrutiny, particularly because of the growing commercial importance of new nicotine products.
The organisation said tobacco control advocates have raised concerns about the use of “Tobacco Harm Reduction” as a policy approach, particularly where it could facilitate the wider marketing of nicotine products such as vapes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other electronic nicotine delivery systems.
ATIM noted that adult smoking prevalence in Nigeria is currently estimated at between five and six per cent, describing the figure as evidence of progress in tobacco control.
It urged the government to focus on measures it considers proven to reduce tobacco-related harm, including comprehensive smoke-free environments, stronger tobacco taxation, health warnings, restrictions on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, improved cessation support, measures against illicit tobacco trade and stronger implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC.
The organisation also expressed concern that emerging nicotine products could provide new pathways to nicotine use among young people.
“Nothing prevents Nigeria from adopting evidence-based cessation or risk-reduction interventions where they are independently demonstrated to benefit population health,” ATIM said. “But there is no need to embed a changing and contested commercial concept such as ‘Tobacco Harm Reduction’ as a statutory objective.”
ATIM further called on the National Assembly to explain how the provisions relating to “Tobacco Harm Reduction” and non-combustible products were introduced into the harmonised Bill.
The organisation said it had not established that the tobacco industry drafted or directly caused the provisions to be inserted. However, it argued that the origin of the provisions should be publicly disclosed, given the commercial interests surrounding emerging nicotine products.
It called for the disclosure of stakeholders who proposed the relevant provisions, submissions received during the legislative process, meetings held with tobacco and nicotine industry representatives or groups representing their interests, and the evidence used to develop the proposed regulatory framework.
ATIM said such transparency was important in view of Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, which requires governments to protect tobacco control policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.
The organisation also urged tobacco control groups, researchers, professional associations and public health advocates across Africa to closely monitor the Nigerian legislative process.
It warned that changes to Nigeria’s tobacco control framework could have implications beyond the country and potentially influence tobacco control policy in other African countries.
ATIM called on the National Assembly to ensure that any amendment to the National Tobacco Control Act strengthens Nigeria’s public health protections and remains consistent with the WHO FCTC.
The latest call follows a separate demand last week by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), Gatefield Impact, the Nigerian Cancer Society, the Association of Resident Doctors, Abuja, and other members of the Nigerian tobacco control community for the withdrawal of the Bill.
The groups also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to assent to the legislation if it is eventually presented for executive approval.
Media360Impact will continue to monitor developments surrounding the proposed amendments to Nigeria’s tobacco control law.
