Nigeria's Tobacco Industry Influence: A Growing Concern
The battle for public health is intensifying, and Nigeria is losing ground. According to the 2025 Nigeria Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index, the country has dropped to 62nd place globally in its efforts to protect public health policies from tobacco industry manipulation. This ranking, a decline from its previous position, raises questions about the industry's grip on Nigeria's decision-making processes.
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) report reveals a concerning trend. Nigeria's score has deteriorated, moving from 60 in 2023 to 62 in 2025, ranking it 54th out of 100 countries assessed. This assessment, covering April 2023 to March 2025, is a civil society initiative rooted in the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) Article 5.3, which emphasizes the inherent conflict between tobacco industry interests and public health.
But here's where it gets controversial: CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, argues that tobacco companies exploit lax law enforcement to infiltrate national development initiatives. He claims, "Tobacco companies, despite their harmful nature, persistently infiltrate Nigeria's policy arenas." This year's score, he warns, indicates that industry interference poses a systemic risk to the nation's public health infrastructure.
Oluwafemi draws attention to the tobacco industry's 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR) tactics, such as borehole donations, scholarships, and reforestation projects, which he believes are manipulative strategies. He asserts, "These are not genuine acts of kindness but calculated attempts to rebrand an industry reliant on addiction and profit." Furthermore, he criticizes government officials for endorsing these initiatives, enabling the industry to conceal its detrimental impact.
CAPPA Assistant Executive Director Zikora Ibeh provides further insight, explaining that the 2025 Index evaluated seven critical areas, including policymaking involvement, CSR, industry benefits, unnecessary interactions, transparency, conflict of interest, and preventive measures.
Ibeh identifies a recurring issue: Nigeria's declining score reflects a pattern where each rule designed to exclude the industry from policymaking is undermined by another action that welcomes it back in.
The report highlights the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation's ongoing partnerships with state ministries and local governments, despite national laws, as a concerning example of industry infiltration.
Ibeh emphasizes, "The suspension of tobacco excise tax increases in 2023 undermined Nigeria's financial and health response, burdening citizens while safeguarding industry profits." She also points out the continued involvement of government officials in industry events, such as the Oyo State Governor, as a sign of political collusion.
Transparency issues persist, with many government agencies failing to disclose interactions with tobacco companies as mandated by law. Moreover, the lack of training on WHO-FCTC Article 5.3 leaves officials unaware that participating in tobacco-funded events breaches public health ethics.
The report urges government action, recommending reforms such as banning tobacco-led CSR in public institutions, enforcing transparency in industry interactions, enhancing conflict-of-interest protocols, stabilizing tobacco taxes, providing training on Article 5.3, and barring tobacco companies from policy consultations, especially regarding new nicotine products.
Oluwafemi concludes with a powerful statement: "It's not just smokers' health at risk; it's the health of our democracy and the autonomy of public institutions from corporate control."
The Nigeria Tobacco Industry Interference Index is a global initiative led by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), aiming to assist governments and civil society in implementing WHO-FCTC Article 5.3 to shield public health policies from tobacco industry influence.
