A recent study on the tobacco industry’s influence in Nigeria has shown an apparent increase in the industry’s meddling in public health regulations, particularly those about tobacco control.

Nigeria’s ratings fell from 53 in 2021 to 60 in 2023, according to a report by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), which was made possible with funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies via the Center for Good Governance.

“The main deterioration is manifest in the Nigerian government’s challenges and failure to adhere to transparency mechanisms, and disclosure of exchanges with the Industry as mandated by the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019,” stated Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, during a briefing in Lagos yesterday.

The report pointed out that the tobacco industry takes full advantage of these breaches to sway public health policy decisions.

The report also flagged other areas of concern which include: The unnecessary and unhealthy interaction between the tobacco industry and public officials, mostly in the agriculture sector where top government officials have been documented in several instances, participating in the industry’s activities and openly lauding them.

“The tobacco industry’s use and loud celebration of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR activities in the media and on social platforms as a way of enhancing its image to attract unsuspecting individuals, thereby creating a perception of the industry and its products as responsible and desirable.

These CSR initiatives are further promoted by the endorsement of state authorities, who associate and collaborate with the industry to execute socio-economic empowerment programs.”