By JKNewsMedia
TOBACCO CONSUMPTION continues to wreak havoc on public health and the environment in Nigeria, with over 26,800 deaths annually and countless others suffering from diseases such as cancer and chronic respiratory conditions.
Despite this grave reality, funding allocated to combat these challenges remains grossly inadequate, prompting urgent calls for intervention.
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has petitioned the National Assembly to increase the budgetary allocation for tobacco control in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
CAPPA argues that the current N10 million allocation is insufficient and demands a minimum increase to N300 million.
In separate petitions addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Dr Tajudeen Abbas, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, emphasised the devastating toll of tobacco use on Nigeria.
He highlighted its role as the leading preventable cause of death globally and in Nigeria, contributing to enormous healthcare costs, environmental degradation, and the exploitation of regulatory gaps by tobacco companies.
CAPPA underscored the emergence of unregulated tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and novel smokeless tobacco, which target young Nigerians through aggressive marketing. These products, the group noted, pose significant health risks while undermining existing tobacco control laws.
Oluwafemi pointed out the shortcomings of the current funding, stating that operational costs alone consume a large chunk of the allocation, leaving little room for necessary activities such as sensitisation campaigns, enforcement, and supporting farmers transitioning to alternative crops.
He explained that the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) of 2015 mandates the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) to hold quarterly meetings and spearhead public health initiatives, but the insufficient funding hampers these efforts.
In their petitions, CAPPA also requested the full operationalisation of the National Tobacco Control Fund (TCF), established under Section 8 of the NTCA.
The fund is intended to support public health campaigns, research, and enforcement of tobacco laws. However, since its establishment, the fund has yet to function effectively, leaving critical initiatives underfunded.
CAPPA believes that increasing the allocation to N300 million would allow the NATOCC and Tobacco Control Unit (TCU) to execute their mandates effectively.
This includes raising awareness about the dangers of tobacco use, funding research to monitor tobacco consumption trends, supporting farmers in transitioning to sustainable crops, and ensuring robust enforcement of tobacco control laws.
The statement, signed by Robert Egbe, Media and Communication Officer of CAPPA, reiterated the urgent need for transparent fund management and enhanced institutional capacity to combat the harmful effects of tobacco use in Nigeria.
He stressed that by addressing these issues, CAPPA contends that Nigeria can significantly reduce the public health and economic burdens posed by tobacco while safeguarding the environment from further harm.
