Health Groups Urge Tinubu To Reject Tobacco Amendment Bill

A coalition of tobacco control and public health organisations has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, warning that the proposed legislation would weaken the country’s tobacco control laws and expose more young people to tobacco and nicotine products.

In a joint statement, the coalition described the bill as “a catastrophic reversal of public health gains” and demanded its immediate withdrawal from the legislative process, urging the relevant committees of the National Assembly to recall it.

The groups also appealed to President Tinubu to withhold assent if the bill is transmitted to him for approval.

According to the coalition, the amendment fails to strengthen regulation of emerging nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches.

Instead, it creates what the groups described as a weaker regulatory regime by relaxing restrictions on advertising, promotion, product display and online sales.

The organisations argued that the bill contradicts the principles of the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015, which treats all tobacco products as harmful and highly addictive. They noted that one provision excludes heated tobacco products from the legal definition of tobacco products despite containing tobacco, a move they said conflicts with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

The coalition also opposed provisions permitting advertising of non-combustible tobacco products in so-called adult publications, point-of-sale promotions, online platforms and adult events, warning that such measures could expose children and adolescents to tobacco marketing.

Citing Nigeria’s youthful population and widespread internet access among minors, the groups argued that the bill would create legal avenues for tobacco and nicotine advertisements to reach young people through newspapers, magazines, blogs and digital platforms.

They further criticised provisions allowing online purchases, courier deliveries and product sampling of non-combustible tobacco products, saying Nigeria lacks the enforcement capacity to effectively monitor digital sales and prevent underage access.

The coalition also expressed concern over proposals to weaken packaging and health warning requirements, reduce penalties for violations and allow tobacco companies to classify product information as trade secrets, thereby limiting public access to critical health information.

The groups questioned how the legislation was developed, demanding the release of all versions of the bill, committee reports, public hearing records and stakeholder submissions. They also called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to publicly clarify its position on the proposed amendment.

The coalition maintained that all tobacco and nicotine products should remain subject to a single, strong regulatory framework that prohibits advertising, promotion, sponsorship, retail displays, product sampling and remote sales while ensuring robust health warnings and effective enforcement.

Signatories to the statement include the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation in Africa (CAPPA), Nigerian Cancer Society, Youth Coalition Against Cancer, Oncology Nursing Society of Nigeria, Association of Resident Doctors, Abuja, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Gatefield Impact and several other civil society and health organisations.