The Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have called on the federal government to increase funding for the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) from the N13 million allocated in the 2025 national budget to at least N300 million.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja, CAPPA Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi stressed that while the country has made progress in tobacco control policies, inadequate funding has rendered these measures ineffective.
Despite establishing the TCF under the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015, the fund has received insufficient allocations. The Federal Government’s budget for the fund has increased from N4.7 million in 2023 to N13 million in 2025.
This, the NTCA and CAPPA said remains far below the estimated N300 million needed to effectively implement tobacco control programmes.
Oluwafemi highlighted the devastating impact of tobacco use, which remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, killing over 26,800 Nigerians annually.
Tobacco-related diseases, including cancers, stroke, and cardiovascular illnesses, not only claim lives but also impose a financial burden on families and the healthcare system, he added.
“Tobacco use costs lives, causes economic losses, contributes to environmental degradation, and threatens sustainable development. However, an adequately funded TCF will save lives by preventing new smokers, reducing overall tobacco use, and limiting exposure to second-hand smoke,” Oluwafemi stated.
Also speaking at the event, NTCA coordinator Olawale Makanjuola expressed concerns over transparency regarding the TCF, questioning whether past allocations had been properly disbursed and utilised.
“The National Tobacco Control Act requires that all allocated funds be remitted to the TCF account for implementation. The government must provide updates on the balance, funding sources, and expenditures,” Makanjuola said.
Country coordinator for the campaign on tobacco-free kids, Michael Olaniyan, warned of the risks posed by Nigeria’s inaction.
“Every day that Nigeria fails to fund tobacco control adequately, more lives are lost. Our youth are targeted by aggressive tobacco marketing, and preventable diseases further strain our health system,” Olaniyan cautioned.
NTCA and CAPPA emphasised that a well-funded TCF would enable Nigeria to conduct effective awareness campaigns to prevent smoking initiation, support cessation programmes for individuals seeking to quit, strengthen enforcement of smoke-free laws and advertising restrictions as well as combat industry interference and prevent marketing targeted at youth.
With tobacco-related illnesses posing a major threat to public health and economic stability, the group insist that increased funding is not just necessary but urgent.
