The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has asked the Nigerian government to focus more on protecting public health rather than supporting the tobacco industry's profits. CAPPA raised concerns about two bills that are trying to change Nigeria’s tobacco control laws, known as the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) of 2015.
CAPPA believes the changes proposed in these bills could make it easier for tobacco companies to market their products, especially to young people. CAPPA also pointed out that the bills have mistakes in how they are written and could harm efforts to protect the public from the dangers of smoking.
One of the biggest issues is that the tobacco industry is still using marketing strategies aimed at young people, which CAPPA says is against the law. The NTCA clearly states that tobacco companies should not advertise to kids and teenagers. CAPPA argues that the bills do not do enough to stop these harmful practices.
Another big concern for CAPPA is the relationship between public agencies and tobacco companies. CAPPA claims that some government agencies are working too closely with tobacco companies, which could lead to decisions that protect the tobacco industry rather than the health of Nigerians. CAPPA calls these relationships “unholy alliances” and says they could weaken the country’s efforts to reduce smoking rates.
CAPPA is asking for stronger rules to protect Nigerians from tobacco harm. One important rule is the 100-meter school buffer zone, which means tobacco products cannot be sold or advertised within 100 meters of a school. CAPPA wants to make sure this rule is fully enforced.
The group also wants the government to update the tobacco control law to make it stronger and more in line with international standards, so Nigeria can better protect its citizens from smoking-related diseases.