World No Tobacco Day 2026: CAPPA Calls for Stronger Action Against Rising Nicotine Use Among Nigerian Youth

As the world commemorates World No Tobacco Day 2026 under the theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Nigerian government and key stakeholders to take urgent steps to curb the increasing appeal of nicotine and tobacco products, particularly among young people.

The advocacy group made the appeal as part of the global Make Big Tobacco Pay Week of Action taking place between June 1 and June 5, 2026. CAPPA warned that tobacco companies are adopting new strategies to attract consumers, especially youths, through emerging nicotine products that are often marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes.

According to the organisation, the tobacco industry has continually evolved its products and marketing tactics to sustain profits while maintaining its core business model of promoting addiction. With growing awareness of the dangers associated with cigarette smoking and stronger tobacco control measures worldwide, tobacco companies have increasingly shifted attention to products such as electronic cigarettes (vapes), heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches.

CAPPA noted that these products are frequently promoted as cleaner, safer, and more socially acceptable than conventional cigarettes, despite concerns that they may still expose users to significant health risks and increase nicotine dependence, particularly among younger populations.

The group referenced findings from its recent report titled “New Smoke Trap: New and Emerging Nicotine and Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria,” which highlighted the rapid spread of these products across the country. The report revealed that nicotine and tobacco products are now widely available in supermarkets, nightlife venues, online stores, and informal markets.

A surveillance exercise conducted in Lagos, Enugu, and the Federal Capital Territory documented 781 nicotine and tobacco-related products, with 573 classified as new and emerging nicotine products. CAPPA stated that many of these items are deliberately designed to attract users through colourful packaging, pleasant scents, compact designs, and appealing flavours.

The organisation expressed concern that many products resemble everyday items such as cosmetics, flash drives, pens, toys, and electronic gadgets, making them less likely to attract attention from parents, teachers, or law enforcement authorities.

CAPPA argued that tobacco companies are exploiting young people’s curiosity, desire for self-expression, and willingness to experiment. It pointed to flavoured products, including mango, strawberry, bubble gum, mint, vanilla, and candy varieties, as key tools used to encourage initiation and continued nicotine use.

According to the group, these flavours mask the harsh effects of nicotine and create the false impression that the products are harmless. Several young users interviewed by CAPPA reportedly admitted that attractive flavours and lifestyle-focused marketing influenced their decision to begin using nicotine products.

The organisation also backed the recent call by the World Health Organization (WHO) for governments worldwide to ban flavours and additives, including menthol, in tobacco and nicotine products. CAPPA stressed that such measures are particularly important in countries like Nigeria, where a large youth population and rapidly evolving digital marketing environments present unique regulatory challenges.

While commending Nigeria for extending excise taxes to emerging nicotine products such as vapes and nicotine pouches, CAPPA maintained that taxation alone is insufficient to address the growing problem. The group noted that although the products are now subject to taxes, current rates remain relatively low and leave room for stronger public health interventions.

According to CAPPA, effective tobacco control requires a comprehensive approach that addresses not only affordability but also product visibility, marketing practices, youth access, and social acceptance.

The organisation called on authorities to introduce stricter regulations on advertising, ban flavoured nicotine products, prohibit youth-oriented packaging and designs, strengthen restrictions on sales to minors, and ensure that vapes and other emerging nicotine products are subject to the same public-use restrictions that apply to traditional cigarettes.

CAPPA further warned that tobacco use is increasingly being associated with celebrity culture, social status, and public celebrations. It cited the growing visibility of cigar smoking at major cultural events such as the Ojude Oba Festival, where images of individuals smoking cigars often gain widespread attention on social media.

The group expressed concern that such displays can create positive perceptions of tobacco use by linking it with wealth, prestige, confidence, and social success. It argued that when young people repeatedly see tobacco products presented as symbols of status and sophistication, they are more likely to overlook the associated health risks.

CAPPA stressed that public smoking remains prohibited under Nigeria’s tobacco control laws and urged authorities to ensure strict enforcement in cultural, entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife settings.

The organisation also called on journalists and media practitioners to avoid portraying nicotine and tobacco products as fashionable lifestyle choices. Instead, it urged the media to focus on the public health implications, regulatory challenges, and marketing tactics employed by tobacco companies.

As part of its recommendations, CAPPA urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the National Tobacco Control Committee, state governments, and other relevant agencies to strengthen enforcement of existing tobacco control regulations.

The group also advocated increased funding for the Tobacco Control Fund to support public awareness campaigns, enforcement activities, research, monitoring, and other interventions aimed at addressing the growing threat posed by emerging nicotine and tobacco products.

CAPPA concluded that the rising appeal of nicotine products is carefully engineered by the tobacco industry and warned that Nigeria must take deliberate and decisive action to protect present and future generations from addiction and tobacco-related harm.