… Pictorial Warnings Push Quit-Attempt Rate From 26% To 43%
… BATN Fined $110m For Repeated Violations Under WHO FCTC
Daud Olatunji
Nigeria has reported major progress in its fight against tobacco consumption, enforcement and industry accountability, unveiling new data that shows a significant drop in smoking rates and stronger national action against violators of tobacco control laws.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the breakthroughs on Monday while presenting Nigeria’s progress report at the Eleventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Salako disclosed that Nigeria had successfully completed the second round of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2025), making it the first African country to do so.
The survey, according to him, confirms a “steady decline in daily tobacco use since the 2012 baseline.”
He attributed the gains to “consistent, multisectoral interventions, tougher regulations and sustained public education,” adding that the country’s sustained pressure on tobacco companies and strengthened enforcement mechanisms were yielding visible results.
“This positive trend reflects the effectiveness of our enforcement of tobacco control laws, monitoring policies and nationwide awareness campaigns,” the minister told delegates.
A major highlight of Nigeria’s presentation was the announcement that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had slammed British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) with a historic $110 million fine for repeated violations of tobacco control and consumer protection regulations.
Describing the sanction as a global milestone, Salako said:“this represents one of the most significant applications of Article 19 of the WHO FCTC worldwide.
It sends a clear message — the tobacco industry will be held legally and financially accountable.”
The GATS 2025 findings also showed that Nigeria’s pictorial health warnings are achieving measurable impact.
The percentage of smokers who reported that the warnings made them consider quitting jumped from 26.7 per cent in 2012 to 43.3 per cent in 2025, a shift Salako described as “evidence of behaviour change.”
Exposure to second-hand smoke at home and in public places has also recorded “a significant decline,” according to the report.
Nigeria also announced one of its most culturally significant policy moves — a sweeping ban on tobacco promotion, advertising and sponsorship across Nollywood films, music videos, TV dramas and digital content.
Global observers at COP11 described the policy as a “bold cultural shift,” noting its potential to curb on-screen glamorisation of smoking.
“For a country with one of the world’s largest film industries, this is a bold step that gives practical effect to Article 13 of the WHO FCTC,” Salako said.
To consolidate the gains, the Federal Government unveiled three major national frameworks:
National Tobacco Control Strategic Plan of Action (2024–2028)
National Tobacco Control Communication Strategy (2024–2028)
National Tobacco Control Enforcement Plan (2024–2028)
Salako said the documents represent “a consolidated roadmap for enforcement, behaviour change communication and multisectoral collaboration.”
Despite the achievements, the minister acknowledged that challenges persist. He listed weak subnational enforcement, misinformation about emerging nicotine products and ongoing industry interference as obstacles to Nigeria’s tobacco-control ambitions.
“While significant progress has been made, key challenges persist,” he cautioned.
“Nigeria remains unwaveringly committed to the WHO FCTC and welcomes technical and financial support, knowledge exchange and global collaboration.”
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s alignment with the African group’s unified position at COP11, stressing that the continent remains committed to raising a tobacco-free generation.
“The 20th anniversary of the WHO FCTC challenges us to recommit ourselves to global tobacco control as an effective strategy to prevent non-communicable diseases and environmental degradation,” Salako added
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