A recent study on the extent of tobacco industry interference in Nigeria has exposed a notable rise in the sector’s interference with public health policies, particularly those related to tobacco control measures.
The study, conducted by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) with assistance from Bloomberg Philanthropies through the Centre for Good Governance, indicates a decline in Nigeria’s ratings from 53 points in 2021 to 60 in 2023.
Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, who disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos yesterday, said: “According to the report, the main deterioration is manifest in the Nigerian government’s challenges and failure to adhere to transparency mechanisms, and disclosure of exchanges with the Industry as mandated by the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019.”
“These breaches, the report noted, are exploited maximally by the tobacco industry to interfere in public health policies and deliberations.”
The report highlighted additional areas of concern, such as the inappropriate and detrimental engagement between the tobacco industry and public officials. This interaction is particularly evident in the agriculture sector, where numerous instances have documented top government officials participating in industry activities and openly expressing praise for them.
“The tobacco industry’s use and loud celebration of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR activities in the media and on social platforms as a way of enhancing its image to attract unsuspecting individuals, thereby creating a perception of the industry and its products as responsible and desirable. These CSR initiatives are further promoted by the endorsement of state authorities, who associate and collaborate with the industry to execute socio-economic empowerment programmes.”