Tobacco Act Amendment Bill Is Damaging To Nigeria, Africa Centre Warns NASS
ATIM Director Prof Olalekan Ayo-Yusuf The Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM) has urged the National Assembly to urgently reconsider the proposed amendments to Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Act 2015, warning that provisions on “Tobacco Harm Reduction” could undermine the country’s tobacco-control gains. In a statement seen by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), on Sunday, August 9, 2026, ATIM backed the rejection of the proposed amendments by Nigeria’s tobacco-control community, saying the changes could weaken the existing regulatory framework and create loopholes for tobacco and nicotine companies to expand the use of emerging products, particularly among young people. The organisation said the development was concerning given Nigeria’s progress in reducing smoking prevalence and its obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). “Nigeria should be strengthening...