CSOs Commend Nigeria’s Leadership at COP11, Call for Stronger Domestic Tobacco Control

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Civil society organisations working in tobacco control have commended the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, and the Nigerian delegation for what they described as “outstanding leadership” at the 11th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) in Geneva.


In a joint statement, the groups praised Nigeria’s firm stance against tobacco industry interference and its consistent support for public health measures throughout the global conference, which held from 17 to 22 November and drew more than 1,400 delegates from 162 Parties.


The statement was signed by Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), the Centre for Youth Inclusion & Development (CYID), and the Civic Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).


The organisations said Nigeria played a prominent role at COP11, especially through strong interventions supporting strict regulation of emerging tobacco and nicotine products, as well as enhanced liability and environmental provisions.


Dr. Salako, who delivered Nigeria’s high-level statement at the conference, presented new national data and highlighted ongoing regulatory and enforcement actions aimed at strengthening tobacco control efforts in the country.


The coalition noted that Nigeria also provided strategic leadership within the African Group, helping to break negotiation deadlocks and shape the continent’s unified position during key discussions.


They further commended the participation of Nigerian civil society actors and public health experts, including Dr. Omotayo Francis Fagbule of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, saying their involvement reflected the “whole-of-society” commitment to tobacco control.


However, the groups urged the government to ensure that Nigeria’s strong global showing is matched by domestic action, especially as the country recently slipped in the global ranking on tobacco industry interference.


“The real work begins at home,” the statement said, calling for stronger enforcement of existing laws, accelerated regulatory measures, full protection of public health policies from industry influence, and adequate and transparent funding for the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act and Regulations.


The CSOs warned that without predictable financing, tobacco control efforts could stall.


“Nigeria has shown principled leadership on the global stage. The next step is to demonstrate the same commitment in implementation so that citizens, particularly young people, can benefit from the protections championed in Geneva,” they said.

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