CAPPA Unveils Report on Emerging Nicotine Products

... Warns of Rising Youth Exposure and Regulatory Gaps

(L-R) Olamide Martins, Ogunlade Associate Director Climate Change and Extractives at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA; Ummi Musa Umar, Executive Director, Call Off Cancer Initiative; Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director CAPPA; Mary-Anne Etiebet, Executive Director and CEO of Vital Strategies; Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director CAPPA; and Aaron Schwid, Public Health Executive at Vital Strategies during the media presentation of CAPPA's latest report 'New Smoke Trap: Emerging Nicotine & Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria.' in Lagos on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised alarm over the rapid proliferation of new and emerging nicotine and tobacco products in Nigeria, warning that regulatory gaps and aggressive marketing are exposing young people to addiction and long-term health risks.

Speaking in Ogba, Lagos on Thursday at the media launch of a report titled “New Smoke Trap: New and Emerging Nicotine and Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria,” CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the country was witnessing a significant expansion of next-generation nicotine products, including vapes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches.

Oluwafemi noted that although the study focused on Nigeria, its findings reflect a broader trend across Africa, where youthful demographics make countries vulnerable to what he described as industry manipulation.

He said the products, which are increasingly visible in supermarkets and aggressively promoted on digital platforms, are being framed as modern lifestyle accessories rather than drug delivery systems.

“For decades, tobacco control laws were designed to address combustible cigarettes. However, these new products are testing the limits of existing regulations,” he said, adding that the tobacco industry has rebranded addiction as innovation under the guise of “reduced harm” alternatives.

According to him, CAPPA’s field surveillance conducted between October and December 2025 across Lagos, Enugu and the Federal Capital Territory documented 781 nicotine and tobacco-related products. Of these, 573 were categorised as new and emerging nicotine products, with e-cigarettes accounting for 522 variants.

The report found that many of the products are flavoured and packaged in sleek, gadget-like designs, making them attractive to young consumers. Prices ranged from as low as N5,000 to N60,000, increasing accessibility among youths.

Oluwafemi also called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to harmonise regulatory approaches, close policy loopholes and strengthen public education on the risks of nicotine addiction.

He said anticipatory regulation is essential to prevent the normalisation of nicotine use among young Nigerians and to safeguard public health.

CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, while presenting their finding said the products are often displayed alongside everyday consumer goods such as snacks, electronics and cosmetics, contributing to their normalisation.

“These products are embedded in our retail and digital environments in ways that disguise their dangers,” she said, adding that most respondents to CAPPA’s digital survey were between 18 and 25 years old.

She explained that new and emerging nicotine products fall into three broad categories: electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly known as vapes; heated tobacco products; and nicotine pouches. While some are marketed as tobacco-free, she stressed that they contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance.

On his part, Associate Director at CAPPA, Martins Ogunlade, called for comprehensive regulatory reform anchored on nicotine content rather than product form.

He urged authorities to extend excise taxation, advertising restrictions and age-verification requirements to all nicotine delivery systems, including those sold online. 

He also called for stronger cross-agency coordination among health, trade, customs and consumer protection institutions.

“Regulation must be based on the presence of nicotine as the addictive substance, not whether a product contains tobacco leaf or produces smoke,” Ogunlade said.

Director of Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research, School of Health System and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa, Prof. Olalekan Ayo-Yusuf described the findings as “concerning,” warning that the industry was exploiting definitional loopholes in tobacco control frameworks.

He urged Nigerian authorities to adopt product-neutral definitions that cover all nicotine delivery systems and to prioritise youth protection, particularly in digital environments.

“Youth exposure follows market freedom,” he said, stressing that delayed regulation would entrench nicotine dependence.

CEO and President, Vital Strategies, Mary-Ann Etiebet said Nigeria’s youthful population makes it a strategic target for industry expansion. 

She warned that non-communicable diseases linked to tobacco use are already rising in low- and middle-income countries.

“Nigeria has the opportunity to act decisively and prioritise health over industry interests,” she said.