{
  "id": 543219,
  "title": "Health advocates reject easing of advertising restrictions in Tobacco Bill",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/health-advocates-reject-easing-of-advertising-restrictions-in-tobacco",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-11T05:20:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/health-advocates-reject-easing-of-advertising-restrictions-in-tobacco-bill/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has urged the National Assembly to retract the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill 2025 and undergo a thorough, public health-focused review prior to presenting it for presidential approval. Akinbode Oluwafemi, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa's (CAPPA) Executive Director, made the request during a press conference in Abuja on behalf of over 100 civil society groups, health advocates, and public-interest organizations united under the NTCA. The coalition expressed its stance, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should withhold his approval should the compromised draft reach his desk. The NTCA coalition conducted a comprehensive review of the consolidated Bill and found several provisions that could undermine existing tobacco-control measures and expand the market for tobacco and nicotine companies to the detriment of public health. The coalition expressed particular concern over amendments concerning advertising, sponsorship, product sampling, retail displays, online sales, packaging, and the regulation of non-combustible nicotine products. Michael Olaniyan, In-country Coordinator for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, highlighted that the Bill would permit certain advertising channels, including \"adult publications,\" point-of-sale materials, and online platforms, as well as sponsorship of cultural, social, and recreational events attended by children. The coalition questioned the definition of an \"adult publication,\" which could include publications where at least 50% of readership comprises adults, potentially exposing children to tobacco and nicotine advertising through websites and social media platforms. Concerns were raised about the proposed online sales, remote orders, and courier delivery of non-combustible tobacco and nicotine products, given the country's lack of technology to accurately verify users' ages. The coalition emphasized that tobacco-control policies should prioritize public health and future generations' well-being over creating regulatory loopholes that could be exploited by commercial interests. Olawale Makanjuola, NTCA's Coordinator, criticized the amendment for deleting provisions imposing penalties for offenses such as selling tobacco to minors, violating packaging requirements, and non-compliant distribution, which could lead to \"legal confusion that directly benefits violators.\" The coalition also demanded the publication of all committee reports, voting records, and stakeholder submissions that shaped the amendment Bill. They called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to publicly clarify its stance on the proposed legislation and demand its withdrawal if proper consultation with relevant public health stakeholders was not carried out. The coalition's major concern was the relaxation of restrictions on advertising and promotion of non-combustible tobacco and nicotine products, calling for a robust and product-neutral tobacco-control framework that would maintain current advertising, sponsorship, product sampling, retail display, and remote sales restrictions on tobacco and nicotine products.",
  "summary": "The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has called on the National Assembly to immediately recall the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill 2025 and subject it to a transparent, public health-led review before presenting it for presidential assent. The Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call on […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}