As the National Assembly continues its review of the N49.7 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill presented by President Bola Tinubu on December 18, 2024, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Senate and House of Representatives to raise the budgetary allocation for Tobacco Control in the 2025 National Budget from the current N10 million to N300 million.

CAPPA, in a statement signed by Robert Egbe, Media and Communication Officer, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), noted that CAPPA, in separate petition letters written to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, reasoned that allocating a minimum of N300 million is essential to address the multifaceted challenges posed by tobacco use and support the effective implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) 2015.

Highlighting the danger of tobacco consumption and the stakes at hand, , CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, noted that tobacco use remained the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, including in Nigeria.

“Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception. Annually, tobacco-related illnesses claim 26,800 Nigerian lives and inflict debilitating conditions and non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory diseases on thousands more.

“The economic toll is immense, costing billions in healthcare expenses and lost productivity. Additionally, tobacco cultivation exacerbates deforestation and soil degradation, while cigarette waste pollutes the environment,” Oluwafemi said.