By Kingsley Samuel
Ekiti State Government has said it will update its tobacco control law to capture emerging tobacco and nicotine products, warning that the growing use of such products poses serious public health risks, especially among young people.
The commitment was made on Thursday during a stakeholder engagement to mark the 2026 World No Tobacco Day, WNTD, themed “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” organised by the Ministry of Health and Human Services in partnership with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA.
The government also commended CAPPA for its continued support for tobacco control initiatives in the state, reaffirming its commitment to sustaining Ado-Ekiti’s smoke-free status.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Mrs. Sola Gbenga-Igotun, said World No Tobacco Day should serve as a wake-up call to strengthen action against tobacco and nicotine use.She expressed concern over early exposure of children to nicotine products.
“Some children as young as seven, eight and nine years old are already victims,” she said.Gbenga-Igotun warned that new nicotine products are increasingly difficult to detect.
“Some of them are smoking, and these products are odourless, so you may not even notice,” she said, urging stakeholders to take collective action.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Sunday Omoya, called for stronger collaboration in tackling tobacco use, noting that harmful products were often marketed in ways that make them attractive to young people.
Director of Public Health, Dr. Abayomi Ibrahim, said the state was already reviewing its tobacco control framework to include emerging nicotine products.He listed key achievements to include the 2012 Smoke-Free Law, the Ado-Ekiti Declaration on WNTD 2025 which reinforced the state’s smoke-free status, and improved public awareness campaigns.
He, however, noted challenges such as weak enforcement, inadequate funding, rising youth use of shisha and e-cigarettes, tobacco industry interference, and limited data for decision-making.
According to him, the state plans to strengthen enforcement, provide dedicated funding for tobacco control, expand youth-focused interventions, deepen community engagement, and review existing laws to align with global best practices.
He also called for stronger monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.In her remarks, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Mrs. Zikora Ibeh, commended Ekiti State for its leadership on tobacco control but warned that the tobacco industry is increasingly targeting young people through new products.
She said products such as vapes and nicotine pouches are being aggressively marketed in attractive packaging and flavours.“These are deliberate tactics to recruit new users and sustain addiction,” she said.
She also dismissed claims linking reduced smoking rates in Sweden to tobacco industry products, insisting that the success was driven by strong public health policies.
Representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Ekiti State chapter, also pledged support for a smoke-free Ekiti, noting that both faiths discourage smoking due to its health risks.
The state government reiterated its commitment to strengthening tobacco control laws and protecting young people from nicotine addiction.
