Public health experts and tobacco control advocates have called for stronger measures to curb the tobacco industry’s influence on public health policies, warning that its continued interference is undermining efforts to reduce tobacco-related deaths across Africa.
The call was made at the third Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM) Tobacco Industry Monitoring (TIM) training held in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, tobacco control expert, Mr Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, said tobacco companies continue to interfere with public health policies across the continent, making tobacco control more challenging and contributing to preventable deaths.
He explained that the training was designed to equip advocates with the skills to anticipate, monitor and respond to the tobacco industry’s tactics through research and evidence-based approaches rather than reacting after the fact.
According to him, participants were trained to identify and document instances of tobacco industry interference, while also gaining insights into emerging strategies employed by tobacco companies.
Also speaking, the Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, said tobacco companies continue to adopt new tactics, making it essential to strengthen the capacity of advocates to safeguard public health.
He warned that the tobacco industry’s claims on harm reduction are misleading and called for intensified public awareness campaigns and sustained advocacy to counter such narratives.
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