A sophisticated new wave of nicotine addiction is quietly sweeping through Nigeria, disguised as sleek tech gadgets and colorful confectionery. A new investigative report warns that the tobacco industry is aggressively rebranding addiction to bypass regulations and entrap a younger generation of users.
The report, titled ‘New Smoke Trap: New and Emerging Nicotine and Tobacco Products, Youth Exposure and Policy Gaps in Nigeria,’ was released by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). It details how products like flavored vapes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches are being marketed as modern lifestyle accessories rather than lethal substances.
A Strategy of “Addiction as Innovation”
During the report’s launch, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA, highlighted a calculated shift in corporate tactics. He noted that the industry has recalibrated its strategy by diversifying portfolios to present nicotine as a sophisticated choice aligned with technological progress.
“The tobacco industry is rebranding addiction as innovation, introducing what it now describes as reduced-harm or next-generation alternatives,” Oluwafemi stated. “They are presenting them not as extensions of a lethal corporate legacy, but as sophisticated lifestyle accessories aligned with modernity and personal choice.”
Oluwafemi further cautioned that the marketing of synthetic or tobacco-free nicotine pouches is a deliberate move to exploit legal loopholes and imply a false sense of safety.
Startling Data from the Field
The study’s findings paint a grim picture of how quickly these products have saturated the Nigerian market. Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director at CAPPA, revealed that researchers documented 781 nicotine and tobacco-related products across Lagos, Enugu, and the Federal Capital Territory between October and December 2025.
Of those products, 573 were classified as new and emerging devices. The breakdown included, E-cigarettes (Vapes) with about 522 unique products, making them the most dominant category, Nicotine Pouches which is widely available on digital marketplaces like Instagram, Jiji, and Jumia, and lastly Heated Tobacco Products, that positions as premium items targeting affluent consumers.
The Rising Health and Economic Toll
The human cost of this trend is already visible. Mary-Ann Etiebet, CEO and President of Vital Strategies, warned that these innocent-looking products are direct drivers of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
“NCDs already account for 29% of all deaths in Nigeria, and we are likely to see this raise to above 50% by 2030 if current trends continue,” Etiebet warned. She noted that tobacco-related illnesses currently claim over 20,000 Nigerian lives annually and drain more than 200 billion Naira from the economy in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
A Call for Unified Regulation
To combat this, experts are calling for a radical shift in how Nigeria handles nicotine. Prof. Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, Director of the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring, argued that regulation must move from being “reactive” to “preventive,” particularly in the digital space where youth uptake is highest.
Olamide Martins, Associate Director at CAPPA, recommended that the government close the definitional gaps that allow these products to evade the law. “Regulation must be anchored in the presence of nicotine as the active addictive substance, rather than whether a product contains tobacco leaf or produces smoke,” Martins explained.
The report concludes with an appeal for a unified national framework. Currently, fragmented oversight between health, trade, and customs agencies allows products to slip through the cracks. Advocates insist that for Nigeria to protect its youth, it must prioritize public health over industry interests and regulate all nicotine delivery systems with equal rigor.
