For two days, civil society groups and tobacco control advocates gathered around one shared question: how do we outpace a tobacco industry that keeps reinventing how it reaches people, especially young people?
The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) hosted the capacity-building workshop for CSOs and advocates under the theme: "Advancing Interference, Advancing Policy: The Future of Tobacco Control.”
For many who attended, it wasn’t just another training.
It was a chance to stop, reflect, and assess how fast the tobacco control landscape is shifting.
Over the two days, participants reviewed key issues shaping tobacco control today from the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, to the tobacco industry’s evolving strategies, and the rise of new and emerging tobacco products.
With products now packaged to look sleek and trendy, and with youth increasingly becoming targets, one message was clear: the industry is adapting, and tobacco control must adapt faster.
The workshop also created space for advocates to exchange experiences, question current methods, and think through stronger policy and advocacy actions.
The fight is no longer just about traditional tobacco products. It now includes decoding new products, new marketing messages, and new tactics designed to recruit the next generation of users.
Participants didn’t just walk away with fresh knowledge. They left with a renewed commitment to stay vigilant, build stronger collective advocacy, and push for policies that prioritize public health over industry profits.
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