Nigeria’s tobacco control law may soon face a major overhaul as lawmakers move to confront a fast-changing nicotine market dominated by electronic cigarettes and vape devices. The House of Representatives says existing regulations were designed for traditional tobacco products and may no longer be adequate to address newer alternatives that are rapidly gaining popularity, especially among young people.

The planned review of the National Tobacco Control Act emerged during a visit by the House Ad hoc Committee on Drugs and Illicit Trafficking to the headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja, where discussions focused on illicit drugs, unregulated imports and the growing presence of emerging nicotine products in the country.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Timehin Adelegbe, said lawmakers were concerned that gaps in the current legal framework could allow harmful products to slip through regulatory cracks, particularly at Nigeria’s borders. According to him, the review is intended to strengthen enforcement and ensure that agencies responsible for controlling imports are not constrained by outdated legislation.

“We must examine whether the laws are adequate. Are bonded warehouses complying with regulations? Do we have sufficient personnel at our borders? These are areas we must holistically address,” Adelegbe said.

He emphasised that the visit to Customs was not an investigation but part of efforts to build cooperation between the National Assembly and enforcement agencies in tackling the proliferation of illicit drugs, prohibited pharmaceuticals and unregulated tobacco products. The committee, he added, had previously held a public hearing attended by more than 300 organisations, including civil society groups and key institutions, highlighting widespread concern about the social and health consequences of drug abuse and illegal trade.

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Adelegbe described the situation as a national crisis that demands coordinated action among agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Nigeria Customs Service. He also disclosed plans for nationwide advocacy campaigns in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, as well as other states, to educate the public on the risks associated with drug abuse and illicit tobacco products.

In response, Customs authorities outlined the scale of the threat already being intercepted at the country’s entry points. Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, said the service had seized more than 230 forty-foot containers of illegally imported pharmaceuticals within the past year. Many of the shipments exceeded limits approved by NAFDAC or were falsely declared as other goods to evade detection.

“It is only left to the imagination what damage over 200 containers of such substances would have caused if allowed into society,” Bomodi said.

He also highlighted major drug seizures, including cocaine consignments intercepted at border commands and ports, some hidden in ship hulls. According to him, the service has intensified intelligence-driven operations across land borders, airports and seaports, deploying advanced scanners, creating a specialised drug detection unit and expanding training for officers.

Bomodi noted that Customs has introduced mandatory drug testing for its personnel as part of a zero-tolerance policy and has signed cooperation agreements with both the NDLEA and NAFDAC to strengthen oversight of drug trafficking and pharmaceutical imports.

“The goals of this committee are the goals of the Nigeria Customs Service. We are willing to partner fully and provide any assistance required,” he said.

If the proposed legislative review proceeds, it could reshape how Nigeria regulates modern nicotine products, tightening controls on imports, sales and distribution while closing loopholes that enforcement agencies say are increasingly exploited by traffickers. The move also signals growing concern among policymakers about the intersection of public health, youth exposure to nicotine and the broader illicit trade in drugs and harmful substances.

Meiza Nigeria