INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, tobacco smoking has been shown to be the most significant cause of preventable, premature deaths in economically developed countries, and is rapidly achieving this status outside the developed world[1]. An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide currently smoke tobacco, mostly in the form of cigarettes[2]. About 15 billion cigarettes are smoked daily worldwide[2]. The number of smokers is growing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where cigarettes are marketed aggressively with little or no government control. Estimates in 2000 indicate that about 5 million deaths that occur each year are attributable to tobacco smoking, an average of one person every six seconds[1]. Half of these deaths occurred in low- and medium-income countries. This figure is expected to rise if the current trend continues unabated. By 2030, tobacco smoking will kill more than 8 million people worldwide each year[2]. If nothing is done, it is anticipated that the increase in deaths from smoking and tobacco-related illnesses will continue such that by the end of the 21st century, as many as 1 billion people will be dying globally[2].

In a bid to curtail globalisation of the tobacco epidemic and its health as well as economic consequences, the WHO initiated the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)[3]. Though Nigeria signed the FCTC in 2004 and later ratified in 2005, 5 years later, it is yet to implement a comprehensive tobacco control policy[3]. As such, it is essential to explore tobacco industry activity in Nigeria towards a better perspective for implementing effective tobacco control.

PROBLEM BACKGROUND

Nigeria is a West African country with a population of 150 million (approximately 51% males, 49% females and 21% youths)[4]; it is the most populous country in Africa and the eighth most populous in the world[5]. Furthermore, Nigeria accounts for 47% of West Africa’s population[5]. It has an annual population growth of 2.4%, a Gross National Income (GNI) $1770 per capita in 2007 and current economic growth of about 7.9%[5]. Nigeria also has the second largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa and accounts for the 41% of the regions GDP[5]. Nigeria became independent in 1960 and after periods of military rule has been a stable democracy since 1999. Following the oil boom of the 1970s, Nigeria suffered major economic pitfalls as a result of corruption and mismanagement. However, over the last decade, Nigeria has experienced strong economic growth mainly as a result of the rise in the price of crude oil[5]. Consequently, Nigeria has become a prime target for increased activities by the transnational tobacco companies (TTC), particularly by the British American Tobacco (BAT), which has been manufacturing cigarettes in Nigeria for more than 60 years.

In October 2000, following a restructuring of BAT Group business operations in Nigeria, British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Limited was created[6]. The company thereafter merged with the ailing Nigerian Tobacco Company[6]. Subsequently in 2001, in London, BAT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian government that included the building of a $150 million state-of-the-art cigarette factory in Ibadan the capital of Oyo State in southwest part of the country[6]. The then president of Nigeria, Obasanjo described it as

“a significant and trailblaizing initiative which investors should emulate”. And he adds “I look forward to its completion and will love to personally commission it”[7].

The factory began full operations in 2003[8]. Another factory in Zaria, Kaduna state that is capable of producing 7,200 sticks per minute was also upgraded by BAT[9].

Though there is no current smoking prevalence in Nigeria, data from a survey by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2003, showed a figure of 15% among males and 2% among females[10]. Industry archives will be used to study the evolution of the tobacco industry in Nigeria, and to try to identify potential explanations for its continued active presence as well as effects in the country. Also, the tobacco companies have consistently denied the targeting of underage youths in Nigeria. Thus it is essential to examine their marketing strategies in the country.

Studies have documented that the tobacco industry has identified low- and middle-income developing countries as critical markets for future expansion[1]. However, analysis of industry documents has, thus far, been limited for these countries.

2 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Tobacco Industry and Tobacco Control in Nigeria

In Nigeria, three tobacco companies operate within the country(Ref:

Nigeria Tobacco Company (initially a subsidiary of BAT, but now BATN); Kwara Tobacco Company (operates under PM Incorporated); and International Tobacco Company.

The history of tobacco control

2.2 Tobacco Industry Document Research

In this, literature based on tobacco industry document research (TIDR) will be reviewed. These are peer-reviewed articles quoting tobacco industry documents. The documents are previously confidential internal records released to the public from national and international offices of seven tobacco manufacturers doing business in the United States of America (USA), and two affiliated organisations: American Tobacco Company, British American Tobacco Company (BAT), Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, Lorillard Tobacco Company, Phillip Morris (PM) Incorporated, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, the Liggett Group, the Tobacco Institute, and the Council for Tobacco Research[11].

About 4000 pages of these documents first came to light in 1994, through a clerk preparing an inventory of internal papers of Brown & Williamson (owned by BAT) in anticipation of new lawsuits. The first report on these documents was published following year [12]. Thereafter in 1998, the Minnesota Consent Judgement ordered the tobacco companies involved in the trial to make public millions of pages of their internal documents at depository sites where researches could examine the hard