Abuja — The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has received the World Health Organization (WHO) Director‑General’s Special Award for the African Region in recognition of its leadership in tobacco control within entertainment media.
The Board was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by WHO Director‑General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as part of activities marking World No Tobacco Day. NFVCB was the only institution among five winners in the African Region to be honoured.
The award recognises the NFVCB’s 2024 regulations that bar promotion and glamorisation of tobacco and nicotine products in films, music videos, skits and other audiovisual works—especially those likely to reach young audiences. Under the rules, any necessary depiction of tobacco use must carry health warnings, receive the highest classification rating and be restricted to viewers aged 18 and above. Producers are also required to disclose any ties to the tobacco industry, place disclaimers where applicable, and refrain from displaying tobacco brands or using product placement.
Those measures align with Article 13 implementation guidance of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and make Nigeria the first country in Africa — and only the second worldwide — to adopt such comprehensive safeguards against on‑screen glamorisation of tobacco use.
WHO and research evidence note that portrayal of smoking in entertainment normalises the habit and raises the risk of tobacco uptake among young people. The NFVCB said its regulations are intended to curb such exposure while promoting responsible storytelling across Nigeria’s creative sector.
The recognition also supports the eight‑point agenda of the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, which seeks to strengthen policy frameworks, promote responsible creative content and position Nigeria as Africa’s creative capital by 2030.
Reacting to the award, NFVCB Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Shaibu Husseini described the honour as validation of the Board’s efforts to safeguard public health without stifling artistic expression. “This award is a validation of the work we have done with the Nigerian creative industry to promote responsible storytelling. The goal has never been to censor art, but to ensure that our films do not inadvertently market products that are harmful to public health,” he said.
Dr. Husseini pledged continued enforcement of the regulations, expanded public education and deeper collaboration with WHO, the WHO FCTC Secretariat and civil society partners. He also thanked the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, filmmakers, producers and advocacy groups including Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the National Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and Campaign for Tobacco‑Free Kids (CTFK) for their support.
The NFVCB said it will maintain efforts to protect children and vulnerable audiences while promoting socially responsible content in Nigeria’s booming entertainment industry.
2026-05-21