The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised a red flag over what it described as a calculated plot by tobacco and nicotine companies to lure millions of African children and young people into addiction through flavoured products, flashy packaging and aggressive social media marketing.
In a message to mark World No Tobacco Day 2026, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, warned that the continent’s hard-earned victories against tobacco use are under threat from a new wave of nicotine products deliberately designed to hook young users.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” Janabi said nicotine addiction is not a matter of chance but a carefully engineered strategy by an industry determined to keep profits flowing.
“Nicotine addiction is not accidental; it is engineered,” he declared.
According to him, tobacco manufacturers are increasingly using flavours, sweeteners, menthol, artificial cooling agents and attractive designs to make nicotine products more appealing and easier to use, especially for first-time users.
“The objective of the industry remains unchanged – recruit new users, replace those who quit or die and secure lifelong profits,” he said.
Janabi noted that Africa has recorded remarkable progress in tobacco control over the last two decades, with many countries introducing anti-smoking laws, increasing tobacco taxes, creating smoke-free environments and expanding support for people trying to quit.
Despite these gains, he warned that tobacco and nicotine companies are deploying increasingly sophisticated tactics to target young people.
He said the adolescent brain is particularly vulnerable to nicotine addiction because it is still developing and can become dependent even after limited exposure.
Citing research, the WHO chief revealed that nearly nine out of every 10 adults who smoke daily first experimented with tobacco before turning 18.
He accused the industry of using colourful branding, flavoured products, influencer promotions and social media campaigns to make nicotine use appear trendy, harmless and socially acceptable.
With more than 60 per cent of Africa’s population under the age of 25, Janabi warned that failure to act could create a public health disaster for future generations.
“There is no such thing as safe tobacco use or a safe level of non-therapeutic nicotine exposure,” he stressed.
He said all tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouches, are harmful and addictive.
According to him, even smoking one cigarette daily significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Janabi also dismissed the belief that nicotine helps people cope with stress.
“Nicotine does not relieve stress; it creates it,” he said, explaining that the temporary sense of relief users experience is merely the easing of withdrawal symptoms.
The WHO Regional Director further warned that nicotine poses serious poisoning risks to children, especially through accidental exposure to nicotine liquids and pouches.
While highlighting the dangers, he emphasized that quitting brings immediate health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved lung function and reduced risk of heart disease.
However, he maintained that prevention remains the most effective weapon against addiction.
“Preventing children and adolescents from taking up smoking stops addiction before it starts and protects their developing brains from harm,” he said.
Janabi urged African governments to tighten regulations by banning flavours and additives that make tobacco products more attractive, closing loopholes exploited by manufacturers and strengthening restrictions on packaging, design and advertising.
He also called for stronger protection of public health policies from tobacco industry interference, accusing companies of using lobbying, court actions and public relations campaigns to weaken regulations.
“We must be clear: the industry that engineered the addiction and profited from it for decades cannot be permitted to influence public health solutions,” he said.
He called on governments, lawmakers, parents, teachers, civil society groups and young people across Africa to unite against what he described as deceptive industry tactics.
“The time to act is now,” Janabi declared, urging stakeholders to protect future generations from nicotine addiction and preserve the continent’s gains in tobacco control.
