Background Major transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have identified Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world, as a market with a major revenue potential given its high youth population and growing gross domestic product (GDP). This research analyses tobacco industry-related strategies and activities targeting youth (aged 15 to 24 years) in Nigeria as existing, but most importantly, future tobacco users. Nigeria is the focus of this study because the tobacco industry has viewed it as a major emerging market since the 1990s. Successful marketing in Nigeria could provide the industry with a template for similar initiatives in other emerging markets in low- and middle-income countries.
Methods The research began with a systematic review of secondary literature to determine how the tobacco industry has targeted youth globally. It then used the theory of triadic influence as a heuristic framework to categorize the various industry strategies. Quotations from internal tobacco industry documents were organized into the three streams of the theory of triadic influence: biology/personality, social and cultural/environmental streams. A total of 12 interviews were conducted with 6 policymakers and governmental officials, 2 civil society organization representatives, a high school principal, a journalist and 2 researchers to investigate how the tobacco industry had targeted youth in Nigeria.
Results The findings indicate that TTCs have actively targeted youth in Nigeria since the 1990s, focusing on changing behaviour through the biology/personality, social and environmental/ cultural streams.
Conclusion The study recommends that Nigeria implement and vigorously enforce its 2015 National Tobacco Control Bill.
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On 03 Mar, 2020
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On 02 Dec, 2019
On 02 Dec, 2019
On 02 Dec, 2019
On 01 Dec, 2019
On 29 Nov, 2019
Invitations sent on 29 Nov, 2019
On 22 Nov, 2019
On 22 Nov, 2019
On 29 Oct, 2019
On 03 Mar, 2020
On 01 Mar, 2020
On 29 Feb, 2020
On 29 Feb, 2020
On 14 Feb, 2020
Received 11 Feb, 2020
Received 04 Feb, 2020
On 20 Jan, 2020
Invitations sent on 16 Jan, 2020
On 16 Jan, 2020
On 14 Jan, 2020
On 13 Jan, 2020
On 13 Jan, 2020
Posted 25 Nov, 2019
On 20 Dec, 2019
Received 18 Dec, 2019
Received 17 Dec, 2019
Received 17 Dec, 2019
On 02 Dec, 2019
On 02 Dec, 2019
On 02 Dec, 2019
On 01 Dec, 2019
On 29 Nov, 2019
Invitations sent on 29 Nov, 2019
On 22 Nov, 2019
On 22 Nov, 2019
On 29 Oct, 2019
Background Major transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have identified Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world, as a market with a major revenue potential given its high youth population and growing gross domestic product (GDP). This research analyses tobacco industry-related strategies and activities targeting youth (aged 15 to 24 years) in Nigeria as existing, but most importantly, future tobacco users. Nigeria is the focus of this study because the tobacco industry has viewed it as a major emerging market since the 1990s. Successful marketing in Nigeria could provide the industry with a template for similar initiatives in other emerging markets in low- and middle-income countries.
Methods The research began with a systematic review of secondary literature to determine how the tobacco industry has targeted youth globally. It then used the theory of triadic influence as a heuristic framework to categorize the various industry strategies. Quotations from internal tobacco industry documents were organized into the three streams of the theory of triadic influence: biology/personality, social and cultural/environmental streams. A total of 12 interviews were conducted with 6 policymakers and governmental officials, 2 civil society organization representatives, a high school principal, a journalist and 2 researchers to investigate how the tobacco industry had targeted youth in Nigeria.
Results The findings indicate that TTCs have actively targeted youth in Nigeria since the 1990s, focusing on changing behaviour through the biology/personality, social and environmental/ cultural streams.
Conclusion The study recommends that Nigeria implement and vigorously enforce its 2015 National Tobacco Control Bill.
Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4
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