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As part of activities to mark the 2025 World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, has been officially declared Nigeria’s first smoke-free city. The historic announcement was made by the Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government, Hon. Bosun Osaloni, at a commemorative event organized by the Ekiti State Ministry of Health.
Under the new policy, smoking is now prohibited in all public spaces across the city, including schools, markets, motor parks, and offices. The smoke-free initiative will be formally backed by a local by-law, aimed at enforcing existing anti-smoking legislation and safeguarding public health.
Public health advocacy group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has praised the development, describing it as a landmark step in Nigeria’s tobacco control efforts. The group also used the occasion to urge other states across the country to emulate Ado-Ekiti’s leadership by adopting similar smoke-free policies.
In a statement marking this year’s WNTD themed “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing the Tobacco Industry’s Tactics,” CAPPA commended the Ekiti State Government for taking bold action against tobacco use and industry influence, calling it a “watershed moment” in the national campaign to protect citizens from the harms of tobacco.
