ATIM Training in Nigeria: Building Capacity in Industry Monitoring for Effective Tobacco Control (BETA 3.0).

Bringing together participants from twelve African countries, the programme aims to strengthen Africa’s capacity to monitor, analyse and counter tobacco industry interference in public health policy. The opening session featured welcoming remarks from ATIM Director, Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, and CAPPA Executive Director, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, who highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in protecting public health from commercial interests.

Throughout the week, participants will engage in interactive lectures, practical exercises, case studies and collaborative discussions designed to build real-world monitoring and advocacy skills. Training topics include implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), tobacco industry document research, policy advocacy, legal accountability, tobacco taxation and illicit trade, political and stakeholder mapping, investigative monitoring techniques, and the use of digital tools for tobacco industry surveillance.

Beyond strengthening technical expertise, the programme provides a platform for participants to exchange country experiences, establish regional monitoring networks and develop practical action plans that can be implemented within their respective countries. By fostering collaboration across Africa, the initiative seeks to strengthen collective efforts to identify, expose and respond to tobacco industry interference.

ATIM expresses its sincere appreciation to CAPPA for its partnership in hosting this inaugural training in Nigeria and to the African Capacity Building Foundation for its continued investment in strengthening tobacco control capacity across the continent.

As one of the world’s few centres dedicated to tobacco industry monitoring and policy research, ATIM is committed to generating intelligence that informs evidence-based policymaking, supporting implementation of the WHO FCTC, and building a new generation of African experts equipped to safeguard public health from tobacco industry interference.

Updates and highlights from the training will be shared throughout the week, culminating in the presentation of participants’ country action plans and a certificate ceremony on 31 July 2026.