Nigeria became the first African country to formally regulate the portrayal of tobacco use, money rituals, and narcotics in media content, according to a statement sent to Premium Times by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). The announcement was made following the board’s presentation at the 2025 World Tobacco Conference held in Ireland, where the country’s new policy was praised as a bold and visionary step toward safeguarding public health and cultural values.
The policy, which was approved and gazetted in 2024 under the leadership of the Honorable Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, targeted harmful portrayals in Nigerian films, music videos, and skits.
