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JUST IN: CAPPA Warns Nigerians Against Burna Boy’s Vape Deal

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Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has condemned a five-year deal between Grammy Award-winning artiste Burna Boy’s company, BrkFst, and Aspire North America, LLC, a subsidiary of Inspire Technology Inc. for the manufacture and distribution of vaping products in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Europe.


According to CAPPA, Burna Boy’s BrkFst brand, as detailed on its website and in news reports, sets out to promote cannabis and fashion culture.

However, Nigeria presently classifies cannabis as an illicit substance due to its potential to worsen the country’s challenges with drug proliferation, abuse, and narco-terrorism.


It warned that the business collaboration between Aspire North America, LLC, and BrkFst is likely to engender aggressive marketing of cannabis vaping and e-cigarettes, including vape pens, e-hookahs, JUULs, and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), which will further worsen the nation’s Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) burden.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said:

“We are really disappointed that Burna Boy rather than promote healthy lifestyles and noble causes among the youth, has chosen to throw his influence behind habits that cause dangerous health consequences.


“The vape deal is one of the strategies by the tobacco and related industries to use social and cultural influencers like Burna Boy to create the impression that vaping is safe, especially among young, upwardly mobile Nigerians.”


However, contrary to what its promoters would have the public believe, CAPPA pointed out that vapes are banned in no fewer than 34 countries. Some others including the United States and China, which permit vapes, impose heavy regulations on their use.


In January, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to ban disposable vapes in The United Kingdom to protect children’s health and discourage its rising use among teenagers.


Oluwafemi, criticized the tobacco industry’s relentless efforts to make its products appealing to vulnerable groups by producing e-cigarettes in a variety of attractive colours and flavours and using socialites to promote them.


He noted that despite claims that e-cigarettes contain fewer of the over 7,000 toxic chemicals found in smoke from regular cigarettes, aerosols from e-cigarettes still contain harmful and potentially dangerous substances, including nicotine, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals like lead, and carcinogens.


Akinbode added: “E-cigarette promoters claim their products can help people quit smoking. However, evidence shows that these so-called alternatives to tobacco smoke, including vapes, are not healthy at all.


“They are all part of the tobacco industry’s tricks to trap victims, especially young persons, in their web of death and disease. Nicotine used in vapour products is highly addictive and can damage your heart, arteries, and lungs, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.


“Just early this month, a study by the American College of Cardiology investigating possible links between vaping and heart failure found that people who use e-cigarettes are significantly more likely to develop heart failure compared with those who have never used them.”
CAPPA noted that the tobacco industry is desperately notorious for its unlawful tactics to recruit new users of its products, so that its shareholders can enjoy immoral profits. At the same time, the public is left to bear the huge financial and health burden of diseases and economic losses caused by their products.


Last December, the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) found that its logo was unlawfully used in the advertisement of the Brkfst vape cigarettes, in Lekki, contrary to tobacco control laws. LASAA swiftly condemned the advert.


CAPPA’s Policy and Research Analyst, Zikora Ibeh urged Nigerians and the government to watch out for more of such industry tricks and plots to undermine the hard-won victories of tobacco control efforts.
“There is a l

atest spin to the tobacco industry. They are flooding black markets with new nicotine products touted as safer alternatives and fashionable. Sadly, these products are just as lethal as any other conventional offerings by them.”

They also reinforce a behavioural pattern that can dissuade smokers from quitting while initiating a new generation of non-smokers, particularly children and adolescents to take up smoking and vaping.

We urge the government and public health advocates to step up vigilance against these deadly products and deceitful claims of the industry.” Ibeh added.

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Tinubu arrives in Brazil for state visit

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President Bola Tinubu arrived in Brasília on Monday to begin a state visit focused on deepening diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Brazil.

He was received at the Brasília Air Base by senior Brazilian officials, including Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte and Brazil’s ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, also welcomed him.

According to Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu will be officially received with full military honours at the Planalto Palace, followed by a private meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two leaders will also oversee the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and address a joint press conference.

Tinubu’s delegation includes ministers, heads of agencies, and private sector leaders who will take part in bilateral meetings. The visit builds on ongoing cooperation in agriculture, defence, and trade, with recent milestones including a defence pact and strategic dialogue framework.

Key initiatives under review include the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Programme and a $2.5 billion investment by Brazilian meat processing giant JBS, both aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s food security and job creation.

This visit follows Tinubu’s recent engagements in Brazil during the BRICS Summit in July 2025 and the G20 Summit in November 2024, highlighting growing ties between the two nations.

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NEMA Emphasises on Waterways Safety Compliance by Commercial Boat Operators

So far, out of the 30 persons involved in the accident, 21 survived including 2 canoe operators, 6 dead bodies were recovered from the river and 3 persons are still missing.

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Sokoto Operations Office of NEMA (SOO) call on relevant regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the waterways to enforce compliance of safety protocols and standard in the use of canoes and boats for transportation and commercial activities, particularly ensuring the use of life jackets by crew and passengers.

The call was made in response to another boat accident that happened on Friday 22nd August, 2025 in Garin-faji, Sabon-birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Manzo Ezekiel NEMA Press unit Headquarters, Abuja, reported that a total of 30 persons were involved in canoe accident

” So far, out of the 30 persons involved in the accident, 21 survived including 2 canoe operators, 6 dead bodies were recovered from the river and 3 persons are still missing.

Search and rescue operation is still ongoing to find the 3 missing persons. However, the 6 bodies recovered from the water were already buried according to Islamic rite before the arrival of the joint team to the village.

NEMA, SOO responded to the report of the mishap yesterday alongside other stakeholders which include, NIWA, SEMA, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Red Cross, Sokoto State Ministry of Works, member representing Sabon-birni in the Sokoto State House of Assembly in the company of officials of the local government council and traditional leaders.

Sokoto Operations Office is closely monitoring the search and rescue operations and will continue to bring update on the incident.”

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NBC Celebrates 33 Years of Broadcasting Leadership in Nigeria

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…..As Director-General Reflects on the National Broadcasting Commission’s Legacy and Future.

In a message marking the 33rd anniversary of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Director-General, Charles Ebuebu, acknowledged the organization’s significant contributions to the Nigerian broadcasting landscape.

Established three decades ago, the NBC was created with the crucial role of regulating, guiding, and developing the broadcasting industry nationwide.

The Director-General’s message highlighted the NBC’s journey, acknowledging both the successes and challenges faced over the years.

The statement reads:

“To the Management and Staff of the NBC, Esteemed Licensees, and Fellow Nigerians:” “Today marks a significant milestone in our nation’s broadcasting journey”.

“The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was established 33 years ago with a singular mandate: to regulate, guide, and nurture the broadcasting industry in Nigeria”.

“Over these three decades, we have grown together — from the era of limited analogue transmissions to the present digital age where voices, stories, and innovations find expression across multiple platforms”.

“This anniversary is not merely about numbers, but about the shared commitment of our staff, the resilience of our licensees, and the trust of the Nigerian public”.

“It is about the values of professionalism, integrity, and service to the public interest that have carried us through the years.

I therefore extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Executive Board of Management, the entire NBC family, and indeed all stakeholders who continue to uphold these values”.

“Looking Back with Pride from the earliest days of national radio and television, through the liberalisation of the broadcast space, to the present drive towards digital switchover, the Commission has consistently sought to ensure that broadcasting remains a tool for education, information, and national integration”.

“We have weathered challenges, adapted to changes, and remained a pillar in upholding national standards”.

Looking Forward with Purpose.

“As we celebrate this 33rd anniversary, we must equally look to the future with clarity and resolve”.

“The landscape of broadcasting is changing rapidly — artificial intelligence, online streaming, satellite-driven platforms, and converged media are now defining the way societies consume information”.

“Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.

The NBC is committed to:

Deepening Digital Transition: Ensuring the success of Nigeria’s Digital Switchover project, with platforms that guarantee universal access, affordability, and inclusivity.

  1. Strengthening Local Content: Supporting Nigerian creativity and talent so that our airwaves reflect who we are — our values, our cultures, and our aspirations.
  2. Promoting Responsible Broadcasting: Expanding our capacity to monitor, guide, and check misinformation, disinformation, and harmful content that threaten social cohesion.
  3. Harnessing Technology for Regulation: Deploying modern digital tools, including AI-driven monitoring and data-driven audience measurement systems, to keep pace with global standards.
  4. Partnerships and Collaboration: Working hand-in-hand with licensees, industry players, and international partners to create a broadcasting environment that is vibrant, innovative, and globally competitive.
  5. Our Shared Responsibility:
  6. Broadcasting is not only about regulation; it is about nation building. Every station, every producer, every regulator, and every viewer or listener is a custodian of our collective narrative.
  7. “Together, we can ensure that the airwaves remain a space of truth, creativity, education, and unity.
  8. “On this 33rd anniversary, let us renew our pledge — as management, staff, licensees, and the Nigerian people — to build a broadcasting industry that not only serves today but also secures the future”.
  9. “Congratulations once again to the NBC family and all our stakeholders”.
  10. “May the years ahead be marked by even greater achievements for the broadcasting sector and for Nigeria”.
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