Passing Nigeria’s Tobacco Control Regulations

Gatefield created a rallying campaign #DontWaitRegulate with other stakeholders in the public health sector. Our campaign forged a coalition of about 50 leading civil society actors, health workers, parents and youth influencers to ramp up conversation about the significance of the tobacco control regulations bill and petition the parliament to pass the tobacco control regulations with urgency. Gatefield employed these advocates to create compelling media and visual materials that encouraged the public to petition their legislators through a dedicated digital platform. Several ranking legislators responded positively and took open positions in support of the bill as a result of this pressure campaign. To provoke national interest in the advocacy, Gatefield crafted the central narrative around protecting the children, building on our survey report that showed a high prevalence of child smokers. We engaged with adult smokers who had started smoking as children, and brought them to tell stories of their lifelong struggles with addiction and to voice support for the tobacco control bill — making unlikely allies —  and delivering a successful campaign.