We Want To Do More for Nigeria’s Film Industry — NFVCB Boss, Shaibu Husseini

 

By Onyeka Ezike

For years, the Nigerian film industry has come under criticism for the portrayal and glamorization of illicit behaviours, particularly smoking in movies — a practice that runs contrary to the global anti-tobacco advocacy championed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Leading the campaign against the promotion of smoking in films in Nigeria is the Executive Director of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini, whose administration has intensified regulatory efforts within the industry.

The month of May is globally recognised as World No Tobacco Month, culminating in the annual observance of World No Tobacco Day by the WHO to raise awareness about the dangers associated with smoking and tobacco consumption. The global health body has repeatedly warned that tobacco imagery in films and entertainment media contributes significantly to smoking initiation among young people. As part of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), policies were introduced to discourage tobacco depictions in films and television programmes worldwide.

Speaking on *Villa Square*, a special segment of *Cr8tive Naija* — the weekly tourism and cultural magazine programme aired every Thursday on Mainland 98.3 FM Lagos and anchored by renowned tourism journalist Frank Meke alongside Bunmi Bade Adeniji — Dr. Husseini highlighted some of the ethical reforms and developmental milestones achieved by the NFVCB under his leadership.

According to him, Nigeria’s creative and film industry remains a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The creative and film industry contributes immensely to the nation’s GDP. We regularly provide data to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and each time new data is compiled, we discover that even more people have gained employment within the industry. On an average film production set, there are usually between 20 and 30 people working. In addition, films screened in cinemas generate tax revenue for the government. This demonstrates that the industry is a major driver of the economy,” he said.

Dr. Husseini stressed that more deliberate efforts are needed to further reposition the Nigerian film industry through improved infrastructure and supportive government policies. He commended the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, for maintaining an open-door policy and supporting the board’s initiatives.

“For us at the NFVCB, the Minister has always been receptive to our ideas. When I approached her on the need to expand film distribution through the establishment of community cinemas and the introduction of licensing waivers to encourage participation, she approved the proposal without delay,” he stated.

The NFVCB boss also urged the government to prioritise infrastructure development, policy reforms, and industry incentives rather than direct financial intervention for filmmakers.

“The government does not necessarily need to provide funding for filmmakers. Even during my years as a journalist covering film and culture, I consistently advocated for creating the right environment for filmmakers to thrive rather than merely giving out funds. Filmmakers can source funding independently, but after production, the major challenge becomes distribution. Without proper distribution infrastructure, films cannot effectively reach audiences. Therefore, our focus should be on policies and structures that can sustainably support the industry,” he explained.

Speaking further on the special recognition awarded to Nigeria by the African Regional Office of the World Health Organization over the regulation of tobacco imagery in films, Dr. Husseini disclosed that tobacco control efforts within the industry had suffered significant setbacks before his appointment as Executive Director, despite the adoption of a tobacco control policy in 2014.

“When I assumed office, I realised that although several sectors had implemented tobacco control regulations, the film industry was still being used to promote smoking. Even in Hollywood, there had already been growing concerns about the harmful effects of smoking, with reports linking exposure to smoking scenes to serious health complications, including cancer. We decided to take decisive action to ensure that smoking is neither promoted nor glamorised in Nigerian films, especially because young people are highly impressionable and may adopt such habits.

“Where smoking scenes are included for educational, historical, or corrective purposes, they are permitted, but they must carry health warnings and appropriate disclaimers. We also engaged stakeholders and consulted with the Minister before the policy was officially gazetted,” he added.

Dr. Husseini revealed that the anti-tobacco policy drew international attention from the WHO and contributed significantly to the recognition Nigeria recently received. According to him, Nigeria has become the first African country and the third country globally to achieve such progress in curbing tobacco promotion within the film industry.

He also emphasised the importance of film classification and audience rating systems, urging filmmakers and stakeholders to consistently submit their productions for proper classification and approval.

In addition, he advocated the deliberate recreation of movie locations and film sets as tourism products, noting that such initiatives could boost tourism revenue while strengthening collaboration between the tourism and creative industries.

Reflecting on his aspirations for the NFVCB, Dr. Husseini underscored the need for a dedicated research centre for Nigeria’s film industry.

“It has always been my desire to establish a research centre for the industry and bridge the gap between academia and industry practitioners. One major challenge we currently face is the absence of a dedicated research centre and reliable industry data,” he said.

The WHO’s anti-tobacco movie policy is closely linked to Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which addresses tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. The organisation classifies tobacco imagery in films as a form of indirect advertising because it normalises smoking and socially promotes tobacco use through entertainment media.