**2. Prevalence of smoking in Nigeria**

Globally, it is estimated that the number of smokers will increase from the present prevalence of 1.3 billion to 1.6 billion people in 2025. Its associated mortality is estimated to increase to 8.3 million persons in 2030 from 4.8 million persons in 2006 [12]. In 1990, Obot reported a prevalence of 26.8% of current smokers and 4.7% of past smokers among Nigerian adults [13]. According to the 2012 GATS conducted in Nigeria, the overall prevalence of adults who currently smoked was 3.7% [(3.1 million people): 7.2% - males; 0.3% - females)] [14]. The average age at initiation of daily smoking, according to the report showed that majority began after 16 years old [14]. More recent studies among medical, pharmacy and nursing students in Southwest Nigeria had life time prevalence of 17.9% and 5.04% for lifetime and current smokers [15]. The undergraduate university students study in Ilorin, North-central

**137**

*Smoking and Non-Communicable Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Nigeria Scenario*

Nigeria recorded a similar result, 17.1 and 5.7 prevalence for lifetime and current smokers respectively [16]. The male to female prevalence ratio among current smokers were 3.8:1, male 7.7% and female 2.0%. The mean age at initiation of smoking for males (15.5 ± 2.9, range 10–22 years) was not significantly different from that of females (15.6 ± 3.3, range 10–19 years). A common factor in all the Nigerian studies is male predominance among all categories of smokers [9, 13, 15, 16]. The gender difference may be attributed to societal perception as most African communities see smoking as a sign of masculinity or even specific to manhood and vigour, while social values discourages smoking among women. This is also true in some other African studies such as Ghana [17] and Sudan [18]. Few Nigerian studies and findings from systematic review studies conducted across Sub-Saharan African countries shows no consistent disparity in smoking prevalence between rural and urban populations [19, 20]. Hence, tobacco control policies should be strengthened across all Nigerian societies regardless of geography or existing health or socioeconomic inequalities.

A substantial body of literature has emerged over the last few decades which examined the determinants of smoking behaviour in an economic framework of demand incorporating cigarette prices. Most studies in Nigeria were focused mainly on the determinants without much emphasis on the effect of cigarette pricing. Some of the determinants highlighted include the age of onset, peer group, parental influences, media influence etc. The Nigeria climate and weather favours the cultivation of tobacco in large commercial scale, especially in the South-western part of the country. This agricultural setting may influence tobacco smoking, but little is known about the influence of tobacco leave plantation (agricultural setting) on the incidence and prevalence of tobacco among children

One important determinant of cigarette smoking with perhaps the highest immediate and long term consequences is the age. Early age at debut implies that the smoker will not only have longer time over which his/her tolerance levels can increase but also that the period of exposure to cigarette smoking with subsequent complications will be high. On the average, at the turn of thirty years of age, the rate of decline in the functional capacities of human organ-system is at about 0.1% annually. This modest decline is lost and the downward trend as high as 1% annual decline is seen in those with one form of existing morbidities or harmful lifestyle

Age of smoking debut is around 15 years in Nigeria and by age 17, a persistent smoking pattern is already established and a significant 15% smoking prevalence among the adolescents [21, 22]. The male to female prevalence ratio among current smokers were 3.8:1, male 7.7% and female 2.0%. The mean age at initiation of smoking for males (15.5 ± 2.9, range 10–22 years) was not significantly different from that of females (15.6 ± 3.3, range 10–19 years) [16]. The driving force for the onset age of smoking among Nigerian children depends on the population being under study, whether out-of-school youths or in-school youths. For the out-of-school youths, psychosocial factors such as belonging to a polygamous home, low level of fathers' education, feeling loneliness in the face of weak family bonds and harsh survival realities plays an initial dominant factor, coupled with peer pressure with the attendant high prevalence of smoking among the group [20, 23]. Since these

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96693*

**3. Determinants of cigarette smoking**

and adults in Nigeria.

practices such as cigarette smoking.

**3.1 Age**

*Smoking and Non-Communicable Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Nigeria Scenario DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96693*

Nigeria recorded a similar result, 17.1 and 5.7 prevalence for lifetime and current smokers respectively [16]. The male to female prevalence ratio among current smokers were 3.8:1, male 7.7% and female 2.0%. The mean age at initiation of smoking for males (15.5 ± 2.9, range 10–22 years) was not significantly different from that of females (15.6 ± 3.3, range 10–19 years). A common factor in all the Nigerian studies is male predominance among all categories of smokers [9, 13, 15, 16]. The gender difference may be attributed to societal perception as most African communities see smoking as a sign of masculinity or even specific to manhood and vigour, while social values discourages smoking among women. This is also true in some other African studies such as Ghana [17] and Sudan [18]. Few Nigerian studies and findings from systematic review studies conducted across Sub-Saharan African countries shows no consistent disparity in smoking prevalence between rural and urban populations [19, 20]. Hence, tobacco control policies should be strengthened across all Nigerian societies regardless of geography or existing health or socioeconomic inequalities.
