FSFW funding school groups in Nigeria

An investigation published by Premium Times in Nigeria states that the Philip Morris International (PMI)-funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) has bypassed provisions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and is violating Article 5.3 by funding groups including the Conrad Foundation.

The Conrad Foundation holds the annual ‘Conrad Challenge’, an “innovation and entrepreneurship competition” aimed at students. Since being introduced in Nigeria two years ago, 248 secondary school students have participated. In 2020, FSFW created a new ‘special category’ for innovation named ‘Repurposed Farmlands and Tobacco Crops’. Premium Times states that Conrad Challenge Nigeria denied any links with the tobacco industry.

The report draws on analysis of the FSFW’s 2019 tax returns, conducted by the University of Bath’s Tobacco Control Research Group. The analysis shows that PMI has continued to be the sole funder of FSFW’s activities, with the Foundation’s grants and contributions appearing to be in line with public relations and advocacy strategies.

You can read the full article here.