Tobacco Control Policy Awareness and Compliance Among Business Owners in Public Hospitality Venues in Abuja, North Central Nigeria

Nigeria's National Tobacco Control Act of 2015 and its 2019 amendment prohibit smoking in all enclosed public spaces, yet compliance in hospitality venues remains inconsistent, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory. This study examines tobacco control policy awareness and compliance among business owners operating restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues in Abuja. A cross-sectional design is applied to 200 business owners selected through purposive sampling from three area councils of the FCT. Structured questionnaires and direct observation checklists assess awareness of the tobacco control law, enforcement of smoke-free premises, availability of no-smoking signage, and willingness to comply. Interviews with four officials of the National Tobacco Control Unit provide regulatory perspectives. Data are analysed with SPSS using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Studies on tobacco policy implementation in Nigerian cities reveal that over 60 percent of hospitality venue operators lack adequate awareness of the provisions and penalties of the National Tobacco Control Act, with enforcement highly inconsistent. The Policy Compliance Model, which examines awareness, capacity, and enforcement incentives as drivers of compliance, informs the study's framework. Findings will support the Federal Ministry of Health in designing targeted industry awareness campaigns and strengthening compliance monitoring mechanisms. Keywords: tobacco control policy, compliance, hospitality venues, business owners, Abuja.