Jump to full article: BBC Online, 2008-01-13
Author: Andrew Walker Nigeria analyst
Intro: Nigeria's government is suing three international tobacco firms for $44bn (�22bn) - the first such case in the developing world - due to start in the capital, Abuja.
It says tobacco manufacturers are putting unacceptable pressure on the country's health services, and companies are targeting younger and younger people in an attempt to replace former smokers in Europe and America.
British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris and International Tobacco Ltd, deny the claims and say they are socially responsible companies who do not target children.
They question the massive sums demanded by the government and say the case "has no merit".
But government lawyers are convinced they have a strong case.
E-mails between tobacco firm employees to be shown to the court in the capital Abuja will reveal deliberate attempts to increase the number of "young and underage" smokers and attempts to influence lawmakers to keep tobacco sales unregulated, they say.
Documents we have refer to ways of increasing the number of 'YAUS' [Young And Underage Smokers] in Nigeria
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