Background:
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) tobacco kills up to half of its users and this is about 6 million people yearly. More so, the global rise in tobacco smoking using a waterpipe (Hookah, Narghile, Shisha) among young people, has made understanding its trend, harm perception and pattern of use among young people imperative.

Methods:
A qualitative study using non-probability sampling technique was conducted among University of Ibadan undergraduate students residing in the halls of residence. This study being a part of a larger study made use of the first detected shisha smoker as the index respondent. Through a snowballing technique other thirteen (13) WP smokers were identified and voluntarily participated in In-depth Interviews and Focused Group Discussions according to their gender. Data was analysed using NVIVO version 8. In total, two (2) In-depth Interviews (IDI) were conducted among a male and a female while a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted among six (6) males and six (6) females.

Results:
The study revealed that WPS practice was practiced among both male and female undergraduate students, and was perceived as less harmful than cigarette smoking. Also established through the study was that friend's house parties and clubs served as the place of initiation for most respondents, and there was a wide availability of WP at most clubs and lounges around the metropolis. WPS was described as more pleasant than cigarette smoking, especially among female WP smokers. Furthermore, majority of study respondents smoked WP with no knowledge of its preparation process.

Conclusions:
The practice of WPS among University of Ibadan undergraduate students was established. Hence, more research should be conducted among young people in Nigeria to ascertain the epidemiological trend of this new tobacco consumption behaviour among them. The National Tobacco Acts should be amended to harbour specific WPS laws and be better enforced.