WHO warns Africa’s growing tobacco trade could put a young generation at risk

Africa is producing more tobacco while the rest of the world is cutting back.

That is the concern behind a new World Health Organization (WHO) report which says tobacco-leaf production in Africa rose by nearly 9 per cent between 2012 and 2024, even as global production fell by almost 19 per cent.

At the same time, the continent’s bill for imported cigarettes has more than doubled, rising from about US$833 million in 2012 to US$1.77 billion in 2024.

The figures point to a difficult contradiction. African countries are producing and exporting increasing quantities of raw tobacco, yet spending more to bring manufactured tobacco products into their own markets.

“This is not just a tobacco-control issue. It is a health, trade, development and environmental issue,” said Dr Vinayak Prasad, head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative.

A young continent facing a long-term risk

The concern is particularly significant because Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world. Nearly 60 per cent of its population is under 25, according to the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa.

That does not mean most young Africans use tobacco. WHO data show important progress in tobacco control.

The African Region had the world's lowest tobacco-use prevalence in 2024, at 9.5 per cent, and remains on track to meet the global target of reducing tobacco use by 30 per cent.

But population growth is changing the picture.

Even as the proportion of people using tobacco falls, the total number of users can remain high or rise because Africa's population is expanding rapidly. WHO says the absolute number of tobacco users in the region continues to increase for this reason.

That makes preventing young people from starting particularly important.

Tobacco production is shifting towards Africa

The new WHO report found that Africa produced more than 639,000 tonnes of tobacco leaf in 2024, accounting for about 11 per cent of global production.

Production is heavily concentrated. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda account for most of the continent's tobacco output, while East Africa alone produces nearly 90 per cent of Africa's tobacco leaf.

WHO says tobacco farming also carries environmental and social costs, including pesticide exposure, soil degradation, deforestation and high water consumption.

The organisation is urging countries to support farmers who want to move into alternative crops and livelihoods rather than treating tobacco solely as an agricultural commodity.

Young people remain a key battleground

The health concern extends beyond conventional cigarettes.

WHO has warned that tobacco and nicotine companies are increasingly using products, marketing strategies and digital platforms that can appeal to young people. Globally, an estimated 37 million children aged 13 to 15 use tobacco products.

In Africa, WHO estimated in 2024 that tobacco use among 13-to-15-year-olds stood at 11.1 per cent among boys and 7.2 per cent among girls, equivalent to about seven million young tobacco users.

This is where prevention becomes critical.

A young person who begins using nicotine early can face years of exposure and addiction. The longer that initiation is delayed or prevented, the greater the opportunity to reduce the health burden later in life.

Kenya faces its own tobacco challenge

Kenya is part of this wider regional picture.

WHO's latest Kenya tobacco profile tracks the country's tobacco-control measures, while earlier WHO-supported initiatives have highlighted the economic and food-security concerns associated with tobacco farming.

For Kenya and other African countries, the policy challenge is therefore two-sided: protect people from tobacco use while helping farmers who depend on the crop find viable alternatives.

That means enforcing restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotion, protecting young people from targeted marketing, strengthening public education and supporting implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The new WHO findings do not suggest that Africa has lost the fight against tobacco. There has been measurable progress.

The warning is that falling prevalence alone is not enough.

Africa's rapidly growing population, expanding tobacco production and rising cigarette imports mean governments will need to prevent today's progress from being overtaken by tomorrow's larger population of potential tobacco users.

For a continent where nearly six in every 10 people are under 25, the biggest tobacco-control victory may ultimately be stopping the next generation from becoming addicted in the first place.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.