Brazzaville – Tobacco use among adolescents in the African region declined by nearly 18% between 2020 and 2022, and by 46% among adults during the same period as countries adopt stronger measures to control the use of tobacco. 

The African region is on track to achieve 30% relative reduction in tobacco use prevalence by 2025 compared with 2010, according to the Fifth Edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Report on Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Use 2000–2030 report released in January 2024. In addition, 22 of the 56 countries worldwide on course to meet the target are in Africa. In 2014, the World Health Assembly adopted a global target of 30% relative reduction in tobacco use.

With support from WHO and partners, countries in the African region have introduced robust tobacco laws and regulations, including stringent controls on marketing strategies for new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, many of which are designed to attract young people. This year, World No Tobacco Day is being commemorated under the theme "Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”. The theme aimed to mobilize international efforts to shield youth from harmful tobacco and nicotine products and the deceptive strategies applied by the tobacco industry to market their products to them. 

“Countries in the African region are making commendable progress in building safeguards against tobacco use and shielding populations from its harmful impacts. We now need to capitalize on the growing momentum to ensure a healthier future for the younger generation,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

In the African region, 96% of countries have now ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, with Mauritius becoming the first African country to fully implement the entire WHO MPOWER package of tobacco control measures to curb demand. The country is also the first in the region to implement plain packages for cigarette packs.

In addition, 37 African countries now have bans on public smoking in force, with 14 of these instituting 100% smoke-free laws in all public places. A further 16 countries have introduced graphic health warnings on tobacco products, a cost-effective and powerful way to boost public awareness of associated health risks. In Mauritania, this contributed to a reduction in tobacco use among people aged from 16 to 64 years, from 18% to 10% between 2012 and 2021.

Leveraging cost as a deterrent, WHO supported countries to institute progressive tobacco tax policies, resulting in price increases in 13 countries in the past five years. In effect, the average total tax share of the retail price of most tobacco brands across the region rose from 37% in 2016, to 41% in 2023. 

WHO also introduced innovative measures to counter increasing tobacco leaf production, encouraging over 5000 tobacco farmers in Kenya and Zambia to switch to alternative crops. This had the dual benefit of reducing tobacco production, while promoting food and nutrition security, environmental protection, and women empowerment and gender equity.

While the African region is witnessing declining use of tobacco, the rapid population growth is still preventing notable reductions from translating to lower actual numbers of users, according to the WHO report.

The focus on further reductions in tobacco use among adolescents is key, given that the sustainability of the tobacco and nicotine market relies heavily on recruiting new, young users. The tobacco industry continues to target the African region as a viable investment destination not only because of its young population, but also its rapidly growing economies, cheap labour and access to land for tobacco cultivation.