New WHO analysis says Africa’s tobacco-leaf production increased nearly 9% between 2012 and 2024, while global production fell by almost 19%.
Tobacco-leaf production is moving in the opposite direction in Africa compared with the global trend, raising concerns about public health, farmer livelihoods, environmental damage and the continent’s economic dependence on tobacco.
According to a new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO), global tobacco-leaf production declined by nearly 19% between 2012 and 2024. In Africa, however, production increased by almost 9% over the same period.
The WHO analysis also highlights a striking trade pattern: while African countries continue to produce and export large quantities of raw tobacco leaf, the continent is spending substantially more on imported cigarettes.
Africa’s cigarette import bill increased from about $833 million in 2012 to $1.77 billion in 2024, more than doubling during the period.
Africa produced more than 639,000 tonnes of tobacco in 2024
Africa accounted for around 11% of global tobacco-leaf production in 2024, producing more than 639,000 tonnes.
Production is concentrated in a relatively small number of countries. The five biggest producers are:
- Zimbabwe
- Malawi
- Tanzania
- Mozambique
- Uganda
The WHO says East Africa alone accounts for nearly 90% of Africa’s tobacco-leaf production.
The organization’s latest report says 10 countries together accounted for 93.1% of Africa’s tobacco-leaf production in 2024.
Why is rising tobacco production a concern?
WHO says the issue extends beyond tobacco control.
Tobacco cultivation requires significant amounts of land, water and other natural resources that could potentially be used for food production or alternative livelihoods.
The organization also links tobacco farming with soil degradation, pesticide exposure, deforestation and greenhouse-gas emissions associated with tobacco curing.
Farm workers can face health risks as well.
One condition associated with tobacco farming is green tobacco sickness, which occurs when nicotine is absorbed through the skin while workers handle wet tobacco leaves. Farmers may also be exposed to pesticides and tobacco dust.
In some low- and middle-income countries, WHO says children from poor households can miss school to work in tobacco farming and supplement family income.
Tobacco exports do not drive most African economies
The WHO analysis also questions the argument that tobacco production is economically essential for most African countries.
Tobacco-leaf exports account for more than 1% of GDP in only a small number of economies, including Malawi and Zimbabwe.
For most countries, the economic contribution of tobacco production and trade is relatively limited compared with the health, social and environmental costs associated with the crop, according to WHO.
WHO Tobacco Free Initiative chief Dr. Vinayak Prasad said the issue should be viewed as a health, trade, development and environmental concern, rather than solely as a tobacco-control issue.
He argued that tobacco farming can expose workers and families to health risks and contribute to debt, while countries simultaneously spend more money importing cigarettes.
WHO calls for alternatives for tobacco farmers
WHO is calling for stronger support for countries that want to reduce their dependence on tobacco production.
Under Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, countries are encouraged to promote economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers and growers while protecting human health and the environment from tobacco cultivation.
The WHO says governments should consider policies that help farming communities transition toward other crops and sustainable sources of income.
There are already examples of such efforts in Africa. WHO’s regional office has reported that more than 14,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya and Zambia transitioned from tobacco to food and cash crops through the Tobacco-Free Farms Initiative.
A growing tobacco trade despite falling global production
The latest figures present a complicated picture of the tobacco industry.
Globally, tobacco-leaf production has fallen substantially since 2012. Yet Africa’s production has increased, while cigarette imports into the continent have also risen sharply.
That means some African economies are simultaneously participating in tobacco-leaf exports and spending more on manufactured tobacco products.
WHO says the figures show why trade, development and public-health policies need to work together rather than treating tobacco farming only as an agricultural or commercial activity.
The organization is urging governments and international partners to help diversify rural economies, protect tobacco-growing communities and strengthen tobacco-control policies.
Key Takeaways
- Global tobacco-leaf production: down nearly 19% from 2012 to 2024.
- Africa’s tobacco-leaf production: up almost 9%.
- Africa’s 2024 tobacco production: more than 639,000 tonnes.
- Africa’s share of global production: around 11%.
- Cigarette import bill: increased from $833 million to $1.77 billion.
- Top producers: Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda.
- Main concerns: farmer health, child labour, pesticide exposure, deforestation, soil degradation and water use.
