Abah Felicity 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Africa’s tobacco production continues to rise despite a global decline in tobacco farming, even as the continent spends billions of dollars importing manufactured cigarettes, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn of mounting health, economic and environmental consequences.
In an analysis published on its website on Monday, the WHO said global tobacco leaf production declined by nearly 19 per cent between 2012 and 2024, while Africa’s output increased by almost 9 per cent during the same period. The organisation also reported that the continent’s cigarette import bill more than doubled, rising from US$833 million in 2012 to US$1.77 billion in 2024.
The agency described the trend as a growing paradox in which African countries continue to export raw tobacco while increasingly importing manufactured cigarettes that fuel tobacco consumption and associated health risks.
According to the WHO, Africa accounted for about 11 per cent of global tobacco leaf production in 2024, producing more than 639,000 tonnes. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda remained the continent’s leading tobacco-producing countries.
“This is not just a tobacco control issue. It is a health, trade, development and environmental issue,” said Dr Vinayak Prasad, Head of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative.
“Tobacco farming exposes workers and families to serious health risks, damages the environment and can trap farmers in cycles of debt. At the same time, African economies are spending more on imported cigarettes that fuel addiction, disease and premature death,” he added.
The WHO said the economic gains from tobacco production remain limited across most African countries, noting that tobacco exports contribute more than one per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in only a handful of economies, including Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Beyond its limited economic returns, the organisation warned that tobacco cultivation places increasing pressure on agricultural resources by competing with food production for fertile land and water.
It added that tobacco farming contributes to soil degradation, exposes farmers to hazardous pesticides, accelerates deforestation and increases greenhouse gas emissions during the tobacco-curing process.
The WHO urged African governments to accelerate efforts to reduce dependence on tobacco cultivation by promoting sustainable alternative livelihoods for farmers and workers.
The organisation also called on policymakers to strengthen tobacco control measures and align agricultural, trade and development policies with public health priorities and sustainable development goals under Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
According to the agency, diversifying agricultural production would not only improve public health outcomes but also strengthen food security, environmental protection and long-term economic resilience across the continent.
About the Author
Hope Ajayi 
