Tobacco in Africa

The tobacco industry is a vast industry with a global turnover of US$814 billion. Health campaigns and a reputational requirement to include in companies’ portfolios a range of products have led to a shrinking in the area of land used for tobacco farming in most countries, even while the consumption has increased. However, the opposite is true in Africa, where the tobacco industry is growing rapidly. From 1995-2012 the area used for tobacco farming shrunk by 10.6% globally, while in Africa it increased by 65.3%, totalling in 2012 at 8.6% of  global output.

African countries have found it brings investment, create jobs, and is suited to climatic conditions, particularly in east Africa.