Abstract

This study examines the prevalence of tobacco use in African countries in 2025. The study finds that Africa’s total population increased from 910.84 million in 2006 to 1.527 billion in 2025. The study finds that while tobacco use rates are relatively lower in African countries when compared with countries outside of Africa, the rates are relatively higher in Southern and Northern Africa. Of the 930.5 million people aged 15 and over in Africa in 2025, 86.1 million (9.3%) used tobacco. Of the 86.1 million people aged 15 and over who used tobacco in 2025, 31,795,580 (36.9%) were in Northern Africa; 23,244,942 (27%) were in Eastern Africa; 12,105,792 (14.1%) were in Western Africa; 9,923,250 (11.5%) were in Southern Africa; and 9,015,348 (10.5%) were in Middle Africa. Of the 295,297,616 people aged 15 and over in Eastern Africa in 2025, 23,244,942 (7.9%) used tobacco; 31,795,580 (17.4%) out of 182,349,569 in Northern Africa; 9,923,250 (19.6%) out of 50,665,515 in Southern Africa; 12,105,792 (4.4%) out of 276,301,670 in Western Africa; and 9,015,348 (7.2%) out of 125,839,154 in Middle Africa. The top 10 countries in Africa with the highest tobacco use rates are as follows: Egypt, 25.8%, Madagascar, 24.1%, Algeria, 21.4%, Lesotho, 22.8%, Seychelles, 20.5%, South Africa, 20.1%, Mauritius, 19.6%, Tunisia, 19%, Botswana, 17.1%, and the Republic of Congo, 15.8 percent. The factors presented in the study for the prevalence of tobacco use in Africa are as follows: sex/gender, age, population growth, increase in the GDP of African countries, increase in wealth, climate/weather, educational attainment, tourism, region, and religion/religiosity.

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