Africa: Market and regulatory data analysis of the vaping sector

South African e-cig companies on youth vaping concerns vs adult harm reduction

Written by ECigIntelligence | 3rd February 2025

Vaping companies face ethical and legal challenges as they navigate an increasingly complex market and attempt to grow market share without attracting accusations that they are exacerbating the youth vaping epidemic ...

New tax on single-use vapes in Morocco fuels disagreements on its aim and rate

Written by ECigIntelligence | 20th December 2024

A new tax on single-use e-cigs in Morocco has drawn mixed responses, as some political parties called for more stringent measures to tackle the increasing popularity of vaping ...

Proposed Iraqi bill defining ENDS could signal first step in future e-cig regulation

Written by ECigIntelligence | 9th December 2024

An Iraqi bill that would define electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) – including e-cigarette devices – and bring them under the tobacco regime is now overdue for a vote ...

Smoke-free products on way towards making up the majority of PMI’s sales

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd October 2024

Philip Morris International (PMI) highlighted the performance of its smoke-free products during its third-quarter results presentation, with the category growing to reach 38% of the company’s total net revenue ...

Imperial sees strong NGP growth, keeps to forecasts ahead of November results

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 9th October 2024

Imperial Brands reported trading in line with expectations, driven by robust growth in its tobacco segment and next generation products, as it prepares to give its full-year results in November ...

South Africa revives bill that would put stricter regulations on e-cig products

Written by ECigIntelligence | 27th September 2024

In a significant legislative move, the South African Parliament has revived the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, signalling a renewed commitment to stringent tobacco and e-cigarette regulations ...

Kenya proposes three-year jail sentence for the promotion of nicotine products

Written by ECigIntelligence | 2nd September 2024

In a landmark move aimed at bolstering public health and tightening regulations on the tobacco industry, the Kenyan parliament is proposing three-year jail terms for individuals promoting nicotine products, including pouches and vapes ...

Surprise West Coast appeal in Middle East of cannabinoid brand’s new nicotine vape

Written by Freddie Dawson | 14th August 2024

Executives were taken aback by the enthusiasm vendors showed for a nicotine vape brand in Dubai with a US West Coast theme, even though it involves a product that the UAE only recently legalised ...

A different kind of partnership between vaping company and cannabinoid brand

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th August 2024

Vaping company Ispire has signed a 30-year global licensing agreement with Hidden Hills Club, a cannabinoid operation with wider lifestyle ambitions that will lead to the creation of Hidden Hills branded nicotine vaping products ...

BAT expects new launches to accelerate H2 performance, after revenue drop in H1

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 25th July 2024

British American Tobacco reported a drop in first-half revenue, offset by the continued growth of new categories. BAT expects new-category revenue to be weighted in the second half of 2024, driven by phased launches ...

Tobacco harm reduction could save 2m lives in the Middle East, says new report

Written by ECigIntelligence | 17th June 2024

Nearly 2m lives in selected Middle Eastern countries could be saved by tobacco harm reduction, according to a new report that was launched at the World Vape Show in Dubai this month ...

Malawi’s burgeoning vape market faces challenges amid low-cost tobacco culture

Written by ECigIntelligence | 5th June 2024

E-cigarettes have recently become a preferred alternative to traditional cigarettes among elite youth in Malawi, after public health warnings about the effects of tobacco consumption ...

UK smoking ban may not be washed up as Labour likely to refloat its own form of bill

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 29th May 2024

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban bill is likely to be scrapped after it was not mentioned in the final business in the House of Commons last week, following Sunak’s call for a snap...

It’s time to talk realistically about harm reduction, says German tobacco group

Written by ECigIntelligence | 19th March 2024

The German Association of the Tobacco Industry and New Products says we need more constructive non-political discourse about tobacco harm reduction to counter the impact of bad science on the current prohibitionist mindset ...

Can e-cigarettes help reduce tobacco use? WHO needs more vaping data to find out

Written by Freddie Dawson | 25th January 2024

Not enough countries collect data on e-cigarette usage and it's necessary to improve this to better monitor reduction in tobacco use, says the World Health Organization (WHO) ...

What’s in store for 2024? A look at expected regulation in the year ahead

Written by Freddie Dawson | 2nd January 2024

Further regulatory restrictions on e-cigarettes are expected, but these will not prevent the global vaping market from continuing to grow in 2024, ECigIntelligence predicts ...

Mixed reactions from public to South Africa’s proposal for new e-cig rules

Written by ECigIntelligence | 31st August 2023

South Africans have expressed mixed reactions to the country’s Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which aims to strengthen the law and would create many new rules affecting e-cigarettes ...

BAT records ‘resilient’ H1 performance, remains confident about Vuse Alto PMTA

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 28th July 2023

British American Tobacco’s vapour brand Vuse was the key driver of the company’s positive performance in the first half of the year, and it remains confident in its Vuse Alto pre-market tobacco product application submission...

Vape show finds Egyptian authorities eager to grasp e-cig opportunities

Written by Mohamed Yousef | 12th July 2023

Egypt will soon see the introduction of new regulations, including minimum product standards and retail channel restrictions, as the market for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco garners increasing attention ...

Plain packaging and vaping restrictions on the table in South African tobacco bill

Written by ECigIntelligence | 27th April 2023

South Africa’s upcoming Tobacco Control Bill could finally bring the country’s regulations into line with World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines ...

E-cigarettes could face new restrictions under Morocco’s tobacco regime

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 24th January 2023

Morocco is considering including e-cigarettes under its regulatory regime for tobacco, increasing possible fines for advertising, imposing restrictions on public use, and establishing a minimum purchase age ...

Where do we go now? ECigIntelligence’s guide to regulation expected in 2023

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 3rd January 2023

Disposables and youth vaping are likely to be the major themes for vaping in the year ahead, affecting debates on matters such as taxes, flavour bans and environmental measures ...

Egypt opening up to an alternative future after first e-liquid licences are granted

Written by ECigIntelligence | 28th December 2022

Tobacco alternatives are beginning to flourish in Egypt and heated tobacco as well as vaping products are expected to become more important as Egyptian manufacturers start to get involved ...

Botswana’s ‘life-saving’ coming tobacco rules will leave e-cigarettes unaffected

Written by ECigIntelligence | 13th December 2022

Proposed tobacco regulations in Botswana that would place restrictions on the sale and marketing of tobacco products but leave vaping products unencumbered have been hailed by public health experts as “life-saving” ...

Morocco raises taxes on tobacco alternatives to finance new health bill

Written by ECigIntelligence | 28th November 2022

The Moroccan government will look to increase taxes on some tobacco alternative products in a move to finance a costly health bill in 2023 and address the country's deficit in an attempt to balance the...

European citizens’ petition for a tobacco-free generation by 2030 seeks signatures

Written by ECigIntelligence | 16th September 2022

Organisers of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) need 1m signatures across seven EU member states by next summer for the European Commission to respond to their request for measures leading to Europe’s first tobacco-free generation...

Egypt sets a standard, cracks down on tax evasion, opens up e-cig market potential

Written by ECigIntelligence | 12th August 2022

In the wake of a recent U-turn on legality, a new technical standard in Egypt is meant to ensure products on the market meet minimum standards, but so far no products have completed the necessary...

PMI supports Iqos Veev, commits to smoke-free products in Q2 results

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 22nd July 2022

Philip Morris International (PMI) will continue to support the sales and promotion of its Iqos Veev vapour product as part of its commitment to expanding its smoke-free product portfolio ...

Supreme Court condemns South Africa's lockdown e-cigarette and tobacco ban

Written by ECigIntelligence | 21st July 2022

A rule banning tobacco and vaping products during the Covid lockdown in South Africa was strongly criticised by the country’s Supreme Court of Appeal, which deemed it to be unconstitutional ...

Fiscal policy clouds vaping business, boosts black market in Middle East

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 30th May 2022

High taxes are holding back the market for legal vaping products in Middle Eastern markets and the black market is benefitting as a result, according to a major distribution business in the region ...

South Africa takes 'precautionary' steps towards a flat rate tax on all e-liquids

Written by ECigIntelligence | 12th April 2022

South Africa is looking to introduce taxes on vaping products as part of tobacco control measures in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance ...

Egypt's new tender for tobacco production: an opportunity for e-cigs?

Written by ECigIntelligence | 16th July 2021

Egypt is on the way to resolving a controversial licence scheme to produce tobacco products, which is seen by the industry as a real opportunity to start producing vaping products in the African country ...

South Africa’s long wait for vaping regulations may be nearing an end

Written by ECigIntelligence | 8th July 2021

The South African Health Department is finishing its work on long-standing legislation that is set to introduce new regulations for vaping products in the country ...

World No Tobacco Day 2020: the debate about harm reduction

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 31st May 2020

World No Tobacco Day provides an opportunity to consider the approach that public health authorities, policymakers, and advocates around the world have towards the role of tobacco-alternatives products ...

South Africa plans to bring in new e-cigarette tax scheme from 2021

Written by ECigIntelligence | 11th March 2020

The South African government has announced that its finance authorities are working on a new tax scheme for vaping products to come into force in 2021 ...

South Africa’s vaping market fights back against impact of US health crisis

Written by ECigIntelligence | 13th January 2020

The recent highly publicised outbreak of vape-related lung illness in the US appears to have had a damaging impact on the vaping business in South Africa, despite the strength of the market ...

ECigIntelligence international regulatory live alerts service

Written by ECigIntelligence | 5th December 2019

ECigIntelligence is launching a new International Alerts round-up for Platinum + and Platinum Pro subscribers to enable them to stay on track with regulatory developments in international markets ...

Imperial lowers growth forecast; CEO resignation causes uncertainty

Written by ECigIntelligence | 4th October 2019

Imperial Brands CEO Alison Cooper’s resignation is being seen as a catalyst – alongside challenging market conditions for tobacco, and regulatory changes in the US for next-generation products (NGP) – for uncertain times among Big...

BAT South Africa is given the go-ahead for merger with Twisp

Written by ECigIntelligence | 20th August 2019

South Africa’s Competition Tribunal has approved a merger between British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) and the country’s leading e-cigarette manufacturer, Twisp ...

World Bank recommends taxing e-cigs to raise revenue and cut youth use

Written by Aidan Semmens | 23rd April 2019

The World Bank has published a paper on e-cigarette use and taxation that could prove influential in many countries, possibly leading towards moves for greater taxing of vapour products ...

PMI hopes to ‘make an impact’ with IQOS store in South Africa

Written by ECigIntelligence | 23rd November 2018

Philip Morris International (PMI) is to open an IQOS flagship store in Johannesburg, South Africa next year – with a welcome from the local e-cig industry ...

BAT South Africa suffers significant setback in Twisp takeover

Written by ECigIntelligence | 7th August 2018

BAT South Africa says it has been surprised and disappointed by the recent recommendation by the South African Competition Commission that the company’s takeover of e-cig maker Twisp be turned down ...

‘Make your voice heard’ as India and South Africa mull over regulation

Written by Freddie Dawson | 18th July 2018

Members of the e-cigarette industry in South Africa and India, or looking to do business in those countries, have been urged to submit comments to the various bodies preparing legislation there ...

South Africa – smoking equivalence and online sales ban?

Written by ECigIntelligence | 7th June 2018

South Africa has published a draft version of its proposals to regulate e-cigarettes, fulfilling the fears of some in the industry by classifying vaping as equivalent to smoking and banning online sales ...

Fears for South African market if e-cigs are brought under tobacco regulation

Written by ECigIntelligence | 14th March 2018

There is growing fear in the South African vaping industry that an impending change in the law, bringing e-cigarettes under tobacco regulation, will halt the switch from smoking by making it easier to smoke than...

Calls for legal clarity in Tunisia as customs seize €100k of vaping goods

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 19th December 2017

Tunisian customs officers have confiscated vaping material – including e-cigarette devices, accessories, bases and aromas – that were intended to be sold in some of the country’s 30 vape stores ...

South Africa to consult on the shape of future e-cigarette regulation

Written by ECigIntelligence | 20th November 2017

South Africa has announced its intention to consult on future regulation of e-cigarettes, with a period for public statements to be submitted beginning some time next year ...

The Arabian Gulf and Maghreb – widely separated on e-cig regulation

Written by David Palacios Rubio | 8th November 2017

There are enormous differences between the so-called Arab nations of the Gulf and the Maghreb – not least in their very different approaches to e-cigs and their users ...

Namibian e-cigarette market benefits from lack of regulation – so far

Written by ECigIntelligence | 11th September 2017

Namibia has a small but slowly growing e-cigarette market – but there are fears in the southwest African republic that government intervention could put an end to the growth ...

iQOS is given a warm welcome to South Africa by potential rivals

Written by ECigIntelligence | 25th May 2017

The launch of PMI’s heated tobacco device iQOS in South Africa has had a positive reaction even from potential competitors, who hope it will increase general awareness of alternatives to combustible cigarettes....

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