E-cigarettes in Africa

Global business and regulatory news and updates from the vape industry

9th October 2024

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

27th September 2024

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

2nd September 2024

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

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Daily regulatory tracking of the e-cigarette sector. It includes weekly podcasts and monthly compilations

7th October 2024: Egypt: The Ministry of Health has released a series of warnings about the dangers of tobacco use, saying that the use of inhalable tobacco products and chewing tobacco can harm dental health. The ministry also highlighted that exposure to tobacco smoke poses severe risks to children, including childhood cancer, reduced physical growth, pneumonia, bronchitis, increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, ear infections, and decreased lung function.
1st October 2024: Morocco: Authenticity and Modernity Party member of parliament (MP) Abdellatif Al Zaim has submitted a written question to the minister of industry and commerce about the measures the ministry will take to halt tobacco companies’ intensive promotion of alternative tobacco products. He highlighted that tobacco companies market these products as safe alternatives to traditional cigarettes but that research has not confirmed these products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
10th September 2024: South Africa: Last Wednesday (4th September), the Portfolio Committee on Health deliberated on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. Regarding e-cigarettes, some committee members stressed the need for comprehensive data to assess the health risks associated with vaping compared with traditional smoking and the necessity of campaigns to educate the population about the dangers of e-cigarette use. The committee is likely to conclude public hearings in the last two remaining provinces, where hearings have not yet been held.
29th August 2024: South Africa: The Department of Health said it will reintroduce the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery System Bill to Parliament on 4th September 2024, press reports. The bill aims to regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The Portfolio Committee on Health said it hoped to process the new law quickly, starting from where it left off. The public participation process in the provinces will be completed before moving on to public hearings in Parliament.
27th August 2024: Egypt: The Customs Authority has released circular 47/2024, clarifying that health insurance tax is paid to the Customs Authority for imported products and to the Large Tax Payer Center of the Tax Authority for local products. According to law 2/2018, a health insurance fee of 10% of the retail selling price is levied on e-liquids.
26th August 2024: Egypt: The Customs Authority has released circular 46/2024, clarifying that disposable e-cigarettes, which consist of e-liquid and a battery in one body and are disposed of when the e-liquid or charge runs out, are taxed at a rate of EGP4 ($0.08) per ml, as established by law 67/2016, plus a value-added tax at the general rate of 14%, and a health insurance fee of 10% of the retail selling price.
14th August 2024: South Africa: The Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, which would regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes, has been revived by Parliament for further processing and is on the agenda of the new government, press reports. The bill was introduced in Parliament in 2022 and public hearings were held in the country before the elections.
16th July 2024: South Africa: Today is the last day to comment on the South African Bureau of Standards’ Vaping Product Standards, which will set minimum safety and technical requirements for vaping products. The standards are voluntary and will apply to electronic vaping products with and without nicotine, e-liquid containers, filling mechanisms and accessories. Among other specifications, the standards provide definitions and general rules for parts of e-cigarettes, health warnings, recommend a maximum nicotine content of 35 mg/ml and establish a negative list of ingredients for e-liquids. Comments should be sent to dsscomments@sabs.co.za.
11th July 2024: Egypt: The Customs Authority has released circular 35/2024, confirming that disposable e-cigarettes are subject to a value-added tax at the general rate of 14%. Nicotine-containing and nicotine-free e-liquids are currently subject to a tax rate of EGP4 ($0.08) and a health insurance fee of 10% of the retail selling price.
28th June 2024: Egypt: The Ministry of Health and Population has issued a warning against e-cigarette use, saying it has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, and called on vapers to stop using these products.
20th June 2024: China: According to recently updated trade data from the General Administration of Customs, in April 2024, exports of e-cigarettes to South Africa totalled approximately $5.53m, showing decreases both month-on-month (7%) and year-on-year (42%). The export volume was around 127 tonnes, increasing 4% month-on-month but decreasing 20% year-on-year. The export unit price was $43 per kg, decreasing 10% month-on-month and 27% year-on-year, press reports.
17th June 2024: South Africa: Cyril Ramaphosa, who has been in power since 2018, has been re-elected as president after his party, the African National Congress (ANC), reached a coalition deal with the centre-right Democratic Alliance, press reports. The deal might have an impact on the tobacco and vaping industry since the ANC has lost its parliamentary majority and the Democratic Alliance does not support the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, arguing that the bill is “unreasonable” and the focus must shift to the eradication of the illicit tobacco trade.

Detailed full-length reports including data and analysis of numerous vaping markets around the world

25th September 2024

Egypt: market snapshot, September 2024

5th July 2024

South Africa: market snapshot, July 2024

5th July 2023

Egypt: market snapshot, July 2023

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Regulatory reports

Thorough reports providing legal and regulatory analysis of different countries and sections of the e-cigarette industry

2nd July 2024

Top changes that matter in this month’s Policy Radar update, May 2024

25th March 2024

Top changes that matter in this month’s Policy Radar update, February 2024

18th January 2024

Morocco: e-cigarette regulation, January 2024

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Pricing analysis for competitor benchmarking, including brands and form factors

17th July 2024

Online e-cig pricing: Egypt

17th July 2024

Online e-cig pricing: South Africa

Regulatory trackers

Regular tracking of regulation and legislation around the vaping industry

4th October 2024

Tamarind Intelligence Policy Radar, September

18th September 2024

Global regulatory tracker: current regulation of e-cigs, September 2024

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11th October 2024

Key global e-cigarette markets database, October 2024

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Up-to-date information about current regulations around the world, presented in excel spreadsheets

11th October 2024

ECigIntelligence compliance calendar

24th November 2022

International e-cigarette stakeholders database

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