A study by the University of Cape Town found that consumption of cigarettes has increased significantly across 22 African countries, with sales having grown by 44 per cent between 1990 and 2012, financial portal fin.24 reported.

The study, Trends in cigarette demand and supply in Africa, conducted by the university’s Economics of Tobacco Control Project (ETCP), found that cigarette sales increased from 165.6 billion sticks in 1990 to 238.5 billion sticks in 2012. “This upward trend in consumption continues today," Nicole Vellios, ETCP researcher and co-author of the study, was quoted as saying.
The study examined smoking rates and cigarette consumption across 22 African countries that account for 80 per cent of the continent’s population.
Labelling the continent a “prime target” for cigarette makers, the study found that population growth was the primary factor driving the increase in consumption. But smoking rates were also found to be increasing in many of the countries surveyed and the university said changing socio-economic conditions, and a lack of tobacco control regulation, were also found to be factors behind increasing consumption.
"Consumers in Africa are now able to afford cigarettes and coupled with weak tobacco control laws, this has resulted in the tobacco industry focusing its attention on increasing its market presence," the university said in a statement.
The study found that 62 cigarette production facilities were operating in 30 African countries, and industry consolidation had created five main hubs for the production of tobacco products: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria, fin.24 reported.
The study can be found here.