Kenya Urged to Increase Tobacco Taxes to Curb Rising Health Crisis
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 27 – As Kenya approaches World No Tobacco Day 2026, Kenyan lawmakers are facing renewed calls to significantly increase tobacco taxes and control reforms through the Finance Bill 2026 and the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024, advocates warn that low tax rates and the rapid spread of new nicotine products threaten to undermine the country’s progress in reducing smoking.
National Taxpayers Association (NTA) led by Chief Executive Officer Mr. Patrick Nyangweso while Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Monday 25 2026 addressed Rising tobacco-related illness and death rates in Kenya; The economic burden of tobacco on households and the health system; The growing threat of illicit tobacco trade and industry interference.
The rapid rise of novel nicotine products targeting youth; Tobacco taxation reforms and recommendations to Parliament; The need for stronger enforcement, regional harmonisation, and youth protection measures.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) yearly, tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally, More than 7 million of these deaths result from direct tobacco use, while approximately 1.3 million are due to exposure to second-hand smoke.
In Kenya, a dangerous reality remains hidden in plain sight, and it is costing lives, livelihoods, and public funds.
Tobacco use causes an estimated 12,000 deaths in Kenya every year and contributes significantly to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory illnesses.
These conditions place escalating strain on the health system and impose substantial household costs through medical expenses, lost income, and reduced productivity.
The 2026 World No Tobacco Day themed: “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction”, calls on governments, institutions and communities to expose the deceptive tactics used by the tobacco industry to create and sustain lifelong addiction.
NTA stated that In Kenya, one of the most effective and evidence-backed tools to unmask and counter this appeal is stronger, sustained, and predictable tobacco taxation.
Tobacco-related diseases contribute to over 50% of hospital admissions and 39% of deaths in Kenya (Ministry of Health).
According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, most smokers in Kenya begin tobacco use before the age of 18, youth are the primary target of the industry.
The tobacco industry’s existential challenge is simple: existing smokers die. To survive, the industry must recruit new smokers, and it targets youth. If young people do not start before age 18, the industry loses them as lifetime customers.
“Kenya cannot claim victory in tobacco control while tobacco and nicotine remain accessible, affordable and appealing to its children”.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) report in 2022 stated that Kenya recorded 44,726 new cancer cases, with 102,152 cases in the five-year prevalence period (GLOBOCAN).
“Tobacco is skilfully marketed as a lifestyle product, sophisticated, sociable, and aspirational. But the real consequences are devastating and affect every Kenyan, smoker or not”.
Mr. Patrick Nyangweso, Chief Executive Officer NTA highlighted that In Kenya, tobacco use is a critical driver of the non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic, causing over 9,400 deaths annually translating to roughly 26 deaths every single day.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), and the Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI) 2024, Tobacco Prevalence in Kenya is: Overall tobacco use among adults aged 15-65 stands at 8.5% (roughly 2.3 million Kenyans).
Additionally, Tobacco usage remains heavily concentrated among men with approximately 12.8% of men use tobacco compared to 2.6% of women, Consumption sharply escalates with age, peaking among adults aged 45-49 years where prevalence reaches 26.15%.
According to a landmark 10-year national mortality study by the TCDI, tobacco use is responsible for a massive chunk of specific cancer fatalities in adults aged 35 and older:
Larynx Cancer: 71% of all larynx cancer deaths in Kenya are directly attributable to cigarette smoking.
Lung, Trachea and Bronchi Cancers: 60% of these respiratory cancer deaths are caused by smoking.
Lip, Oral Cavity and Pharynx Cancers: 51% of deaths from these cancers are linked directly to smoking.
Esophagus Cancer: 48% of esophageal cancer deaths, one of the most common and aggressive cancers in Kenya, are caused by tobacco use.
Tobacco-related diseases (TRIs) claim approximately 3.01% of all annual deaths in Kenya, Out of over 60,000 tracked deaths from NCDs, 16.5% (nearly 10,000 deaths) were directly caused by active cigarette smoking.
Among Kenyans dying from smoking-related conditions, 40.5% die from respiratory diseases, 31.4% die from malignant cancers, and 13% die from tuberculosis, Beyond the loss of life, the annual healthcare cost-of-illness directly caused by smoking drains Ksh 45.4 billion from Kenya’s economy annually.
Tobacco is a recognised carcinogen and a primary risk driver for four of Kenya’s leading NCDs: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.
Mr. Nyangweso added that families affected by tobacco-related illnesses often spend significant portions of household incomes on treatment instead of food, education and essential needs.
Tobacco addiction is therefore not merely a health crisis, It is an economic injustice, a household poverty driver, and a fiscal burden that falls most heavily on those least able to bear it.
“Kenya therefore requires stronger enforcement, regional tax harmonisation, and effective track-and-trace systems alongside robust tobacco taxation reforms”.
The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024, currently before the Senate, seeks to extend regulations to cover these novel products including banning flavours, extending advertising restrictions and mandating health warnings.
These are vital steps, but they must be complemented by taxation reforms that close the current pricing gaps that make these products dangerously affordable to young Kenyans.
The National Treasury has allocated Tobacco Control Board KES 30 million in FY 2025/26 (rising to KES 132.8 million in 2026/27), while the Tobacco Control Fund is allocated KES 831 million.
Further, the Finance Bill 2026 proposes revisions to excise duty rates on selected tobacco and nicotine products.
“While these proposed adjustments are commendable, they remain insufficient unless accompanied by stronger taxation, Any credible tobacco control strategy must grapple honestly with the economic realities facing tobacco farmers, traders, and workers”.
In Kenya, tobacco farming is concentrated in Nyanza and Western Kenya, particularly in Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu, and Bungoma counties.
Approximately 17,000 smallholder farmers grow tobacco, predominantly for British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya and Mastermind Tobacco under contract farming arrangements.
“The reality for these communities is sobering: 60% of patients treated in health facilities in tobacco-growing areas suffer from tobacco-related ailments, The same communities growing tobacco are paying the price through their health with tobacco farming also associated with deforestation (for curing), soil degradation and child labour”.
NTA outlined alternative livelihoods that could work which includes; Food Crop Diversification: Crops such as sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, and legumes are climatically compatible with tobacco-growing regions, offer food security benefits, and have growing market demand, including government food safety net programmes.
Horticulture and Export Crops: French beans, snow peas, and other export vegetables have proven viable in western Kenya. With investment in cold chain infrastructure and market linkages, horticultural production offers higher and more sustainable returnsper hectare.
Sunflower and Soya: These oilseed crops serve the growing local edible oil and animal feed industries and offer stable pricing through commodity markets.
Honey and Apiculture: Low-input, environmentally positive, and increasingly competitive in premium markets.
Government Support Mechanisms: The Finance Act should be used to ring-fence a proportion of tobacco excise revenues for a dedicated “Tobacco Transition Fund” a livelihood support programme for tobacco-farming communities making the shift toalternative crops.
Further, stronger tobacco taxes reduce consumption, avert premature deaths, and generate additional government revenue simultaneously.
“Kenya can achieve a double dividend, better health and a stronger fiscal position -through decisive tobacco tax action”.
As Kenya marks World No Tobacco Day 2026 and prepares the Finance Bill 2026 for parliamentary debate, the National Taxpayers Association and the Kenya Tobacco and Nicotine Tax Coalition call on the Government of Kenya, Parliament, County Governments and all stakeholders to take the following decisive, specific actions:
Strengthen Tobacco Taxation from Current Rates to WHo-AlignedBenchmarks increase the tobacco excise rate from the current Ksh 4,100 per 1000 cigarettes by 30% annually for the next five years -, reaching approximately KES 15,124 per mille by 2029.
Raise tobacco’s total tax share of retail price from the current 30.6% toward the WHO-recommended 75% threshold.
Implement proportionate taxation on novel products: increase e-cigarette and nicotine pouch taxes from the current under levied rates (10-50% of cigarette equivalent) to parity with cigarettes, closing the affordability gap that drives youth adoption.
Protect Children and Young People and Enforce an immediate ban on single-stick cigarette sales under the Tobacco ControlAct.
Extend the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024 to explicitly prohibit the marketing of nicotine and tobacco products on social media platforms and to influencers whoseaudiences are predominantly under 25.
Invest Tobacco Tax Revenues in Health – Dedicated and TransparentRing-fence a minimum of 5% of tobacco excise revenue (currently ~KES 780 million annually) for the Tobacco Control Fund, dedicated to cancer treatment infrastructure,cessation services, and health promotion.
Allocate a specific budget line for at least three new regional cancer treatment and radiotherapy centres – in Kisumu, Mombasa and Nakuru – funded from increased tobacco tax receipts.
Operationalise and Reform the Solatium Fund Compel all tobacco manufacturers and importers to begin paying the 2% Solarium Compensatory Contribution with immediate effect, under penalties for non-compliance.
Establish an independent Board of Trustees for the Solatium Fund with civil society representation and zero industry involvement.
Publish annual audited accounts for the Fund, with clear reporting on disbursements to cessation, rehabilitation, and research programmes.
Strengthen Enforcement Against Illicit Trade. Fully fund and operationalise the Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS) across all tobacco entry points and production facilities.
Establish a dedicated Multi-Agency Illicit Tobacco Task Force under KRA, KenyaPolice, Kenya Revenue Authority, and Anti-Counterfeit Authority with prosecutorial mandate.
Negotiate minimum tobacco excise tax harmonization floors with EAC partners(Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DRC) to remove cross-border arbitrage incentives.
Support Alternative Economic Livelihoods for Tobacco Farming Communities Establish a dedicated Tobacco Transition Fund, seeded with 1% of annual tobacco excise revenue, to support crop diversification in tobacco-growing counties of Nyanza and Western Kenya.
Develop a five-year county-level Agricultural Transition Plan under the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the affected county governments of Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu, and Bungoma.
Provide extension services, certified seed access, market linkages, and cold chain infrastructure for alternative crops (horticulture, sorghum, soya, sunflower) in former tobacco farming areas.
Consider and Evaluate the Entire Tobacco Value ChainCommission a comprehensive, independent cost-benefit analysis of the tobacco industrys full economic contribution inclusive of healthcare, environmental, productivity, and social costs -to inform evidence-based policy.
Require tobacco companies to disclose full valuechain economic data annually,including farmer payment rates, contract terms, input costs, and profits repatriated outside Kenya.
Ensure trade and investment policy does not provide tobacco companies withpreferential treatment (tax holidays, export incentives, duty exemptions) thatcontradicts Kenyas public health commitments under the WHO FCTC.
