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Kenya Background
Profile
Kenya Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2024.   Page updated: 2025-10-30

Tobacco smoking in Kenya remains a formidable public health concern. The number of smokers aged 15 and older in 2024 was estimated to be 2,3 million individuals based on the data from the World Health Organization (WHO). This indicates that the overall adult current smoking prevalence was 6.4%, with a marked gender disparity observed: 12.1% of males and 0.9% of females were reported to be smokers. This represents a slight decrease from 2020 when the current prevalence was 8.1% overall, with 15.6% of males and 0.8% of females smoking.
In 2021, tobacco smoking accounted for 9,418 deaths, corresponding to 2.63% of all deaths attributed to smoking. Gender differences in smoking-related mortality are evident, with 7810 male deaths (3.81% of all male deaths) and 1608 female deaths (1.05% of all female deaths). For reference, the adult daily smoking prevalence in 2015 was 8.3%, with 16.6% among males and 0.4% among females. These statistics underscore the ongoing challenge of tobacco smoking in Kenya, necessitating continued public health interventions and regulatory measures to reduce smoking prevalence and associated health impacts.

Prevalence

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 3.2 million 1A
2024 2.3 million 1B
References:
  1. (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 10.2% 1A
2020 8.1% 1B
2022 7.6% 1C A
2024 6.4% 1D
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 1% 1A
2020 0.8% 1B
2022 0.7% 1C A
2024 0.9% 1D
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2019 19.5% 1A
2020 15.6% 1B
2022 14.7% 1C A
2024 12.1% 1D
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  3. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  4. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
1.6 million
2 A
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 6% 3A A
2015 8.3% 3B B
References:
  1. Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
  2. Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
  1. In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
  2. Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 0.6% 3A A
2015 0.4% 3B B
References:
  1. Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
  2. Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
  1. In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
  2. Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier 11.6% 3A A
2015 16.6% 3B B
References:
  1. Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
  2. Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
  1. In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
  2. Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.
References:
  1. WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
  2. Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2014. Available at:https://nccd.cdc.gov/GTSSDataSurveyResources/Ancillary/DataReports.aspx?CAID=1
  3. Kenya STEPS survey, 2015; National, ages 18-69. Cited in WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Country profile.
Comments:
  1. In Kenya, GATS was first conducted in 2014 as a household survey of persons 15 years of age and older. A multi-stage, geographically clustered sample design was used to produce nationally representative data. There were a total of 4,408 completed individual interviews.
  2. Prevalence of daily tobacco smoking from the latest survey.

Smoking-related mortality

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 8,118 1A
2021 9,418 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 1,881 1A
2021 1,608 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 6,237 1A
2021 7,810 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 3.57% 1A
2021 2.63% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 1.5% 1A
2021 1.05% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 4.2% 1A
2021 3.81% 1B B
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
  1. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  2. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.