British American Tobacco (BAT) forced Kenyan authorities to weaken health warnings on nicotine pouches, media reported.
The company reportedly threatened the government to withdraw investment from its new factory in the country's capital, Nairobi. Not only were the warnings reduced in size, but the mention of carcinogens was also removed, according to the outlet.
In its report, a government task force, concerned about the potential increase in nicotine addiction among young people, called for rigorous regulations to be imposed on the company. However, some politicians are going a step further and insisting on a complete ban on these products, the media said.
This is not the first incident in which BAT has been linked to controversial actions in Africa. In December 2023, the Nigerian competition commission said that the company is obliged to pay a $110 million penalty after a three-year investigation into a wide range of anti-competitive practices.
In 2017, British media revealed that BAT, along with other multinational tobacco companies, had pressured the governments of about eight African countries to remove or relax regulations designed to reduce smoking.