In this article, we are going to discuss the 5 African countries with the most alcohol consumption. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the next big alcohol market, the impact of Covid on the African alcohol industry, and the rampant illicit alcohol trade in Africa, head to 15 African Countries with the Most Alcohol Consumption.
5. Burkina Faso
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 9.81 liters
While 63% of the adult population in Burkina Faso abstains from alcohol consumption in any given year, those Burkinabé who consume alcohol engage in heavy alcohol use and often also in heavy episodic alcohol consumption.
The West African country is a victim of an underdeveloped political system that extends to its alcohol laws. Burkina Faso does not have a written national alcohol policy and not even a legal minimum age limit for off-premise alcohol purchases. And in bars and restaurants, Burkinabé as young as 13 are legally permitted to purchase alcohol.
The government does not regulate alcohol availability regarding outlet density and opening hours, and the country’s alcohol marketing regulations are also flawed, according to WHO standards. Burkina Faso also does not have a national monitoring system for alcohol consumption and harm.
4. Cameroon
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 10.1 liters
Cameroon is a country where the nightlife can get very wild. Alcohol is the fuel that keeps the nightlife going and it is consumed in great quantities in the country.
In rural Cameroon, the commercial alcoholic beverages sold at local shops or by nomadic merchants are red wine, beer, and 500 ml plastic bags of strong spirit. The bags of alcohol, known by many different names, have in fact been prohibited in the country since 2014 due to their potential harm to public health. Yet, they are the most commonly sold alcoholic products, because they are much cheaper than beer and wine.
3. Tanzania
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 10.36 liters
Alcohol use is a significant problem among young people in northern Tanzania. Factors that contribute to alcohol abuse include the abundance of home brewers, lifestyles that are dominated by social pressures, and traditional expectations such as the excessive consumption of alcohol at weddings, funerals, and other distinct occasions.
Tanzania has an annual alcohol-related death rate of 74.1 per 100,000 people and ranks among the Most Alcoholic Countries in Africa.
2. Seychelles
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 11.99 liters
Alcohol has an important social role in Seychelles and also plays a significant part in the country’s economy, generating substantial employment and tax revenue. Seychelles was among Countries with the Highest Alcohol Consumption in Africa in 2022 and the government devised a National Alcohol Policy to encourage responsible drinking in the island nation.
The East African island nation also welcomes a large number of tourists every year, which contributes to the high alcohol use.
1. Uganda
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 12.21 liters
With a per capita consumption of 12.21 liters of pure alcohol, Uganda is the Country that Drinks the Most Alcohol in Africa. Excessive consumption of alcohol has been identified as one of the major causes of poverty in the East African country, as it leads to declined productivity, increased expenditure and loss of assets, impaired judgment, and vulnerability to disease, thereby being a driver and maintainer of chronic poverty.
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