By: Nokuthula Khwela
When PMI calls, I pay attention. This isn’t just another trip it’s the continuation of a growing collaboration and a commitment to be part of a larger, global conversation.
This was my third experience with them and my second Technovation with Timeless Trends. At this point, it’s no longer about being invited it’s about being involved. Visibility is important, but being seen for your contribution is where the real power lies.
This year marked a pivotal moment: the first ever Technovation hosted on African soil, in Cape Town. Led by PMI’s Director of Corporate Communications, the grounded and visionary Vuyokazi Xapa a daughter of the city, the event brought together policymakers, journalists, scientists, and changemakers from across the globe to examine the future of tobacco harm reduction in Africa.
Why Africa Matters Now
Africa is at a crossroads.
While smoking rates in many parts of the world are declining, Sub Saharan Africa is heading in the opposite direction. According to the World Health Organization, the number of smokers rose from 52 million in 2000 to 66 million in 2015 and could reach 84 million by 2025 if nothing changes.
This is where Technovation moved from event to action.
The conversation centered on a bold but urgent mission: if people can’t or won’t quit smoking, they should have access to scientifically backed, smoke free alternatives that significantly reduce harm. These include heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, and e vapor devices, innovations that remove combustion, the main cause of smoking related illness.
PMI has invested over $14 billion into this transformation, but for these products to make a real impact in Africa, policy and public education must catch up.
Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Implementation
Tommaso Di Giovanni, PMI’s Vice President of Communication and Engagement, challenged us to see Africa not as a passive recipient of global trends, but as a driver of innovation just as the continent has leapfrogged in mobile banking and renewable energy.
So why not public health?
But the reality is sobering: outdated policies, regulatory hesitation, and limited public awareness are holding progress back.
Andrea Gontkovicova, PMI’s VP for Corporate Affairs in the SSEA region, emphasized that where harm reduction is embraced, smoking rates drop. But resistance, often rooted in emotion rather than science, continues to shape public policy in much of Africa.
In one of the most powerful keynote sessions, Branislav Bibic, PMI’s Area VP for Sub Saharan Africa, stated plainly: “Achieving a smoke free Africa is not a solo effort. It depends on collective action.”
That means governments, media, scientists, and civil society must come together.
Media’s Role: More Than Observers
As a journalist and founder of Timeless Trends, I know media can either widen or close the gap between the science and the public. I wasn’t just there to report I was there to amplify.
As a Black woman in media, I know that representation in these spaces isn’t just symbolic it’s strategic. It ensures that African audiences see themselves in the future being shaped.
And it’s why we must continue to show up, ask questions, share the science, and help reframe how harm reduction is understood not as a corporate push, but as a public health imperative.
Smoke-Free Africa Is Within Reach
In interactive panels and immersive experiences, we saw not only the data, but the innovation products like IQOS and ZYN that are already reducing exposure to harmful toxins, and virtual reality activations that bust common myths.
But this science needs a platform. And platforms need policy support.
South Africa’s draft Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill remains a crucial turning point. It could either enable a healthier future or stall it. As one panelist said, “The science is ready. The consumers are ready. Are our leaders?”
Being invited is meaningful. But being present and bringing the story back home is where the impact lies.
Africa has the potential not just to follow global health trends, but to shape them. And as long as these doors open, I’ll keep walking through. Not just to tell stories but to ensure our voices, science, and futures are part of the smoke free table.
