“The lifting of the ban highlights the Egyptian authorities’ progressive approach to e-cigarettes and sets the stage for the creation of a regulated market full of business opportunities nationwide by meeting the demand of legal age (adult) consumers for easily accessible, quality products,” RELX International, a leader in the field wrote in an April 24 statement.

With its recent decision, Egypt joins global and regional markets such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that have legalized and commercialized the consumption of e-cigarettes. The market is expected to continue to grow steadily in the coming years as regulators around the world increasingly embrace e-cigarettes.

According to Statista, the global e-cigarette market, with revenues of $22.95 billion as of March 2022, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.19 percent per year through 2027.

“The Egyptian authorities’ decision reflects their commitment to supporting legitimate businesses in the country while combating the illicit trade in these products, which is consistent with what we are seeing in a growing number of markets around the world,” said REXL’s Robert Naouss Director of International Middle East, North Africa and European External Affairs

“The country’s business and investment climate will benefit greatly from this decision, and adult consumers can now easily and legally purchase better alternatives to combustible cigarettes. We look forward to working with our partners to increase and protect their revenues through our portfolio of premium products.”

According to RELX International, by lifting the ban on e-cigarette products, Egyptian authorities have opened the door to a plethora of business and investment options. “Authorized e-cigarette products have traditionally been retailed by small and medium-sized businesses, so this move will support existing businesses that sell such products and will attract entrepreneurs looking to establish new retail locations across the country. It will also attract investment from e-cigarette brands looking to open stores in the country and address the market,” the company wrote in its statement.

“Adult consumers will benefit from this initiative as they can now legally use e-cigarettes, regardless of whether they wish to switch to better alternatives to traditional cigarettes. A number of health authorities and regulators, including the NHS in the UK and the New Zealand Ministry of Health, have already actively stated their position on e-cigarettes as a way for people to move away from combustible cigarettes.

“In addition, the decision will boost the country’s economic recovery after the pandemic by imposing a tax from legal imports. At the same time, it will allow the Egyptian authorities to combat tax evasion associated with illegal market participants. Likewise, the movement of the market and balanced regulation provides a way for authorities and e-cigarette suppliers to stop the spread of poor quality and dangerous black market products that do not meet the standards and regulations outlined by Egyptian and international authorities. In doing so, adult consumers can be assured that the products they find on sale are indeed a reliable alternative to traditional cigarettes.”