Tobacco production in Malawi faces serious pest problems such as the tobacco aphid (M. persicae) and root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). A considerable amount of pesticides are used by growers to protect tobacco from yield and quality losses resulting from these pests. The common practice is that growers apply pesticides based on routine applications. However, their high cost and increasing concerns for off-target effects, for instance, chemical residues, raise questions to re-evaluate their use. Research to evaluate the effectiveness of scout based control and a newly bred nematode resistant Burley hybrid ABH 31 was conducted at Kandiya Research Station in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 2013 to 2015. The aim of this study was to develop an IPM concept for major tobacco pests (aphids, nematodes), especially, focusing on minimising pesticide use by way of timing applications, and integrating resistant cultivars. The trial comprised four insecticide regimes: Imidacloprid at planting, scout based application, routine based application, and untreated; three nematicide regimes: Zero, half, and full recommended rate; and three Burley cultivars, ABH 31 (nematode resistant), Mkanachikhosi and KBM 33 (both nematode susceptible) were evaluated in randomised block designs. Results showed that application of insecticides based on scouting achieved the same level of control against major pests as the routine based application. The approach also reduced the number of applications by two thirds in the growing season. The integration of a nematode resistant cultivar (ABH 31) controlled root-knot nematodes even better than relying on nematicides alone. No significant differences were found on nematode galling scores when ABH 31 received full, half or no nematicide, confirming the need for an integrated management approach. These results suggest that growers can achieve the desired pest control through integrated pest management while reducing pesticide use and environmental contamination and with potential accrual of economic returns per unit area.