Online Reporter
Harmony Agere
AFRICAN countries, working collectively, can transform their waste management challenges into wealth through investing in modern technologies, Geo Pomona Waste Management chief executive officer and executive chairperson Dr Dilesh Nguwaya has said.
Speaking at the Africa Waste is Wealth Summit currently underway in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr Nguwaya said waste management should no longer be viewed solely as a sanitation issue, but as a sector capable of driving economic growth, energy generation and industrial development.
The summit brings together ministers, industry leaders and technical experts from across the continent to discuss policy formulation, circular economy frameworks and municipal waste management systems.
“Africa’s waste challenge is growing rapidly with urbanisation, population growth and climate pressure, but this is also one of the continent’s clearest infrastructure opportunities because waste is no longer only a sanitation issue, it is an economic, energy and industrial development issue,” he said.
“Across the continent, the lesson is clear: uncoordinated interventions will not be enough and what Africa now needs are integrated, investment-ready, climate-resilient systems supported by clear policy, stronger municipal capability, harmonised standards and long-term infrastructure planning.”
He called for the creation of a continental circular economy ecosystem.
“The opportunity before us is to build a true African circular economy ecosystem in which governments, cities, operators, financiers, manufacturers and development partners work from a shared framework for delivery and scale,” he said.
“From collection and sorting to recycling, composting, landfill gas management, methane mitigation and waste-to-energy, the sector already offers practical pathways to reduce emissions, improve public health, create jobs and strengthen resilience.”
Success, Dr Nguwaya added, would depend on financing models that recognise waste infrastructure as both a public necessity and a viable investment opportunity.
“That execution will depend on financing models that treat circular waste infrastructure as both a public necessity and a bankable climate and industrial investment, while also creating opportunities for communities, young people, women and informal sector participants who are already central to value creation,” he said.
“In Zimbabwe, we say, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo — a country is built by its own people, and that principle speaks to the whole continent: Africa’s waste future will be shaped by African leadership, African innovation, and African accountability, strengthened by credible global partnerships.
“So, as we meet here in Nairobi, let this summit send a clear message that Africa is ready to move from discussion to delivery through stronger partnerships, clearer standards, investable projects and a collective commitment to build circular infrastructure that serves cities, supports industry, protects the environment and creates shared prosperity.”
Geo Pomona Waste Management is developing a modern waste-to-energy plant in Harare, which has become a hub for dumpsite management and innovative waste management expertise in the region.
Tinaye Agere