In Adjamé's bustling streets, resources are valued and repurposed, providing livelihoods to thousands of self-taught mechanics and artisans. Across Ebrié Lagoon in Marcory Anoumabo, residents dismantle discarded electronics, creating an informal circular economy that sustains hundreds of families.
The African Circular Economy Facility's Oversight Committee recently visited these locations in the commercial capital of Cote d'Ivoire to witness the circular economy in practice.
Evariste Aohoui, director of Electronic Waste Africa, a social enterprise focused on environmentally friendly and sustainable e-waste management in Africa, led the visit. He explained: "Learning through experience defines this community. Brothers and sisters collaborate on repairing or building things from recycled materials." He added, "If workers lack skills to handle discarded items, waste will scatter everywhere. Without proper practices and protective equipment, the work endangers health."
Côte d'Ivoire generates approximately 30,000 tons of e-waste each year, with 56% of this coming from development aid donations that arrive as waste. Currently, 95% of e-waste is managed illegally by 8,000 informal workers, negatively impacting up to 5 million people in the form of polluted water, air, and soil which carry respiratory, cardiovascular, and cancer risks.
These statistics underscore the need to accelerate Africa's circular transformation. ACEF's goal of empowering young Africans through circular business opportunities aligns with UNEP's projection that the circular economy could create 11 million jobs in Africa and provide access to the $500 billion global circularity market.
ACEF employs a three-pronged approach to support governments, regional structures, and businesses.
The first pillar builds policy environments conducive to circularity. In 2024, ACEF launched National Circular Economy Roadmap projects in Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, and Uganda to achieve sustainable resource management and create circular economy-friendly policies.
The second pillar develops circular businesses through the AfriCircular Innovators Programme, which supports medium small and micro enterprises in Abidjan, Accra, and Kigali through mini-grants and capacity-building. ACEF's development partners visited three MSMEs supported by the AfriCircular Innovators Programme during the visit. This gave them a chance to see how their support helped small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Jacqueline Djiré, Director of the Société de Production et de Distribution-CI , which transforms cashew apples into juice, plant-based meat, and vinegar, said: "the program enables me to expand my business and enhance production capacity."
Adolphe Monney, owner of Côte d'Ivoire Recyclage, which collects and refurbishes electronics, noted, "The AfriCircular grant will allow expansion of my company's refurbishment capacity."
Justin Kouassi of BiomassIvoire plans to increase monthly organic fertilizer production from 1,000 to 5,000 tons, transforming agricultural waste into a valuable product.
ACEF's third pillar is its support for the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), which focuses on advocacy and knowledge exchange. In 2024, ACEA featured circular solutions at nine major events and advocated for harmonizing standards, particularly for recycled plastics.
In 2025, ACEF intends to add three new AfriCircular hubs and support three additional governments in developing circular economy roadmaps while continuing to support ACEA's growth and advocacy work.
By 2026, ACEF aims to secure an additional €10 million to fund growth and advance Africa's shift to circularity. Development partners and private investors can play crucial roles by investing in initiatives that create systemic change rooted in local communities.
The potential is immense: A thriving, environmentally conscious economy could boost Africa's GDP by 2% while strengthening job creation and securing a sustainable future.
