Africa is grappling with two deepening crises, chronic energy shortages and a growing waste problem. While more than 600 million Africans live without access to electricity, the continent generates over 200 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, much of which ends up in unregulated dumps. Waste-to-energy (WTE) offers a rare convergence of solutions to both.
The concept is straightforward: use incineration or other waste treatment technologies to convert trash into power. The impact could be transformational. According to UNEP estimates, shifting waste from landfills to energy and recycling streams could inject as much as USD 8 billion into African economies annually. Yet despite the economic and environmental case, the continent’s WTE infrastructure remains virtually nonexistent.
Europe provides a stark contrast. France operates 126 WTE plants, Germany 121, and Italy 40. Sub-Saharan Africa, by comparison, has just one, the Reppie facility in Addis Ababa. That plant alone processes 1,400 tonnes of waste per day and supplies up to 30% of the Ethiopian capital’s electricity needs. But no comparable infrastructure exists across the rest of the region.
The gap is as much about policy inertia and financing constraints as it is about technology. Urbanization is accelerating across Africa, bringing with it rising energy demand and soaring waste volumes. Without intervention, cities will be forced to manage more waste with fewer resources, while millions remain in the dark.
WTE may not solve Africa’s energy or waste challenges in isolation, but it offers a proven, scalable model that can contribute to both. For investors, governments, and climate advocates alike, it represents a missed opportunity that demands urgent attention.
