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In Abidjan resources are valued and repurposed providing livelihoods to thousands Self-taught mechanics and artisans in parts of Abidjan, the capital city of Cote d’Ivoire, have created an informal circular economy that sustains hundreds of families. The Africa Circular Economy Facility’s (ACEF) Oversight Committee recently visited these locations to witness the benefits and dangers of circular economy in practice. ACEF is described as a multi-donor trust fund administered by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to “foster Africa’s transformation by adopting the circular economy as an inclusive and green growth strategy.” The Facility was launched in May 2022 with an initial capitalisation of a touch over $4 million contributed in equal part by the Government of Finland and the Nordic Development Fund. “The Facility’s interventions are designed to accelerate the adoption of circular practices in Africa and promote inclusive green growth, aligning with the objectives of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy and Climate Change and Green Growth Strategic Framework (2021 to 2030),” the AfDB’s literature on the ACEF points out. E-waste recycling a boon to locals Earlier in March, the ACEF committee visited Adjamé’s bustling streets, where they witnessed how resources are valued and repurposed, providing livelihoods to thousands of self-taught mechanics and artisans. Across Ebrié Lagoon in Marcory Anoumabo, they engaged with residents who dismantle discarded electronics daily, creating an informal circular economy that sustains several communities. Some of the ACEF team and development partners during a site visit to the Marcory neighbourhood of Abidjan. Image Source: AfDB Evariste Aohoui, director of Electronic Waste Africa, a social enterprise focused on environmentally friendly and sustainable e-waste management in Africa, led the visit. “Learning through experience defines this community. Brothers and sisters collaborate on repairing or building things from recycled materials. “If workers lack skills to handle discarded items, waste will scatter everywhere. Without proper practices and protective equipment, the work endangers health.” The AfDB pointed out that 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 five 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.” The Bank said that 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. Fostering support for circular economies across Africa 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). 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 harmonising standards, particularly for recycled plastics. An oven made from discarded electronics, in Adjamé, Abidjan demonstrates circular economy innovation. Image Source: AfDB 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 programme enables me to expand my business and enhance production capacity.” Adolphe Monney, owner of Côte d’Ivoire Recyclage, which collects and refurbishes electronics, told the ACEF committee: “The AfriCircular grant will allow expansion of my company’s refurbishment capacity.” Justin Kouassi of BiomassIvoire plans to increase monthly organic fertiliser production from 1,000 to 5,000 tons, transforming agricultural waste into a valuable product. |
