Waste management is one of the most pressing environmental challenges worldwide. According to the Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 by UNEP, the world generates over 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year, a figure expected to exceed 3.4 billion tons by 2050, with devastating consequences for the environment and public health.
Although Africa accounts for only 5% of global waste, the continent is experiencing an exponential increase in waste production due to rapid urbanization and rising consumption. The World Bank estimates that Africa generates approximately 125 million tons of waste annually, with a 3.5% annual growth rate, the highest compared to any other region in the world. However, less than 10% of this waste is properly recycled, while 90% ends up in open dumps or is illegally burned, exacerbating air and soil pollution.
This environmental crisis is not just about pollution—it also presents an opportunity: improving waste management can create new industrial supply chains, foster a circular economy, and encourage the emergence of innovative businesses that transform waste into valuable resources.
The Crucial Role of the Circular Economy in Africa’s Recycling Sector
The circular economy is an essential strategy for tackling the waste crisis and promoting sustainable development. In Africa, the recycling chain remains weak due to inadequate infrastructure and limited access to technology. However, in recent years, the continent has witnessed a growing number of entrepreneurial initiatives focused on waste valorization, turning waste into useful products and generating significant economic and social benefits.
According to the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), the circular economy sector in Africa could create over 11 million jobs by 2030, providing substantial added value to local economies.
At the continental level, the Circular Economy Action Plan for Africa, promoted by the African Union, aims to develop a sustainable economy by improving recycling infrastructure, supporting green businesses, and adopting innovative waste treatment technologies.
In this context, African entrepreneurs are playing a key role in transforming waste into economic opportunities, and E4Impact Foundation has been a possible supporting entity in achieving this for years now. An example of this was the support for the partnership between the company Montello S.p.A. from Bergamo and the Kenyan Pure Planet Recyclers that led to the establishment of the Joint Venture Pura Terra Recycling, but also the support for more than 300 entrepreneurs active in the waste management and circular economy sector trained through entrepreneurship and business acceleration programmes. Indeed, E4Impact is committed to supporting this transition by providing training, strategic support, and networking opportunities to foster the growth of sustainable businesses.
Among them, on this Global Recycling Day 2025, we celebrate two outstanding #E4ImpactEntrepreneurs: Fungai Masunzambwa (Zimbabwe) and Ange Ngabonziza (Rwanda), examples of how recycling and sustainable infrastructure models can generate positive environmental and economic impact.
Fungai Masunzambwa: turning waste paper into opportunity
Fungai Masunzambwa is the founder and CEO of Cotmatech Waste Collections, a company specializing in waste paper recovery and recycling. Her business model integrates innovation and sustainability, creating economic opportunities for young entrepreneurs through collection cooperatives. With headquarters in Harare and Bulawayo, Cotmatech collects and recycles various types of paper, transforming them into new products, including egg trays. Her work has received significant recognition, including the SME Exporter of the Year Award, thanks to exports to Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and South Africa.
Fungai’s enterprise demonstrates how recycling can become a development driver, creating social impact through job creation while simultaneously reducing environmental pressure caused by paper waste.
Ange Ngabonziza: sustainable housing and environmental well-being
Ange Ngabonziza is the founder of Amalisi Ventures, a Rwandan company that places sustainability at the core of its real estate development model. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities by designing and implementing, among other activities, innovative and environmentally friendly housing solutions. Amalisi Ventures’ approach is distinguished by the creation of integrated residential communities that combine energy efficiency with the well-being of residents.
Its constructions use recycled materials and sustainable technologies to reduce their ecological footprint, while the design of spaces is intended to promote a healthy lifestyle. The properties developed by the company include fitness centers, meditation areas, community gardens, pedestrian pathways, and cycling tracks, all aimed at fostering a connection with nature and promoting sustainable mobility.
At the same time, the company has developed Kopivitamin, a natural dietary supplement distributed across East Africa, produced through low-impact environmental processes. This initiative reinforces Amalisi Ventures’ commitment to a broader concept of well-being, integrating health, sustainability, and technological innovation.
Thanks to his entrepreneurial vision, Ange Ngabonziza has transformed Amalisi Ventures into a fast-growing enterprise, with over 20,000 active users and an annual revenue that has increased from $30,000 to $450,000 since 2019. With an ever-growing focus on sustainable construction and quality of life, the company continues to redefine the future of living and housing in Africa.
From Africa to Italy: The value of the Business Networking Week and Ecomondo 2024
To showcase their initiatives and foster international collaborations, Fungai and Ange participated in the Business Networking Week in Italy 2024, an exclusive event organized by E4Impact to connect African entrepreneurs with European stakeholders in the field of sustainable innovation.
One of the week’s highlights was attending Ecomondo 2024, Europe’s leading event dedicated to the circular economy. Here, our entrepreneurs had the opportunity to access advanced recycling technologies, participate in B2B meetings, and establish strategic relationships with Italian and European companies.
Towards a sustainable future through entrepreneurship
Waste management and the circular economy are not just environmental challenges—they also represent extraordinary opportunities for Africa’s growth. Entrepreneurs across the continent are proving that complex problems can be transformed into innovative solutions, creating value for both communities and the environment.
In this direction, E4Impact continues to support an entrepreneurial ecosystem that prioritizes sustainability. Organizing events such as the Business Networking Week and participating in international fairs like Ecomondo are just some of the steps taken to strengthen the bridge between Africa and Italy, fostering new synergies for a greener and more inclusive future.
