Please Wait.....
Report
Africa Waste Management - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026 - 2031)
Market Report I 2026-02-09 I 150 Pages I Mordor Intelligence
Africa Waste Management Market Analysis
The Africa Waste Management Market size in 2026 is estimated at USD 46.77 billion, growing from 2025 value of USD 44.11 billion with 2031 projections showing USD 62.73 billion, growing at 6.04% CAGR over 2026-2031. Rapid urbanization funnels unprecedented waste volumes into already-strained municipal systems, creating space for private?sector collection, treatment, and recycling solutions. Investor appetite grows as governments adopt extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules, while technology firms deploy AI-enabled route optimization to raise collection efficiencies. Waste-to-energy (WtE) developers are securing climate-finance backing, yet capital gaps persist for other large-scale treatment assets. Competition remains fragmented, but rising compliance costs favor operators able to integrate informal collectors into formal value chains.
Africa Waste Management Market Trends and Insights
Rising Urban Population Driving Municipal Solid Waste Volumes
Africa's cities gain roughly 22 million new residents every year, elevating household consumption and daily waste flows. Lagos alone generates 13,000-14,000 tons of refuse each day, yet formal recycling diverts just 0.37%, underscoring severe infrastructure gaps. Collection fleets struggle to keep pace, prompting municipalities to outsource operations and invite private investment in transfer stations and material-recovery facilities. Concentrated urban waste streams lower per-ton processing costs, improving project economics for WtE and sorting plants. Demographic trends will therefore keep municipal solid waste (MSW) the anchor of the Africa waste management market well beyond 2030.
Government Push for Higher Recycling Targets & EPR Frameworks
Kenya's 2024 EPR regulations oblige producers to finance end-of-life collection and recycling, mirroring South Africa's mandatory schemes under the National Environmental Management Waste Act. Egypt has rolled out a sustainable recycling initiative that links informal pickers to licensed processors, raising material quality while preserving livelihoods. Compliance costs are shifting recycling from voluntary programs to legally enforced obligations, pushing brand owners to sign long-term service contracts with certified operators. These mandates steadily enlarge feedstock volumes for plastic, metal, and e-waste recycling facilities, bolstering revenues across the Africa waste management market.
Weak Landfill Regulation & Enforcement
More than 90% of East Africa's waste still winds up in open dumps, releasing methane and leachate that threaten groundwater. Addis Ababa's Repi site alone receives wastes unchecked, yet only 65% of the city's refuse is formally collected. Non-enforcement allows unlicensed haulers to undercut compliant operators by dodging gate fees, eroding the economics of engineered landfills. Without uniform inspection regimes, municipalities cannot recover operating costs or enforce polluter-pays principles, delaying modernization of disposal infrastructure across the Africa waste management market.
Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
Growing Investor Interest in Waste-to-Energy ProjectsDigitized Collection & Route-Optimization PlatformsCapital Scarcity for Large-Scale Treatment Assets
For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.
Segment Analysis
Residential streams secured 60.45% of the Africa waste management market share in 2025 as household consumption grew alongside urban migration. Commercial volumes, however, are projected to post an 8.52% CAGR, fueled by mall and office expansion that heightens demand for scheduled pickups and secure document destruction. Retail chains sign multi-year contracts to meet EPR take-back obligations, adding predictable tonnage for integrated service providers. Industrial generators confront tighter hazardous-waste regulations, particularly in South Africa, pushing them toward licensed disposal partners. Medical waste also rises with increased healthcare investment, creating a high-margin niche for certified incineration firms.
The Africa waste management market benefits from diverse feedstocks: construction and demolition debris escalates as infrastructure budgets climb, while agricultural residues present biogas opportunities in peri-urban zones. Veolia's multi-source service model across several African countries showcases the value of bundling residential and commercial contracts to balance volume with higher-yield specialty waste. Informal networks remain pivotal for plastics retrieval, yet formalized aggregators are beginning to absorb them via franchise schemes that deliver standardized safety training and mobile-payment transparency.
The Africa Waste Management Report is Segmented by Source (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Medical, and More), by Service Type (Collection, Transportation, Sorting & Segregation, and More), by Waste Type (Municipal Solid, Industrial Hazardous, E-Waste, Plastic, and More), and by Geography (Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Rest of Africa). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
Averda EnviroServ Interwaste WasteMart Universal Recycling Company Desco PETCO The Glass Recycling Company Oricol Environmental Services WeCyclers The Waste Group SA Waste Veolia Africa SUEZ Recycling & Recovery Africa Biffa South Africa Mr Green Africa TakaTaka Solutions EcoPost Stericycle (MedWaste Africa) Dangote Recycling
Additional Benefits:
The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
3 months of analyst support
1 Introduction
1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Market Landscape
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.2.1 Rising urban population driving municipal solid waste volumes
4.2.2 Government push for higher recycling targets & EPR frameworks
4.2.3 Growing investor interest in waste-to-energy (WtE) projects
4.2.4 Digitised collection & route-optimisation platforms
4.2.5 Off-grid micro-pyrolysis for plastics-to-fuel in remote mines
4.3 Market Restraints
4.3.1 Weak landfill regulation & enforcement
4.3.2 Capital scarcity for large-scale treatment assets
4.3.3 Informal sector lock-in that deters formal private investment
4.3.4 Climate-linked insurance gaps for WtE plants
4.4 Value / Supply-Chain Analysis
4.5 Regulatory Landscape
4.6 Technological Outlook
4.7 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis
4.7.1 Threat of New Entrants
4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.7.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.7.4 Threat of Substitutes
4.7.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
4.8 Logistics Infrastructure Insights
4.9 Startup & Innovation Spotlight
5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value, In USD Billion)
5.1 By Source
5.1.1 Residential
5.1.2 Commercial (retail, office, etc.)
5.1.3 Industrial
5.1.4 Medical (Health and Pharmaceutical)
5.1.5 Construction & Demolition
5.1.6 Others (institutional, agricultural, etc)
5.2 By Service Type
5.2.1 Collection, Transportation, Sorting & Segregation
5.2.2 Disposal / Treatment
5.2.2.1 Landfill
5.2.2.2 Recycling & Resource Recovery
5.2.2.3 Incineration & Waste-to-Energy
5.2.2.4 Others (Chemical Treatment, Composting, etc.)
5.2.3 Others (Consulting, Audit & Training, etc.)
5.3 By Waste Type
5.3.1 Municipal Solid Waste
5.3.2 Industrial Hazardous Waste
5.3.3 E-waste
5.3.4 Plastic Waste
5.3.5 Biomedical Waste
5.3.6 Construction & Demolition Waste
5.3.7 Agricultural Waste
5.3.8 Other Specialized Waste (radio active, etc)
5.4 By Geography
5.4.1 Nigeria
5.4.2 South Africa
5.4.3 Egypt
5.4.4 Kenya
5.4.5 Rest of Africa
6 Competitive Landscape
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Products & Services, and Recent Developments)
6.4.1 Averda
6.4.2 EnviroServ
6.4.3 Interwaste
6.4.4 WasteMart
6.4.5 Universal Recycling Company
6.4.6 Desco
6.4.7 PETCO
6.4.8 The Glass Recycling Company
6.4.9 Oricol Environmental Services
6.4.10 WeCyclers
6.4.11 The Waste Group
6.4.12 SA Waste
6.4.13 Veolia Africa
6.4.14 SUEZ Recycling & Recovery Africa
6.4.15 Biffa South Africa
6.4.16 Mr Green Africa
6.4.17 TakaTaka Solutions
6.4.18 EcoPost
6.4.19 Stericycle (MedWaste Africa)
6.4.20 Dangote Recycling
7 Market Opportunities & Future Outlook
7.1 White-space & Unmet-need Assessment
- Not Sure / Need Reassuring
- Confirm Content
-
Content is provided by our partners and every effort is made to make Market Report details as clear as possible. If you are not sure the exact content you require is included in this study you can Contact us to double check. To do this you can:
Use the ‘? ASK A QUESTION’ below the license / prices and to the right of this box. This will come directly to our team who will work on dealing with your request as soon as possible.
Write to directly on support@scotts-international.com with details. Please include as much information as possible including the name of report or link so our staff will be able to work on you request.
Telephone us directly on 0048 603 394 346 and an experienced member of team will be on hand to answer.
-
- Sample Pages
-
With the vast majority of our partners we can obtain Sample Pages to support your decision. This is something we can arrange without revealing your personal details.
It is important to note that we will not be able to provide you the exact data or statistics such as Market Size and Forecasts. Sample pages usually confirm the layout or the Categories included in Charts and Graphs, excluding specific data.
To ask for Sample Pages by contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Check for Alternatives
-
Whilst we try to make our online platform as easy to use as possible there is always the possibility that a better alternative has not been found in your search.
To avoid this possibility Contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346 and a Senior Team Member can review your requirements and send a list of possibilities with opinions and recommendations.
-
- Confirm Content
- Prices / Formats / Delivery
- Prices
-
All prices are set by our partners and should be exactly the same as those listed on their own websites. We work on a Revenue share basis ensuring that you never pay more than what is offered elsewhere.
Should you find the price cheaper on another platform we recommend you to Contact us as we should be able to match this price. You can Contact us though through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Discounts
-
As we work in close partnership with our Partners from time to time we can secure discounts and assist with negotiations, this is part of our personalised service to you.
Discounts can sometimes be arranged for speedily placed orders; multiple report purchases or Higher License purchases.
To check if a Discount is possible please Contact our experienced team through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Available Currencies
-
Most Market Reports on our platform are listed in USD or EURO based on the wishes of our Partners. To avoid currency fluctuations and potential price differentiations we do not offer the possibility to change the currency online.
Should you wish to pay in a different currency to that advertised online we do accept payments in USD, EURO, GBP and PLN. The price will be calculated based on the relevant exchange rate taken from our National Bank.
To pay in a different above currency to that advertised online please Contact our team and a quotation will be sent within a couple of hours with payment details.
-
- Licenses
-
License options vary from Partner to Partner as is usually based on the number of Users that will benefitting from the report. It is very important that License ordered is not breached as this could have potential negative consequences for you individually or your employer.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Global Site License
-
The Global Site License is the most comprehensive license available. By selecting this license, the Market Report can be shared with other ‘Allowed Users’ and any other member of staff from the same organisation regardless of geographic location.
It is important to note that this may exclude Parent Companies or Subsidiaries.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Formats
-
The most common format is PDF, however in certain circumstances data may be present in Excel format or Online, especially in the case of Database or Directories. In addition, for certain higher license options a CD may also be provided.
If you have questions or need clarification about the specific formats we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Delivery
-
Delivery is fulfilled by our partners directly. Once an order has been placed we inform the partner by sharing the delivery email details given in the order process.
Delivery is usually made within 24 hours of an order being placed, however it may take longer should your order be placed prior to the weekend or if otherwise specified on the Market Report details page. Additionally, if details have been not fully completed in the Order process a delay in delivery is possible.
If a delay in delivery is expected you will be informed about it immediately.
-
- Shipping Charges
-
As most Market Reports are delivered in PDF format we almost never have to add additional Shipping Charges. If, however you are ordering a Higher License service or a specific delivery format (e.g. CD version) charges may apply.
If you are concerned about additional Shipping Charges we recommend you to Contact us to double check.
-
- Prices
- Ordering
- By Credit Card
-
We work in Partnership with PayU to ensure payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way. PayU is the e-payments division of Naspers.
Naspers operates in over 133 International Markets and ranks 3rd Globally in terms of the number of e-commerce customers served.
For more information on PayU please visit: https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us
-
- By Money Transfer
-
If you require an invoice prior to payment, this is possible. To ensure a speedy delivery of the Market Report we require all relevant company details and you agree to maximum payment terms of 30 days from receipt of order.
With our regular clients deliver of the Market Report can be made prior to receiving payment, however in some circumstances we may ask for payment to be received before arranging for the Market Report to be delivered.
-
- By Credit Card
- Security
- Website security
-
We have specifically partnered with leading International companies to protect your privacy by using different technologies and processes to ensure security.
Everything submitted to Scotts International is encrypted via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and all personal information provided to Scotts International is stored on computer systems with limited access in controlled environments.
-
- Credit Card Security
-
We partner with PayU (https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us) to ensure all credit card payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way.
PayU offers 250+ various payment channels and eWallet services across 4 continents allowing buyers to pay electronically, whether on a computer or a mobile device.
-
- Website security