By 2050, Africa will generate over 770 million tonnes of waste – much of it food. But recovering just a quarter of that could feed 100 million people, cut emissions, and unlock a $30 billion circular economy. Food waste isn’t just a crisis – it is the continent’s green growth opportunity.
By Ethical Business | Analysis | May 2025
The food waste paradox
Nearly half of global waste – 44% – is made up of food and green matter, according to data compiled by the World Bank’s What a Waste 2.0 report (World Bank, 2018). That means the planet discards nearly as much edible or biodegradable material as all plastics, paper, and metals combined. In a world battling hunger and climate change, these figures are more than statistics –they are warnings.
Africa, where food insecurity remains acute in many regions, paradoxically contributes and suffers from this waste burden. The issue is not only environmental but profoundly economic and moral. This growing food waste problem is not just an environmental concern; it is also a development, food security, and climate change issue.
Waste is outpacing population growth
According to the World Bank’s solid waste trends analysis, global waste generation is growing at twice the rate of population growth. This dynamic is driven by increased urbanisation and rising incomes. In low- and middle-income regions, where rapid economic growth is underway, waste output is expected to rise by 40% by 2050, compared to only 19% in high-income nations (World Bank, 2018).
This means as African economies develop, their waste footprints are ballooning, often without the infrastructure to manage the load. For policymakers, this signals a need for urgent reform, especially around the most abundant and biodegradable category: food waste.
Africa’s waste future: The alarming climb
Africa’s waste generation is projected to skyrocket from 303 million tonnes in 2016 to 771 million tonnes annually by 2050, according to regional projections from the World Bank’s What a Waste 2.0 dataset. This is a 154% increase, the fastest growth rate globally.
Such growth places an immense burden on local governments, many of which already face budgetary and logistical constraints in municipal waste management.
True cost of food waste in Africa
Globally, food and green waste, including leftovers, peels, spoiled food, and organic refuse, make up 44% of solid waste. In sub-Saharan Africa, this share can reach 60–70% in some cities, due to the high volume of organic market waste and limited cold-chain infrastructure (UNEP, 2021).
A 2020 UNEP Food Waste Index found that over 50% of food waste in African households is avoidable, driven by lack of awareness, poor storage, and inadequate logistics. Post-harvest losses remain staggering: the African Postharvest Losses Information System (APHLIS) estimates that up to 30% of food is lost before it reaches consumers in some regions.
This undermines food security and economic opportunity. Every kilogramme of food wasted represents not just lost calories, but wasted water, energy, labor, and transport emissions.
The circular economy opportunity
Despite the bleak outlook, some African cities, entrepreneurs, farmers, and policymakers are experimenting with circular food economy models, where waste is minimised and reimagined as a resource.
Examples include:
- Rwanda’s BioMassters which converts food waste into biogas for low-income households, reducing both landfill pressure and reliance on charcoal.
- ColdHubs in Nigeria that uses solar-powered refrigeration to reduce post-harvest spoilage for smallholder farmers, cutting waste while boosting incomes.
- TakaTaka Solutions in Kenya; a Nairobi-based waste management firm that composts organic waste from markets and sells it to farms as fertiliser (UN-Habitat, 2023).
These models not only prevent landfill buildup, but also create green jobs and add value to supply chains. A World Economic Forum report in 2022 estimated that scaling circular food solutions in Africa could generate $300 billion by 2030 in economic and environmental benefits.
Smart cities, smart waste
Several cities across Africa are embracing smart waste and food recovery strategies:
- Cape Town’s Organic Waste Programme aims to cut landfill waste by 50% by 2027, investing in composting infrastructure (City of Cape Town Waste Strategy, 2023).
- Accra and Lagos are piloting digital platforms for food rescue and waste mapping.
- Kigali is exploring AI tools for waste prediction and circular logistics. CleanKigali enables the city of Kigali to automatically monitor and predict waste levels and collect them ontime using artificial intelligence (cleankigali.kigalicity.gov.rw).
These smart city initiatives align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
The policy imperative: What must be done
To make real progress, Africa must shift from ad-hoc efforts to systemic change:
- Policy reform: Governments should legislate bans on organic waste in landfills and provide tax incentives for composting and food donation.
- Infrastructure investment: Facilities for biogas, composting, and cold-chain logistics must be scaled.
- Public education: National campaigns, for instance, “Love Food Hate Waste” initiative in the United Kingdom, can teach households and businesses to reduce food waste.
Support from multilateral institutions, such as the African Development Bank’s Circular Economy Facility, will be key in financing such transitions (AfDB, 2023). The Africa Circular Economy Facility (ACEF) is a multi-donor trust fund administered by the African Development Bank to foster Africa’s transformation by adopting the circular economy as an inclusive and green growth strategy.
Rethinking waste, reclaiming value
Africa’s growing food waste problem is a symptom of deeper issues, but also a source of untapped opportunity. With 44% of global waste being organic, the continent can lead the way in rethinking consumption, urban waste systems, and circular innovation.
Food is too precious to rot in landfills. The solution lies in a new economic model, one where waste becomes wealth, where innovation fuels inclusion, and where sustainability drives development.
At Ethical Business, we believe in highlighting and supporting Africa’s green pioneers, those proving that waste is not an endpoint, but a beginning.
#FoodWaste #CircularEconomy #AfricaSustainability
Sources & References
- World Bank. (2018). What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/
- UNEP. (2021). Food Waste Index Report. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/unep-food-waste-index-report-2021
- UN-Habitat. (2023). Urban Waste Innovation Spotlight: Nairobi and Beyond.
- World Economic Forum. (2022). Circular Food Systems in Emerging Markets: A $300 Billion Opportunity.
- African Development Bank (AfDB). (2023). Circular Economy Facility Strategy Document.
- City of Cape Town. (2023). Integrated Waste Management Plan.
