2025 in review

December 18, 2025

Dear subscriber,

This week, we take a look back at some of the key stories we've published in 2025, highlighting the trends shaping the future of Africa's circular economy.

Mercy Maina – Editor

First published July 7: The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a $139 million loan to the City of Johannesburg for critical infrastructure, including solid waste management. As the Bank’s first direct loan to a subnational entity in Africa, the deal signals a shift toward empowering cities directly to lead on infrastructure and circular economy solutions.

  • For a continent where funding for cities has typically flowed through national governments, this deal marks a shift, boosting municipal focus on infrastructure and circular economy investments.

  • Though still rare, direct subnational lending to cities is an emerging trend in Africa seen as key to unlocking faster, more accountable investment in essential infrastructure including waste management.

  • Our take: Giving cities more control over finances is not just practical, it's overdue. …Read more (2 min)

First published September 15: In the wake of failed global plastics treaty negotiations, Hellen Kahaso Dena, Project Lead for the Pan-African Plastics Project at Greenpeace Africa, says Africa’s focus must be on cutting plastic production. She warns that without production caps the continent will remain vulnerable to waste colonialism.

  • According to Ms Dena, an ideal treaty for Africa would address plastics across their entire life cycle, combining production cuts, safer product design, the phasing out of toxic chemicals and support for refill-and-reuse systems.

  • In an interview, the Greenpeace Africa campaigner says that to achieve this, the treaty must be backed by strong financial mechanisms and meaningful technology transfer, enabling countries to scale successful circular solutions already operating on the ground.

  • Find the full conversation here (2 min)

Here is Africa’s guide to effective EPR systems

First published October 20: For a system of Extended Producer Responsibility to be effective across Africa, clear guidelines are needed. The UNDP is promoting a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for PET bottles that was created in the Seychelles. The initiative was showcased on 15 October at the Africa Circular Economy Alliance meeting in Addis Ababa.

  • The Seychelloise DRS makes consumers pay a small levy and earn refunds for beverage bottles, creating a self-sustaining EPR model that unites producers, consumers and government in circular responsibility.

  • For African countries facing low recycling rates and landfill dependence, the Seychelles model shows that a simple, well-governed EPR system can achieve high recovery rates and long-term financial sustainability.

  • Our take: With political goodwill and effective systems in place, Africa can operate sustainable initiatives that promote circularity…. Read more (2 min)