Urban mining can strengthen critical mineral supply chains

From the newsletter

Africa’s accelerating digital transition is turning discarded electronics into a potential source of secondary raw materials. Kenya’s e-waste contained at least $48 million worth of metals in 2025, according to its National E-waste Monitor, published this month. Yet just 5.2% entered formal collection and recycling systems, highlighting an underused urban mining opportunity. 

• Africa generated 3.5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, creating a substantial stock of potentially recoverable materials across the continent, yet only 0.7% was formally collected and recycled. 

• As demand for critical minerals grows and global supply chains remain concentrated, recovering these materials from e-waste can give African industry a valuable secondary source closer to home. 

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