Kieran Smith, the CEO of Mr Green Africa, at its recycling factory in Nairobi, Kenya.
From Nigeria to Ethiopia and Kenya, these three entrepreneurs have spotted opportunities in Africa’s waste recycling industry.
1. Transforming Ethiopia’s plastic waste into affordable building bricks
Kubik is a company that converts recycled plastic waste into interlocking building materials, such as bricks, beams, and columns. Kubik’s products are at least 40% cheaper per square metre compared to traditional cement-based options in Ethiopia. Earlier this year, the company secured $5.2 million in seed funding from African Renaissance Partners, Endgame Capital, and King Philanthropies.
In an interview with How we made it in Africa, Kubik’s co-founder and CEO, Kidus Asfaw, mentioned that the company primarily serves real estate developers. Convincing builders to adopt this emerging material depends on competitive pricing, fast construction times, and structural integrity. Developers are also looking for a product that allows them to finish walls, in terms of painting and plastering, according to their own preferences. Kidus stated, “They are not looking for fancy products, they’re actually looking for super boring products.” He explained the fact that the bricks are made from recycled plastics, and have a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional materials, is usually the last detail shared with potential buyers. Read our full interview with Kidus Asfaw
2. From Zurich investment banking to building a recycling company in Kenya
Entrepreneur Keiran Smith transitioned from a career in investment banking in Zurich to founding Mr Green Africa, a plastic waste recycling firm based in Kenya. The company sources waste from informal collectors and processes it into pellets that are sold to manufacturers as raw material for new products.
To launch the business, Smith drew on his pension savings and a loan from a former banking colleague. “It was not a lot, but it was some,” he said. After piecing together smaller amounts of funding, the company secured its first angel investment in 2016.
Smith recalls numerous times during the company’s early days when financial worries loomed large. “There was even a time when it was so stressful where I had to ask the employees if it’s okay that we can pay them one week later or two weeks later … I didn’t pay myself a salary for many many years – even my own pockets were empty,” he recalled
Finding buyers for its recycled plastics also posed a challenge initially, as Mr Green Africa’s model of offering fair prices to waste collectors meant its products were priced higher than competitors. “To convince a plastic producer to make that switch was super difficult. We completely underestimated it,” Smith admitted.
A significant breakthrough for the company was a partnership with Unilever. Seeking to increase the recycled content in its packaging, the fast-moving consumer goods giant collaborated with Mr Green Africa to create packaging made entirely from recycled materials supplied by the company. The Unilever deal gave the company a lot of credibility in the eyes of local plastics manufacturers. Today, Mr Green Africa counts multiple brand owners among its customers. Read our full interview with Keiran Smit
3. An opportunity worth millions: Exporting Lagos’ plastic waste
Kaltani is a Nigerian end-to-end plastic recycling company that collects, processes, and resells recycled materials for use in consumer goods packaging and other products. According to its founder, Obi Charles Nnanna, Nigeria’s plastic recycling industry represents a $10 billion market.
After over a decade working abroad, Nnanna returned to Nigeria with a desire to start a business but without a clear idea of what that would be. During his time back home, he recognised two pressing challenges: plastic pollution and high youth unemployment. Kaltani was conceived as a solution to both.
The company’s primary product, hot-washed PET flakes, is used to make new plastic bottles, enabling consumer goods companies, such as soft drink manufacturers, to reduce their reliance on virgin materials. Kaltani also produces polyester staple fibre flakes, used in clothing production. “We have buyers in Europe, the Middle East, the United States, and Canada, as well as Nigeria. It happens that a lot of buyers are international companies, but a lot of large local firms are also becoming more aware and willing to use recycled materials,” Nnanna said in an earlier interview. Read our full interview with Obi Charles Nnanna
