SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa (SWITCH-2-CE in ESA) programme

Circular Economy Transition in East and Southern Africa

The SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa (SWITCH-2-CE in ESA) programme, co-funded by the European Union and BMZ, and jointly implemented by Expertise France and GIZ, commissioned an Initial Study in April 2025 to assess the state of the circular economy in the plastics/packaging and electronics/e-waste value chains across ESA. The study was conducted by Circle Economy Foundation and African Circular Economy Network between April and December 2025.

The study finds that while awareness of the circular economy is growing across the region, progress remains uneven and fragmented. Persistent challenges, including weak policy implementation, limited institutional capacity, inadequate financing, and significant data gaps continue to constrain progress. Circular economy efforts largely focused on end-of-life waste management, with limited emphasis on upstream waste reduction or integration into broader economic and industrial policies. Infrastructure remains insufficient and heavily dependent on informal actors, while emerging circular business models lack technical and financial support. Readiness varies significantly among countries, and within countries across several dimensions.

To accelerate progress, the study calls for stronger, harmonised data systems, coherent policy frameworks, and improved institutional coordination, underpinned by clear national circular economy roadmaps. Inclusive Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems that integrate informal workers are identified as a key driver of impact. The study also highlights Regional Economic Communities as essential actors for policy alignment, regional coordination, and shared data systems, with support tailored to countries’ differing maturity levels.

To translate these findings into accessible, decision-oriented tools for policymakers and stakeholders, two Factsheets were developed. The first presents a circular economy maturity assessment of the 13 ESA countries across five dimensions: policy frameworks; institutions and stakeholders; material flows, data and monitoring; infrastructure, investment and business models; and labour markets. The second Factsheet identifies critical gaps and outlines policy-level recommendations to accelerate the circular economy transition, with a focus on plastic packaging and e-waste.

Click the link below to access the Factsheets.