As African power systems still heavily rely on fossil fuels, waste-to-energy is emerging as a credible path to diversification, attracting a growing number of investors.

In Africa, where fossil fuels still dominate power systems, biogas and waste-to-energy solutions are emerging as local alternatives to address both energy and pollution challenges. While still a small part of the energy mix, this sector's potential is becoming strategically important given the continent's climate and financial constraints.

On Wednesday, August 27, the Norwegian investment fund Norfund announced an investment in Green Create, in partnership with South African fund Infra Impact. Green Create operates three anaerobic digestion facilities in South Africa and Mauritius that convert agro-industrial effluents and organic waste into biogas, electricity, heat, reusable water, and fertilizers.

For a country like South Africa, which remains heavily reliant on coal, biogas offers a local, renewable alternative that can provide decarbonized industrial energy while reducing the burden on public waste and wastewater treatment infrastructure.

This trend is not limited to Southern Africa. In Sierra Leone, Climate Fund Managers and Infinitum Energy Group partnered in March 2025 to develop a 30 MW waste-to-energy plant in Freetown. With an initial $3.1 million in funding through the Climate Investor Two fund, the project is designed to process 365,000 tons of municipal waste annually, generating 236.5 GWh of renewable electricity. The power will be delivered to the national grid under a 25-year purchase agreement with the state-owned utility EDSA.

These two models—agro-industrial biogas and municipal waste-to-energy—show the sector's versatility. Both create circular value from waste streams, producing not only energy but also clean water and organic fertilizers. While these solutions will not replace thermal power plants in the short term, they are proving to be a pragmatic and scalable approach.

According to the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), municipal waste generation in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to triple by 2050, reaching 516 million tons. Ignoring this resource would mean overlooking a viable solution that can reduce energy dependence, support agriculture, and improve climate resilience.

Abdoullah Diop