$60m E-Waste Programme Includes Nine African Countries
By News

Nine African countries are among 16 nations in the first phase of a new USD 60 million programme to tackle electronic waste and build a more circular electronics sector. The Global Electronics Management (GEM) Program, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), was launched in Manila on 7 October 2026, according to announcements published by UNIDO on 14 October and the African Development Bank (AfDB) on 16 October. As mobile phones, computers and solar equipment spread rapidly across Africa, the programme puts e-waste management, repair and recycling on the development agenda in ways that could create new kinds of work.

What the programme involves

UNIDO leads GEM in partnership with the AfDB, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The African countries in phase one are Botswana, Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia and South Africa. The remaining seven are Cambodia, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Peru, the Philippines, Türkiye and Viet Nam.

According to the AfDB, the African participation runs through two regional projects: a Horn of Africa project covering Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia, implemented by the Bank, and a Southern Africa/SADC project covering Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, implemented by UNEP.

The programme is designed to support action across the whole electronics lifecycle. UNIDO describes this as running from cleaner production and longer product lifetimes to repair, reuse, recycling and responsible material recovery. The AfDB says GEM will also work to strengthen policies, regulations, financing and technology adoption so that circular electronics solutions become viable. UNIDO states that GEM aims to address environmental and health challenges while creating opportunities for businesses and communities. Neither announcement gives a programme duration or a breakdown of funding by country.

Why e-waste matters

Both announcements cite figures from the Global E-waste Monitor 2024: the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, of which only 22.3 per cent was documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner. Global e-waste generation is projected to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.

Discarded electronics contain valuable materials but also hazardous substances. When they are dumped, burned or dismantled without protection, they can harm workers and nearby communities. The GEF’s Director of Strategy and Operations, Claude Gascon, said the challenges “call for more than isolated interventions”, describing GEM as an integrated approach that treats hazardous chemicals, resource use and waste as interconnected problems.

For the AfDB, the programme links two priorities. Henriette Christensen, Senior ICT Specialist at the Bank, said GEM is an opportunity “to ensure that digital transformation and environmental sustainability advance together”, adding that the Horn of Africa initiative aims to strengthen policies, support market development and lay the foundation for future investment in circular electronics solutions “that generate jobs, recover valuable resources and support resilient digital economies”.

Smail Alhilali, Director of UNIDO’s Circular Economy and Green Industry Division, said the transition “requires systemic action that brings together countries, industry, finance, technology and knowledge”.

What it means for the sector and communities

For governments in the participating countries, the early work is likely to centre on policy and regulation, such as rules on collection and responsibility for end-of-life products, alongside building national capacity. For NGOs, community-based organisations and social enterprises, circular-economy programmes of this kind often open space for work on awareness, safe collection systems, repair and refurbishment, and the health and safety of people who already handle electronic waste. Civil society has a defined role in at least one GEM country: in the Philippines, UNIDO says an environmental NGO, the EcoWaste Coalition, is the executing partner for the national project.

The programme is modest in scale relative to the global problem, and its impact will depend on how national projects are designed and implemented. But it signals growing donor interest in linking digital inclusion, green industry and environmental health, an area where Africa’s fast-growing digital economies are likely to see more investment.

What this means for NGO job seekers

Green economy and circular-economy work is a growing niche within development. Professionals in the nine participating countries, and those interested in the wider field, may find opportunities in roles such as:

  • Environmental policy and regulatory advisers, especially those with experience in waste management or chemicals legislation.
  • Circular economy and green enterprise officers supporting small businesses, repairers and recyclers.
  • Environmental health and occupational safety specialists.
  • Monitoring, evaluation and data officers able to track waste flows and environmental outcomes.
  • Stakeholder engagement and communications staff working with government, the private sector and communities.

Practical advice: combine technical knowledge, such as environmental science, engineering or public health, with an understanding of policy processes and private-sector partnerships. Short courses in circular economy, waste management or chemicals management can strengthen an application. Follow vacancies in Ethiopia, South Africa and Mozambique, see other participating countries via NGO jobs by country, or search all roles on Browse Jobs. Our career resources offer tips for moving into a new technical field.

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