TITLE:
Analysis of Sustainable Solid Waste Treatment/Management Approaches for Africa: Towards Integrated Sustainable Solid Waste Management
AUTHORS:
Kofi Sekyere Boateng
KEYWORDS:
Solid Waste Management, Africa, Scoping Review, ISWM, Waste-to-Energy, Informal Sector, Circular Economy
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
16,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Sustainable solid waste management (SWM) is a pressing environmental and public health challenge across Africa, driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, and changing consumption patterns. Many systems remain inefficient, with significant implications for environmental sustainability and human well-being. Objective: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of sustainable solid waste treatment and management approaches across Africa, aiming to identify key trends, gaps, and opportunities while advancing an integrated framework for sustainable SWM. Methods: A systematic scoping review guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework was conducted. Literature published between 2010 and 2025 was retrieved from multiple academic databases and grey literature sources. From 7983 identified records, 490 studies from 46 African countries met the inclusion criteria following rigorous screening and eligibility assessment. Results: SWM systems across Africa are characterized by low collection coverage, ranging from below 40% in informal settlements to above 70% in formal urban areas, heavy reliance on open dumping and unengineered landfills, and limited adoption of advanced treatment technologies. Organic waste constitutes 45% - 70% of municipal solid waste, presenting significant opportunities for composting and anaerobic digestion. However, system performance is constrained by weak governance, inadequate financing, poor infrastructure, and limited technical capacity. Marked spatial disparities exist, with urban areas receiving greater research and implementation attention than rural and peri-urban settings. Conclusion: The study highlights critical gaps across the waste management value chain while identifying opportunities for improvement through policy reform, sustainable financing, technological innovation, and stakeholder integration. It proposes an integrated SWM framework emphasizing enabling environments, value chain efficiency, and inclusive governance to support Africa’s transition toward circular and sustainable waste management systems.