Cameroon is setting its sights on a transformative journey to reshape its waste management landscape, with a bold financial commitment that could redefine how the nation handles its growing refuse. By 2030, the government aims to allocate the equivalent of 2% of the national budget to circular economy initiatives, a strategic move outlined in the country’s 2025-2035 National Roadmap for the Circular Economy. This roadmap, crafted by the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Territorial Development, serves as the blueprint for sustainable resource management and waste valorization across Cameroon.

According to the roadmap, circular economy expenditures are projected to reach 62.8 billion CFA francs in 2025, with an additional 30 billion CFA francs allocated annually for waste management. Combined, these figures represent 1.27% of the national budget—a figure the government intends to increase incrementally until it reaches the 2% target by 2030. This ambitious leap would require an additional investment of over 53 billion CFA francs, based on the 2025 budget projections.

A mounting waste crisis demands urgent action

The push for greater investment in circular economy initiatives stems from the glaring inadequacies of Cameroon’s current waste management system. The country generates approximately 6 million tonnes of waste annually, primarily from households, markets, public services, and businesses. Yet, despite this staggering volume, the system remains heavily skewed toward collection, with minimal capacity for processing and recycling.

The National Roadmap for the Circular Economy 2025-2035 highlights critical gaps: the average waste collection rate hovers around 50%, while recycling rates languish below 10%. In major urban centers like Yaoundé and Douala, annual waste production is projected to exceed 2.8 million tonnes by 2040, further straining already overburdened infrastructure.

The roadmap underscores systemic challenges, including the absence of source separation, limited waste valorization, inadequate collection and treatment facilities, a scarcity of reliable data, and constrained institutional capacities. Plastic pollution stands out as a particularly pressing concern. Every day, nearly 1,300 tonnes of plastic waste are discarded into the environment, yet only 250 tonnes are collected monthly—and a mere 180 tonnes are recycled. The scale of this challenge underscores the urgent need for a paradigm shift.

Institutional reforms and infrastructure upgrades to drive change

To address these pressing issues, authorities are rolling out a series of institutional reforms and infrastructure investments designed to strengthen the entire waste management chain. Key measures include the adoption of a Prime Ministerial decree embedding circular economy principles into value chains, a review of environmental legislation, and the reinforcement of regulatory bodies. The roadmap also calls for a clearer delineation of responsibilities between sectoral administrations and decentralized local authorities, with the potential establishment of a National Waste Management Agency to streamline operations.

On the infrastructure front, the plan envisions the construction or modernization of sorting centers, transfer stations, and sanitary landfills that meet international standards. Additionally, the roadmap emphasizes the deployment of biodigesters and composting units to harness the potential of organic waste. Community-based recycling incentives, public awareness campaigns on source separation, and measures to combat illegal dumping are also prioritized. The document further stresses the importance of training and innovation in recycling industries to foster a skilled workforce.

A blended financing model for sustainability

The financial strategy for these initiatives is designed to be as dynamic as the circular economy itself, drawing from both public and private resources. The roadmap proposes enhancing municipal fiscal policies related to waste, implementing an extended producer responsibility system to fund collection and recycling through eco-contributions, and scaling up the National Waste Exchange platform, which is already operational.

This digital marketplace is poised to play a pivotal role by facilitating transactions for recyclable materials, attracting private sector investment, and fostering the growth of a vibrant market for waste valorization. International partners are also identified as key contributors, with potential funding from institutions such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Circular Economy Facility, the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and various United Nations agencies.