Africa Circular is an independent, non-profit organisation and pan-African network for circular economy policy, research, partnerships and implementation. We connect organisations with African experts, develop practical projects and support the full journey from first idea to delivery. Our mission is to accelerate Africa's shift toward a just, inclusive and locally driven circular economy.
Founded in 2021 by the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), together with Trinomics, one of the leading international policy consultancies in environment, energy and climate — and working independently since 2025 with an African structure of regional coordinators and approved national focal points.
ACEN and Trinomics join forces to create a non-profit organisation dedicated to developing the circular economy in Africa through local expertise. It started under the name of ACEN Foundation.
Roadmaps, action plans and market studies delivered in Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and beyond — with partners including the AU, GIZ, UNIDO and the EU. This work continues today.
Since around 2025, Africa Circular has expanded its role across the whole process: connecting organisations, governments, funders and African experts; shaping ideas and policy; building partnerships; developing fundable projects; coordinating delivery; supporting implementation; and sharing what works. This work is ongoing.
A secure, bilingual home that connects people and organisations through expert profiles, opportunities, projects, shared work and evidence, at africacircular.online.
There is a huge need to develop a pool of qualified, capacitated local experts who can lead the circular economy transition at local, national and international level — across policy, business, industry and academia.
Committed, qualified people are already active in all these fields. What's missing is scale and coordination. We identify and capacitate experts on the ground through networking and targeted training, and build capacity in governments to enable decision-making in favour of circularity, climate action and sustainable development.
A strong, diverse, multi-disciplinary community of circular economy experts in Africa — able to cover every relevant sector, engage every stakeholder group, and back it with accessible training: general CE understanding, sector-specific knowledge, and the strategic capacity for governance and financing.
Improved technical and social skills among established and emerging practitioners and governments — local, national, regional and continental.
A pro-active approach to generating projects where they matter most:
Competing for the work that moves the transition — mostly launched by international institutions: