Profit-making idea: Garbage disposal could be the next big thing in Africa

Profit-making idea is a series of short posts, each with a piece of information that we think you might find useful: for investment, for growing your company or to start a new business. Read our previous posts here.

How We Made It In Africa asked Hasnain Noorani, the Group CEO of the Pride Group, a Kenyan-company involved in the hospitality, transport, travel and energy industries, to identify one untapped business opportunity in Africa. Here was his response:

“One of the biggest challenges that Africa is facing at the moment is hygiene and cleanliness, perhaps because of widespread poverty. Hygiene has become an issue that needs to be tackled. The amount of garbage that is collected on a day-to-day basis in Africa is huge.

“But disposal of all that waste is something that has been a problem in Africa, especially with the usage of plastics, which don’t decompose over time and create litter.

“One of the opportunities, which, I believe, is untapped and has huge potential, is coming up with a cheaper solution of trying to see how garbage can be disposed of not only on a small-business level but perhaps also at the city level. This may involve coming up with equipment that can take in all that garbage and using it to produce a renewable energy source.”