Urgent policy action is needed to tackle the growing challenge of electronic waste in Africa, experts warn.

At the 7th East African Communication Organization Regional Conference on Sustainable E-Waste Management, they painted a grim picture of e-waste in Africa, citing global statistics that showed the continent lags behind in e-waste management.

The three-day event, held last week in Kenya's capital Nairobi, brought together more than 100 participants, including senior government officials, regulators and industry representatives.

Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of the Kenya Information and Communications Technology Authority, said Africa generates nearly 5 million metric tons of e-waste annually but has a very low recycling capability. This disparity needs to be urgently addressed, he said.

Tackling the e-waste crisis in Africa will not only reverse the environmental damage caused, but is also expected to enhance job creation and resource recovery from e-waste, he said.

"Improperly managed e-waste poses significant environmental risks, including soil, water and air pollution, as well as the release of toxic substances that can harm human health and ecosystems. However, e-waste is not just an environmental issue. It is an economic opportunity and a shared responsibility."

While calling for a concerted regional effort to tackle e-waste, Burundi's permanent secretary in the ministry of environment, agriculture and livestock, Emmanuel Ndorimana, said the transboundary nature of e-waste necessitates that African countries align their national policies with international best practices to ensure effective management.

Citing the reference tool Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 by the UN Institute for Training and Research, William Kabogo, Kenya's cabinet secretary for information, communications, and the digital economy, said only 1 percent of e-waste in Africa is formally collected and recycled.

"The statistics are staggering. The fact that Africa has the lowest documented e-waste recycling rate globally should alarm us all," he said.

However, Kabogo noted that while Africa generates less e-waste per capita compared with other regions, more than 60 percent of it comes from imports fueled by the skyrocketing penetration of mobile phones and the increase in the sale of electronic goods.

"There is a need for urgent policy action to address the growing e-waste crisis in Africa. The rapid pace of technological advancement, coupled with the high demand for modern information and communications technology products, has led to billions of tons of e-waste globally, with Africa bearing the brunt of improper disposal," Kabogo said.

Data from the Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 indicate that global organized crime groups have been smuggling e-waste into Africa, with one such group caught trying to smuggle more than 5 million kilograms of e-waste from the Spanish Canary Islands to Ghana, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal in 2023.

In 2020, Spanish authorities intercepted a network responsible for shipping 2.5 billion kg of material to African countries, including 750,000 kg of falsely certified e-waste.