Kenya’s waste management sector holds immense economic potential, yet it remains largely underexploited due to complex regulatory frameworks and limited stakeholder collaboration. With a projected market opportunity of USD 54 billion, the sector can significantly contribute to the country’s green economy, job creation, and environmental sustainability. However, compliance has often been viewed as a burden rather than a facilitator in this sector thereby standing as a barrier for waste entrepreneurs in scaling up their busineesses.
Cognizant of this gap, the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) through the SWIFT Programme convened the Assisted Compliance Forum on Waste Management in Nairobi, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and Nairobi City County Government, among other key partners.
The forum brought together waste entrepreneurs, policymakers, regulators, and different ecosystem players to discuss practical ways of transforming compliance into an enabler of innovation and sectoral growth. While robust policies exist, their practical application often hinders waste sector entrepreneurs from scaling innovative climate solutions.
For years, compliance has been perceived as costly, restrictive, and time-consuming. These are just some of the reasons cited by small businesses who are yet to formalize their operations. The discussion at the forum challenged this narrative, highlighting the need to view compliance as a tool for sector-wide improvement rather than an obstacle. Geoffrey Mosiria, Chief Officer for Environment, Nairobi City County commended KCIC in its efforts towards innovative waste management. “One of the most pressing issues in Nairobi is illegal dumping. This can be addressed through innovative partnerships like the ones fostered by KCIC.” He emphasized the need to create an enabling environment for waste pickers, who play a crucial role in the sector yet remain largely unrecognized in the formal waste management structures.
The discussion further highlighted some of the key barriers faced by waste entrepreneurs, including double licensing, fragmented infrastructure, and inconsistent enforcement of regulations. Entrepreneurs in attendance shared their frustrations, with one Mwangi Syokau, noting, “There seems to be a disconnect between policymakers and implementers. I am a garbage collector and I think we need a more aligned approach to bridge this gap.”
To address these challenges, a number of critical recommendations were raised, targetting to streamline compliance. Research and data emerged as a priority, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for bankable data to drive informed decision-making and attract investment. Regulatory reviews were also highlighted with calls to replace the current multi-licensing system with a unified business permit thus reducing the burden on waste entrepreneurs.
Public-private collaboration was identified as a key driver for sector growth, shifting from the traditional adversarial relationship between regulators and businesses to a partnership model that fosters innovation. Economic incentives, such as tax breaks and subsidies, were also proposed to support early-stage waste enterprises and encourage compliance. The forum emphasized the need for a just transition, ensuring that informal waste workers are integrated into formal systems through training, social protection, and employment opportunities.
KCIC’s SWIFT program was cited as an example of how targeted interventions can bridge policy and practice. Through SWIFT, KCIC has been actively engaging waste entrepreneurs to help them navigate compliance, access funding, and scale sustainable solutions.
The forum concluded with a call to action, emphasizing the need to translate the discussions into actual impact. Felix Magaju, Director of Client Services at KCIC stressed on the need to turn recommendations from such platforms into action. “The next steps should focus on cultivating a working relationship with the county governments, particularly in outreach programs for schools and joint training sessions with stakeholders. This is how we create real change,” he remarked.
Echoing these sentiments, John Malawi, County Director for Environment, emphasized that assisted compliance should be viewed as an enabler of sector growth. “Compliance is not just about enforcement, when approached collaboratively, it becomes a pathway to long-term success for businesses,” he noted.
Mohamed Hajji, Director from Machakos County Government, pointed out that waste management challenges cut across sectors and regions and as such there is need to address them collectively across counties. “The issues we’ve discussed today are not isolated, they affect all of us. The only way forward is through joint ventures, shared resources, and capacity-building initiatives that bring both the public and private sectors to the table,” he stated.
With these commitments in place, the forum set the stage for a more structured and collaborative effort to create an enabling environment for waste management entrepreneurs in Nairobi, with a view of making compliance a driver of innovative waste entreprises rather than a barrier.
