Discarded mobile phones, chargers, computers and household appliances are becoming an unlikely source of industrial wealth in Kenya, where the metals embedded in electronic waste were worth an estimated Sh6.2 billion to Sh6.5 billion in 2025.
The National E-waste Monitor 2026, published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), estimates that the metal content in the country’s electronic waste is worth the billions.
The findings point to a largely untapped source of industrial raw materials as Kenya grapples with rising volumes of discarded electronics and the environmental and health hazards associated with their improper disposal.
‘E-waste represents a significant resource opportunity. The estimated value of metal fractions in Kenya’s e-waste stream reached approximately Sh6.2 billion to Sh6.5 billion ($48 million-$50 million) in 2025, highlighting the economic value of materials embedded in e-waste,’ said KNBS.
‘When e-waste is not managed in an environmentally sound manner, hazardous substances contained in EEE such as mercury and lead, can contaminate the environment and pose risks to human health.’
The country generated an estimated 56,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2025, up from 7,900 tonnes in 2000, as obsolete electrical and electronic equipment accumulated in households, businesses, scrap markets and dumpsites.
Lodged in the growing pile of obsolete electronics lies a supply of iron, aluminium, steel, copper and other materials that could be recovered and returned to productive use.
The challenge is to turn that potential into a commercially viable industry. Much of the equipment reaching the end of its useful life is scattered across households, businesses, repair shops and scrap markets, beyond the reach of formal collection and recycling systems.
Some of the e-waste is stored indefinitely, while other equipment is discarded or dismantled under conditions that expose workers and surrounding communities to hazardous substances.
Recovering that value requires infrastructure, technology, labour and transport, all of which carry costs that determine whether particular materials can be recycled profitably.
KNBS and UNITAR project that Kenya could recover materials worth between Sh54.1 billion and Sh58.6 billion by 2040 if formal e-waste collection reaches 40 percent. The midpoint of the projected value is Sh56.3 billion.
Under a less ambitious scenario, in which formal collection rises to 25 percent by 2040, the value of metals collected between 2026 and 2040 could reach Sh30.8 billion to Sh33.4 billion, with a midpoint of Sh32.1 billion.
‘Between 2026 and 2040, under a scenario in which a 25 percent formal collection target is reached by 2040, the value of metal fractions collected could amount to Sh30.8 billion-Sh33.4 billion ($238- 257.8 million), with a midpoint of Sh32.1 billion ($248 million),’ the report reads.
‘Under the 40 percent scenario, the value of metal fractions collected could amount to Sh54.1 billion-Sh58.6 billion $417.6 – 452.5 million), with a midpoint of Sh56.3 billion ($435.0 million).’
Projections show the economic stakes in building a formal recycling industry capable of extracting valuable materials from discarded electronics and supplying them to manufacturers, potentially reducing reliance on newly mined raw materials.
However, this opportunity comes with a significant environmental cost if the waste is mishandled.
The report points to a growing volume of discarded electronics which presents a challenge for waste management authorities, as unsafe dismantling, open-air burning and improper disposal can expose workers and surrounding communities to hazardous substances.
Some electronic products contain lead, mercury, cadmium and other potentially harmful substances that can contaminate soil and water when waste is poorly managed.
Burning electronic components can also release toxic fumes linked to serious health risks, including damage to the nervous system and kidneys.
When some insulated cables are burnt to recover copper they release toxic fumes, while damaged lithium-ion batteries can cause fires and injuries.
Workers who dismantle electronics without appropriate protective equipment also risk cuts, burns and exposure to hazardous dust and chemicals.
The report notes that improved collection and environmentally sound recycling could recover valuable materials while creating jobs and supporting businesses across the electronics value chain.
Much of the discarded equipment passes through informal collectors and scrap dealers, while some is mixed with municipal waste or taken to disposal sites.
Informal operators recover reusable devices, components and metals, but unsafe processing and disposal practices can increase exposure to hazardous substances.
Metals recovered from discarded equipment can provide secondary raw materials for suitable industrial applications, potentially complementing supplies from mining and conventional metal processing.
Iron, steel and aluminium can feed into various manufacturing processes, while copper recovered from cables and electronic components has applications in electrical equipment and other products.
An organised recycling industry could support a network of businesses involved in collection, sorting, transportation, repair, dismantling and specialised processing.
It could also create an economic incentive to keep electronic products and their constituent materials in circulation for longer, rather than allowing them to accumulate in dumpsites.
Convenient collection points and reliable transport arrangements would help bring more equipment into organised systems.
Offices and public institutions also need clear channels for disposing of obsolete computers, printers and communication equipment.
Manufacturers, importers and retailers could contribute by helping establish systems for collecting products once they reach the end of their useful lives.
Recyclers, meanwhile, need a dependable supply of equipment to justify investment in specialised processing. The investment in recovery depends on scale, the composition of the waste and ability to separate several materials efficiently.
Some devices contain relatively small quantities of valuable metals, making individual collection expensive unless equipment can be aggregated in sufficient volumes.
‘Increasing investment in environmentally-sound e-waste management has the potential to generate substantial employment and support the development of a circular economy,’ the report read.
‘Research by Nema indicates that Kenya could unlock over Sh94.7 billion ($730 million) in against-baseline economic gains through circular economy interventions across 6 sectors including agri-food, plastics, construction, e-waste, and general waste.’
Despite the growing use and frequent replacement of digital devices, Kenya’s capacity to recycle electronic waste safely remains low.
Estimates from the ICT Authority suggest that less than five percent of the country’s e-waste is formally collected and processed through environmentally sound recycling systems, leaving most of it in the hands of informal waste handlers.
In response, the government has proposed restrictions on importing electronic equipment that is more than 12 years old, with exceptions for items intended for approved refurbishment facilities or museums.
Draft regulations published in November also propose classifying equipment as waste if it remains unused for more than a year, fails functionality tests or is considered too expensive to repair.
The proposed measures seek to bring Kenya’s management of electronic imports and waste closer to stricter international standards.
Rwanda, for instance, prohibited the importation of computers older than eight years and refrigerators older than 10 years in 2016.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the proportion of non-functional electronics entering the country subsequently fell from 45 per cent in 2015 to 18 per cent in 2020.