Chad, a Sahelian nation often associated with climate and humanitarian emergencies, is now joining Africa’s circular economy movement. Backed by the African Development Bank's Circular Economy Facility (ACEF) (www.AfDB.org), the country has just adopted a national roadmap for the circular economy.  

Through this plan, which is rooted in the “Vision 2030” national development plan, Chad is not just recycling; it is rethinking growth. For years, informal collectors in N'Djamena have asked a familiar question: “Do you have any bottles?” The collectors gather and resell reusable waste at low prices, unwittingly perpetuating a circular economy model driven by necessity. Today, this popular practice is being scaled up, structured, and integrated into national policy, with the official publication, on 9 July 2025, of the Roadmap for the Circular Economy 2025–2035. The document promotes practices that have been largely overlooked and places them within a structured framework with governance, financing, and quantified targets. 

“This initiative is not a luxury, but rather a vital necessity for the future of Chad,” said Hassan Bakhit Djamous, Chad's Minister for the Environment. “It’s about conserving our natural resources, fighting pollution, creating sustainable jobs, and supporting local innovation. It also offers us a path to diversify an economy still heavily reliant on oil.” 

In a country where more than 3.7 million people face food insecurity, post-harvest losses exceed 200,000 tons per year, and fewer than 12 per cent of citizens have access to electricity, the roadmap offers tangible solutions: turning agricultural losses into compost, producing biogas from animal waste, and reusing wastewater for irrigation.  

Chad’s strategy is part of a broader regional push supported by the ACEF, in partnership with the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA). Supported by three pillars – strengthening policy frameworks, supporting circular entrepreneurship, and consolidating continental cooperation – ACEF's actions enable countries to anchor the circular economy as a structural lever for green and inclusive growth. Alongside Chad, countries like Benin, Cameroon, and Ethiopia are implementing their own circular economy roadmaps under the National Circular Economy Roadmaps (NCER) initiative, adapted to national priorities. 

The Chadian plan outlines bold targets: reducing non-recycled waste by 40 per cent by 2035, creating more than 25,000 green jobs, and raising access to electricity to meet the African median through biomass and organic waste recovery, among other circular solutions. 

Six priority sectors anchor the plan: agri-food, waste, plastics, construction, water, and energy. These are further broken down into 30 targeted initiatives, including the development of “circular farms” modeled on Benin’s Songhai Center, the integration of sustainable materials into construction standards, and the establishment of youth-led plastic recycling ventures. 

In N'Djamena, one such venture – Karo, founded by Ghislain Bindah Dingaotabet, is already bringing the roadmap to life. The company collects more than seven tons of plastic waste annually and has recycled 15 tons into eco-friendly bricks. Karo is also piloting biogas production from plant and animal waste in rural areas.  

“We are a team of innovative and committed young people, ready to put our energy at the disposal of the country,” said Dingaotabet. “We just need to be given the means to turn our ideas into reality.” 

Driven by a new generation of entrepreneurs, NGOs, and public institutions, this circular transition is now supported by strong governance. Two national workshops have helped structure the process, and a specialised technical committee is steering implementation alongside technical and financial partners. 

Through its roadmap, Chad is transforming its vulnerabilities into levers for action. It is leveraging circularity as a tool for sovereignty and a path towards a future grounded in African realities.