Our History –Turning Dar es Salaam’s Waste Crisis into a Green Opportunity

In early 2024, the Dar es Salaam Local Government Authority (DLGA) faced a crossroads.
The city — home to over six million residents and one of Africa’s fastest-growing economic hubs — was generating more than 5,600 tonnes of solid waste every single day.

For years, the waste was collected sporadically, landfilled in outdated facilities, or illegally dumped, leading to:

• Clogged drains and urban flooding during the rainy season.

• Severe public health risks from uncollected waste and uncontrolled burning.

• Greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organic matter.

• Lost economic value as recyclable and recoverable materials were simply thrown away.

The DLGA realized this was not just an environmental problem — it was an urban development crisis threatening public health, economic competitiveness, and climate resilience.

They needed more than a short-term fix. They needed a bankable, future-proof, and fully integrated solution — one that could transform waste into a driver of green growth.

---

The Birth of a Transformational Partnership

Recognizing the need for both global expertise and local ownership, DLGA invited Viability Gap Plc to take the lead.

With a strong track record in solid waste infrastructure, circular economy investments, and climate-smart financing, Viability Gap Plc had delivered sustainable infrastructure projects in challenging contexts across Africa.

But they also knew that no single organization could deliver such an ambitious project alone.
So, in mid-2024, a strategic joint venture was formed:

---

A Public-Private Partnership with National Alignment

From day one, the partners agreed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) structure under Tanzania’s PPP Act, Cap 103 R.E. 2018 — ensuring full compliance and alignment with:

• The National Environmental Policy (NEP 2021).

• The National Solid Waste Management Strategy (NSWMS).

The DLGA and the five Municipal Councils — Temeke, Kinondoni, Ilala, Ubungo, and Kigamboni — were formally included as public stakeholders, ensuring the project’s benefits would be widely shared and community-led.

---

The Circular Economy Breakthrough

What emerged was more than a landfill replacement — it was a blueprint for a green industrial revolution in Dar es Salaam.

The Dar es Salaam Integrated Waste Facility (IWF) will combine:

• Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) to recover recyclables and produce industrial-grade refuse-derived fuel (RDF).

• Anaerobic Co-Digestion of organic waste, wastewater, and sludge to produce biogas and organic fertilizer.

• Waste-to-Energy Power Generation for the city grid and industrial customers.

Alongside this, an Eco-Industrial Park within the Kigamboni Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will provide:

• Green manufacturing space.

• SME incubation hubs for waste-to-product entrepreneurs.

• Facilities for research, training, and skills development.

---

Why This Matters

The project will:

• Cut landfill dependency by over 80%.

• Generate renewable power for thousands of households and businesses.

• Create over 5,000 green jobs, from engineers to recycling SMEs.

• Support local farmers with high-quality organic fertilizers.

• Stimulate a new green economy by supplying recycled materials to Tanzanian industries.

This is not just about waste management — it’s about reshaping the future of Dar es Salaam into a cleaner, healthier, and more economically vibrant city.

---

Our Journey – Visual Timeline