African cities convert degraded land into public infrastructure

Local authorities across Africa are reclaiming degraded land, restoring wetlands, and processing waste to create more resilient urban environments.

These initiatives aim to manage the environmental pressures of rapid population growth by turning ecological liabilities into community assets like parks and energy sources. In Kisii County, Kenya, the local government spent KSh 35 million to transform the Nyambera dumpsite into Etaya Governor’s Park. This move addresses health concerns and soil contamination identified by Kisii University researchers.

The county also established a materials recovery facility to process up to 50 tonnes of waste daily and a unit to convert organic waste into animal feed and fertilizer. Officials use the Kazi Mashinani programme to engage approximately 2,000 people monthly in maintaining public spaces and drainage. Rwanda is pursuing similar goals in Kigali through the Nyandungu Eco-Park, which restored 121.7 hectares of wetlands and forest. Rwanda’s environmental authorities state the park includes 17,000 trees of over 55 indigenous species.

The World Bank plans to develop five additional wetland parks in Kigali, backed by US$27 million in financing. These projects aim to create 7,500 jobs and prevent between US$45 million and US$90 million in flood damage by 2031. Other cities are adopting diverse strategies to manage waste and land. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, inaugurated a riverside development to provide public space and flood control while operating the Reppie plant to generate electricity from waste.

In Freetown, Sierra Leone, the TreeTown initiative uses digital tracking to monitor a goal of planting five million trees by 2030. Lagos, Nigeria, commissioned an organic-waste biodigester to produce electricity and fertilizer, while the Lagos Waste Management Authority reported an increase in electronic waste processing to 405 tonnes in 2025.