Jospong Group Champions African Circular Economy
…Vows ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’
By Patience Ikpeme
Ghana’s Jospong Group of Companies is positioning itself as one of Africa’s strongest advocates for a circular economy, transforming urban garbage into economic opportunity across the continent.
What began as a local solution to Ghana’s growing waste crisis has expanded into a continental model that cleans cities, creates jobs, and generates wealth from materials once considered worthless.
Founder and Chief Executive, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, said the Group’s mission is rooted in the belief that waste should be treated as a valuable asset that can drive industrialization and prosperity.
“We built this company on the idea that waste is not a nuisance to be discarded but a resource to be harnessed. Every plastic bottle, food residue, or electronic component has economic value if handled properly,” Dr. Agyepong stated.
As African cities face mounting environmental challenges, Jospong has built a comprehensive system that treats waste management as a full value chain—from collection to recycling and re-use.
The Group’s flagship company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, operates with a vast fleet and thousands of sanitation workers across all 16 regions of Ghana, ensuring waste is converted into raw materials for new industries.
Dr. Agyepong confirmed the Group’s philosophy: “Our philosophy is simple: to turn a problem into an opportunity. By integrating technology and manpower, we are not just cleaning up our environment—we are building a sustainable economy that benefits everyone.”
At the core of Jospong’s operations are its Integrated Waste Treatment and Recycling Plants. These facilities are redefining waste management by transforming different waste streams.
For instance, Medical Waste facilities use microwave technology to safely destroy infectious materials, protecting healthcare workers and communities from contamination. Additionally, Plastics recycling plants convert used plastics into raw materials like flakes and pellets, which are reintroduced into the production process for manufacturing new goods.
Furthermore, Organic Waste Composting Units transform agricultural and food residue into nutrient-rich compost that supports farmers and reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers. Finally, E-Waste recycling facilities safely dismantle outdated electronics, recovering precious metals while preventing hazardous toxins from polluting the environment.
Dr. Agyepong explained that the success of these facilities depends on human capital as much as on innovation. “Technology alone cannot deliver sustainability. That’s why we built our own academy to train young Africans—engineers, technicians, and entrepreneurs—who will lead this revolution long after us,” he said.
The Group’s success is attributed to strong collaboration with the Government of Ghana and municipal authorities through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). The Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP) is a notable achievement that marked a shift from traditional waste dumping to modern resource recovery.
“ACARP was not just an infrastructure project; it was a mindset shift,” Dr. Agyepong explained. “It showed that African countries can manage waste responsibly while creating jobs and reducing imports of raw materials.”
This successful model has led to pan-African expansion, with the Group now operating in several other countries, including Angola, Liberia, and Guinea. These operations have created tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs across Africa, providing steady employment to sanitation workers, truck drivers, and technicians while strengthening local manufacturing with affordable recycled materials.
“Every job created through waste management is a job that supports a family and builds dignity,” Dr. Agyepong said. “We’re proving that environmental work can be profitable, professional, and socially transformative.”
Jospong’s long-term goal is to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill across Africa. The Group envisions a future where waste is fully recycled and reused, eliminating the need for landfills entirely.
“Our dream is an Africa where nothing goes to waste—where recycling and recovery are so advanced that landfills become obsolete,” Dr. Agyepong concluded. “Jospong is more than a company—it’s a movement. We are proving that Africa’s green revolution does not have to be imported. It is being built here, by Africans, for Africans.”
