SUSTAINABLY SPEAKING AFRICA

What if we stopped seeing waste as rubbish and started seeing it as a resource?
In this episode of Sustainably Speaking Africa, host Mukami sits down with Benson Abila and Prima Fasi Mutua, co-founders of Mtaka, an African circular tech startup using digital innovation to transform waste management.
They discuss dignifying waste work, empowering waste-sector businesses, improving material recovery, and building a more inclusive circular economy in Africa.
How can technology help turn waste into opportunity?
Watch the full conversation and join the discussion
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What does circularity look like when it is engineered for Kenya’s realities?
In this episode, Nzambi Matee, founder of Gjenge Makers, brings her main-character energy and candid perspective to a conversation about circularity, local innovation and what it takes to build solutions that work for Kenya.
From turning waste plastic into paving products to challenging how we approach circularity, Nzambi shares her perspective on Kenya’s circular economy, the infrastructure gaps holding it back, and why locally developed solutions, skills and systems matte
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We sat down with Jeremy Beggi of Inkomoko for a conversation about African self-reliance, building local capacity, mobilising resources within the continent, and the role of values-aligned partnerships in driving sustainable change. 
Drawing on Inkomoko’s work, the discussion also explores how these ideas translate into practice when supporting displacement-affected communities.
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As a mother in rural eastern Kenya, Norah Magero experienced firsthand how hard it was to get vaccines and other heat-sensitive medicines when she needed them. That experience became the starting point for a much bigger question: how do you build a cold-chain solution that actually works for the realities of African communities?
In this episode of Sustainably Speaking Africa, Tobias Belle talks to Norah, co-founder and CEO of Drop Access, about the journey from identifying a real problem to building VacciBox, a portable, solar-powered cold-chain solution that gives rural clinics cold storage where there is none and keeps...

We sit down with Samwel Mwangi, founder of Plotus Innovation Company, who shares his journey from chicken farming and losing 52 out of 60 chicks to building STEM learning toys made from recycled plastic and wood for Kenyan children. He talks about scaling from zero units sold to over 3,000, the materials and manufacturing decisions behind his products, and the everyday challenges of running a climate-smart manufacturing business in Kenya. 
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We sit down with Emily Aman to explore the circular economy, climate finance and the challenges of building sustainable businesses. We discuss why early-stage circular startups struggle to access capital, how businesses can demonstrate real environmental and social impact, and why moving beyond greenwashing requires better data and accountability.
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We sat down with Nyatichi Maraga to explore what happens behind the scenes of climate entrepreneurship, from identifying an idea and building a viable business to becoming investment-ready, attracting capital, scaling solutions and ultimately creating measurable impact.
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In this conversation, recorded on the sidelines of Africa Exchange, Peter shares how his foundation is reshaping its approach to development, shifting from international intermediaries to local organizations on the ground. From 12% to 40% of funding redirected to local organizations. From aid dependency to locally-led solutions. From funder-as-expert to funder-as-equal partner.
But this isn't just about moving money. It's about rethinking power dynamics in philanthropy, building partnerships where funders approach grantees with humility, not expertise, and recognizing that foundations would not exist without civil society organizations to fund.
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We sit down with Moki Makura, Executive Director of African No Filter, to discuss what Africa must build for itself in a changing global landscape. From the end of aid dependency to the rise of intra-African trade, Moki challenges us to rethink how we talk about the continent and how we talk to each other. We explore why mindset matters more than money, why Africans must invest in knowing each other, and how climate solutions need to be rooted in African realities, not Western frameworks.
Most importantly, Moki reminds us that Africa isn't just waking up now, many are...

In this episode, we sit down with Kennedy Odede, CEO and Founder of SHOFCO, one of Kenya's largest community-led organizations, to talk about why Africa must stop waiting for outside solutions and start betting on itself.
From growing up in Kibera to building a network of nearly 4 million members across 35 counties in Kenya, Kennedy speaks candidly about mindset, locally-led development, the failure of aid dependency, and what it truly means to organize a community around its own power.
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In this episode, we explore why Africa's energy conversation must go beyond connections and infrastructure to focus on inclusion, productivity, jobs, and economic transformation.

The discussion challenges conventional narratives around energy transition, arguing that Africa's priority is not simply moving away from high-carbon systems, but ensuring that more people can access reliable, affordable, and modern energy.

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Connecting people to electricity is not enough. Emmanuel Aziebor, Senior Director, Africa at CLASP, explains why productive use, efficient appliances, and smarter financing are what truly move the needle on Africa’s energy future.
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Ndidi Nwuneli explores why Africa’s biggest opportunity lies in speaking with one voice, strengthening coordination across countries and institutions and building shared approaches to trade, leadership and development.
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On the sidelines of the AfricaXchange 2026, William Asiko sat down on the Sustainably Speaking Africa podcast and shared insights on Africa's development pathways.
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In this episode, we dive into the growing importance of the circular economy and what it truly takes for enterprises in this space to scale and achieve long-term impact.
We are joined by Christine Mbaabu, Programme Manager at Kenya Climate Innovation Center, an organisation playing a key role in supporting innovative green enterprises. We explore how circular economy businesses are being nurtured, the challenges they face in scaling, and the support systems that are helping them move from promising ideas to fully impactful, market-ready solutions.
From financing and capacity building to ecosystem support, this episode unpacks what it...

What if agricultural waste could solve a real-world problem?
Lennox shares his journey from idea to impact, highlighting the challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons learned while building EcoBana into a solution-driven enterprise. His story is a powerful example of how sustainability, entrepreneurship, and creativity can come together to solve everyday problems.
In this episode, we discuss:
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What does it take for a climate startup to secure investment in Africa?

In this episode of Sustainably Speaking Africa, we sit down with Caroline Chepkwony, Investor at Okavango Capital, to explore the growing landscape of climate finance and investment in Africa. Caroline shares valuable insights from an investor’s perspective , breaking down how decisions are made, what makes a startup stand out, and where the biggest opportunities lie within Africa’s climate innovation space.

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Not every career in sustainability starts with a clear path sometimes it begins with curiosity and grows into impact.
In this episode, Martha Wakoli shares her journey into sustainability and how CLASP is helping startups build solutions for a greener future. 
We also dive into the work that CLASP is doing globally to support clean energy access, strengthen sustainable technologies, and help innovative startups scale solutions that improve lives while protecting the planet.
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Africa’s green future won’t be imported  it will be built by African innovators and entrepreneurs. In this episode we sit down with Ernest Chitechi, Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications and  Moderation Lead at the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) and explore the role of innovation, entrepreneurship, and communication in shaping Africa’s green future. He breaks down how innovation, storytelling, and sustainability can drive real climate impact.
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Africa holds one of the biggest opportunities in the global carbon market but how do we unlock it?
In this episode, Joseph Wambugu, CEO of ECO Security, unpacks one of the most talked-about yet least understood climate opportunities on the continent , carbon markets. 
He breaks it down and explains why they’re Africa’s green gold.
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Joining the conversation is Joao Cunha, the Division Manager for Renewable Energy at the African Development Bank (AfDB). With over two decades of experience in Mozambique, Angola, and Kenya, Joao offers expert perspectives on the state of renewable energy and the complexities of climate financing.
The discussion unpacks the recent lifting of the logging ban in Kenya, explores the critical funding disparities between climate mitigation and adaptation, and highlights why financial innovation is urgent for the continent
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Why launch a sustainability podcast in Africa and why now? In this special episode, recorded live at the Sustainability Speaking Africa launch event, we open up the conversation on what inspired the podcast and the role it hopes to play in shaping more grounded, African-led sustainability dialogue.

Moderated by Tobias Belle, the panel brought together Umuliza M. Njiru, Arik Karani, and William Dekker for an honest exchange on innovation, collaboration, and why sustainability works best when local context, lived experience, and real conversations come first.

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In this episode of Sustainably Speaking Africa, we sit down with Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC), for an in-depth conversation on building resilient climate innovation ecosystems across Africa.
 
Bankole shares insights into Nigeria’s evolving climate innovation landscape and unpacks the pivotal role Climate Innovation Centers play in supporting entrepreneurs, unlocking climate finance, and scaling climate-smart solutions that respond to Africa’s unique development challenges.
 
From strengthening regional collaboration to enabling impactful, locally driven innovations, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it takes to accelerate Africa’s transition toward a...

In this episode, we are joined by CPA Joseph Murabula, CEO of the Kenya Climate Innovation Center, for an in-depth conversation on the evolving climate response in Africa. We explore the continent’s push for climate sovereignty — Africa’s ability to define, finance, and lead its own climate solutions — amid persistent funding gaps and unequal access to global climate finance. Joseph shares insights on the opportunities these challenges present, from unlocking local innovation to building a pan-African collaborative ecosystem that supports climate entrepreneurs, scales homegrown solutions, and positions Africa as a leader in the global climate transition.

For more inf...

Welcome to Sustainably Speaking Africa. A podcast about reshaping narratives around sustainability and climate action in Africa.

This podcast is brought to you by The Kenya Climate Innovation Center and is made at SemaBOX.

Join us for this and other episodes as we talk to industry leaders, Frontline communities and the innovators who are accelerating the progress towards a greener sustainable future.  


Welcome again to Sustainably Speaking and as always please like share and subscribe!