Development advisor Access secures majority stake in Rwanda Compost, which holds a lucrative concession to process Kigali’s municipal waste
Access Infra Africa, managed by the Dubai-based development and advisory firm Access, has reached an agreement to acquire 70% of Rwanda Compost Limited (RCL), after the company secured a lucrative deal with Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture to process waste in the capital.
RCL secured a 25-year concession to process solid waste into agricultural-grade compost at an eight-hectare site located alongside the Nduba Dumpsite in the Gasabo District of Kigali, according to Rwanda’s The New Times, in the first municipal facility of its type in East Africa. This project not only introduces sustainable waste management, but also far-reaching economic benefits for the agricultural sector of Rwanda.
Reda El Chaar, MD of Access, said the acquisition of the 70% stake had been agreed in light of his company’s firm belief in the socio-economic feasibility of the project, and in Rwanda as one of the most attractive investment destinations in sub-Saharan Africa.
He stated: “This project will not only introduce a sustainable mechanism for managing solid waste in one of the most densely populated countries, but will also have far-reaching economic benefits for the agricultural sector of Rwanda.”
Kigali currently produces roughly 350 tonnes of municipal waste daily, equivalent to 127,750 tonnes annually, and while the city’s ongoing reliance on landfills to dispose of municipal waste lacks sustainability; its conversion to organic fertiliser represents a win-win scenario. Related article Bridging UAE liquidity to Africa’s powerhouse economy
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Nikesh Patel, founder of RCL and the project’s initiator, added: “The interest and involvement of Access Infra Africa in this project validates my long held belief that Rwanda is a viable investment destination.”
Access and RCL will now set about completing the techno-commercial studies, finalising the enabling contractual framework and seeking non-recourse project finance for the Nduba project, as well as the feasibility of including a combustion or biogas power generation plant.
Tony Nsanganira, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture expressed confidence in the project, alongside Kigali’ Mayor Fidele Ndayisaba, who commented: “We look forward to seeing its added value to our city’s cleanliness and agricultural productivity in Rwanda.”
This project not only introduces sustainable waste management, but also far-reaching economic benefits for the agricultural sector of Rwanda.