Our History
From the founding team's early work in East African infrastructure to a bankable $800M+ PPP — the story of how Dar Eco Circular came to be.
The Problem We Set Out to Solve
Dar es Salaam generates over 4,600 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. Less than 40% is formally collected. What is collected largely ends up at the Pugu Kinyamwezi dumpsite — an open, unlined facility that poisons groundwater, generates uncontrolled methane, and has long exceeded its design capacity.
The founding team saw this not as a problem to manage, but as a resource to unlock. The question was not "how do we handle more waste?" — it was "how do we build a system that turns waste into energy, jobs, and a cleaner city, and structures it in a way that DFIs and governments can finance and sustain?"
Timeline
Foundations Built
The founding team accumulates over 15 years of combined experience across waste management, renewable energy infrastructure, and circular economy project development in East and Southern Africa. Key relationships are formed with technology suppliers, DFIs, and African municipal authorities.
Consortium Formation
Viability Gap Plc (Kenya), N-Gas Ltd (Tanzania), and GEFCO Invest (Norway) come together formally — combining bankable infrastructure development expertise, deep Tanzania market knowledge, and Nordic clean-tech leadership. The consortium is structured for DFI bankability from day one.
Project Inception & Site Work
Dar Eco Circular Ltd is incorporated as the project SPV. Structured development begins: site identification across five municipalities, technology shortlisting, PPP framework analysis under Cap 103 R.E. 2018, and first engagement with the Dar es Salaam Local Government Authority.
Technical Development & Pre-Feasibility
Pre-feasibility studies, environmental scoping surveys, technology partner selection (German MBT, WtE thermal recovery), and formal engagement with all five Municipal Councils. First site assessments in Kinondoni submitted. Municipal engagement escalated to Councillor level.
DFI Engagement & IM Preparation
Active engagement with African Development Finance Institutions (AFC, AfDB), European Export Credit Agencies, and climate finance facilities (GCF, GEF). Information Memorandum preparation and bankable financial model development across all four SPVs. Concession framework discussions advanced with DLGA.
Financial Close & Construction Start
Targeting financial close in 2026 with construction commencement immediately thereafter. Phased commissioning begins in 2027 — starting with the Waste Transfer Network and ACoD facilities, which anchor revenue and DSCR for the senior debt tranche.