According to Mordor Intelligence, the African packaging market could reach a CAGR of 8.4% from (2021 – 2026). Demand is coming from Africa’s food and beverage market that could reach US$ 1 trillion by 2030, according to the 2020 Jumia Food Index Report, which says Nairobi led in volumes of food delivery, followed by Lagos, and Kampala came in third. Coupled with the single-use plastic ban, it presents an opportunity to set up manufacturing facilities for recyclable/renewable, corrugated, lightweight, and thermal paper-based packaging to address consumer safety concerns, support sales & marketing teams, and fight climate change.
The PROPAPER Africa 2022 Expo, whose strategic partners are the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNNCI), brings together over 100 exhibitors to highlight new opportunities across 15 countries and position Kenya as Eastern Africa’s manufacturing hub for environmentally friendly paper, tissue, and packaging materials.
Jeen Joshua, Managing Director, VERIFAIR Dubai, says, “The Expo is a great opportunity for the Kenya government and private entrepreneurs to engage these CEOs for foreign direct investment, joint ventures, sourcing partners, buyers, and technology transfer/solution providers. Each Ksh.60Billion capital investment for a next-generation paper mill can create a minimum of 3,000 direct jobs.”
According to Green Peace, before the 2017 ban, Kenya’s plastic industry distributed approximately 100 million plastic shopping bags every month to supermarkets, which contributed immensely to the pollution of land and water sources. The same Green Peace report says at least 34 African countries have come up with bans barring the production and use of single-use plastic bags and materials. These include strategic trade partners to Kenya – Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The gazettement of the education reform task force to review the competency-based curriculum, technical and university education will mean the introduction of new textbooks and learning materials for teachers and students. At the same time, an estimated 3.1 million people (20% of the population in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) region) are suffering from acute food insecurity due to climate change.
Kenya can meet local and regional demand by supporting the pulp and paper industry to invest in new technology that increases the proportion of recycled components in paper, recyclable/renewable paper bags, corrugated boxes, and lightweight and thermal paper-based packaging.
Mr Joshua ended, “Our event aligns with world leaders’ circular economy strategy of recycling, reusing, and going green. Ahead of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, it is an opportunity for the Government of Kenya and Kenyan businesses to support manufacturing and tackle climate change.”
The PROPAPER Africa 2022 Expo runs from 5-7 October 2022 at the Sarit Expo Centre, Nairobi.
