Why Making Electronics Easier to Repair Could Cut Kenya’s Growing E-Waste Problem

Kenya’s growing appetite for smartphones, televisions, computers and household appliances is creating a problem that receives far less attention than the country’s digital transformation: what happens when these products stop working?

According to data from the National Environment Management Authority, Kenya generates an estimated 51,300 metric tonnes of electronic waste annually, yet only a small fraction is formally recycled. The rest ends up in informal recycling networks, dumpsites or households, where old and broken electronics can remain for years before eventually being discarded.

Some are dismantled using unsafe methods, including open-air burning to recover valuable materials such as copper. This can release hazardous substances, including lead, mercury and cadmium, into the environment, posing risks to soil, water and public health.

As Kenya accelerates its transition into a more digital economy, the challenge of electronic waste will only become bigger. More households are buying televisions, refrigerators, smartphones and other electronic devices, while businesses are replacing computers and equipment at a faster pace.

The question is whether every appliance that develops a fault should automatically be replaced.

In many cases, the answer is no.

A significant proportion of electronic products are discarded not because they have reached the end of their useful life, but because repairing them is too expensive, inconvenient or difficult. Consumers may not know where to find qualified technicians, may lack access to genuine spare parts or may conclude that buying a new product is easier than fixing an old one.

This is where the growing global conversation around the “right to repair” becomes important.

The principle is simple: consumers should have a reasonable opportunity to repair the products they own and keep them in use for longer. That requires access to qualified technicians, reliable diagnostic services and genuine spare parts.

For Kenya, however, the right to repair is not simply a consumer rights issue. It is increasingly becoming an environmental and economic issue.

Extending the life of a television, refrigerator, washing machine or other electronic appliance by even a few years can delay its entry into the waste stream. It can also help households get more value from products that often require significant financial investment.

Manufacturers therefore have an important role to play beyond selling products. As electronic waste grows, companies will increasingly be judged not only by the quality of what they sell but also by how easily customers can maintain and repair those products.

This is where stronger after-sales services could make a difference.

LG Electronics, for instance, has been investing in its after-sales infrastructure in Kenya, focusing on repair services, genuine spare parts and access to trained technicians. The company recently concluded its LG Mtaani Care Football Season Campaign, which sought to bring repair services closer to customers while reducing some of the costs associated with maintaining electronic appliances.

Consumers participating in the campaign received free diagnostics, waived service fees and discounts on selected genuine spare parts, as well as offers on TV remote controls.

While such initiatives are often viewed primarily as customer service promotions, they also point to a larger issue: affordability is one of the biggest barriers to repair.

When the cost of fixing an appliance approaches the cost of buying a replacement, consumers will naturally choose the new product. The result is a cycle of premature replacement that increases demand for new goods while adding to the growing pile of discarded electronics.

Making repair services more accessible and affordable could help break that cycle.

Every television, refrigerator or other appliance restored to working condition is potentially one less item headed for a dumpsite. More importantly, extending the life of products reduces the pressure on households to replace expensive equipment before it is truly necessary.

LG Electronics East Africa President Donghun Lee says the company sees after-sales support as part of ensuring customers get longer-term value from their purchases.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we strive to ensure that the products we sell continue serving our customers for as long as possible,” Lee said.

“Providing access to quality repair services, genuine spare parts and skilled technicians is central to that commitment. It not only delivers greater value to consumers but also contributes to reducing electronic waste by extending the useful life of our products.”

The broader challenge, however, cannot be left to individual companies.

Kenya needs a stronger ecosystem for managing the full life cycle of electronic products. This includes manufacturers, retailers, repair technicians, recyclers, regulators and consumers.

Manufacturers should continue investing in accessible after-sales networks and ensure genuine spare parts are available at reasonable prices. Consumers, on the other hand, may need to move away from the assumption that a faulty product is automatically a disposable product.

Government and regulators also have a role in strengthening formal collection and recycling systems while encouraging the growth of a professional repair economy.

There is also an economic opportunity in getting this right. A well-developed repair and refurbishment industry can create jobs for technicians, support small businesses and reduce the amount of valuable material lost through unsafe disposal.

Kenya’s e-waste challenge is therefore not just about waste management. It is about changing the way products are designed, sold, used and eventually discarded.

The traditional “buy, use and throw away” model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain in a world where electronic consumption continues to rise.

Repair must become a more convenient and affordable alternative to replacement.

Initiatives such as LG’s Mtaani Care campaign show how manufacturers can play a role in making that shift possible. But for the impact to be significant, accessible repair services cannot remain occasional promotions.

They need to become a permanent part of how the electronics industry does business.

If Kenya is serious about building a circular economy, extending the life of the products already in homes and offices should be part of the solution. The cheapest and most sustainable electronic product may not always be the newest one on the shelf. Sometimes, it is the one that can still be repaired.