Dr. James Wakiru

Dr. James M. Wakiru is a mechanical/industrial engineer, scholar‑practitioner, editor, and innovation leader whose work advances Africa’s transition toward a Circular Economy. With over 19 years of industrial experience and a strong research portfolio, he has published extensively on remanufacturing, reuse, lubricant condition monitoring, and integrated maintenance strategies, including influential studies on extending asset life through remanufactured and 3D‑printed parts and data‑driven maintenance optimization. His research provides practical pathways for reducing waste, improving equipment longevity, and strengthening circular value chains across manufacturing and energy sectors.

As Director of the DeKUT Start‑up & Incubation Centre and the Centre for Industrial Productivity and Engineering, Dr. Wakiru mentors innovators and postgraduate researchers who are developing Circular Economy-based solutions, ranging from industrial symbiosis to waste‑to‑resource technologies. He has guided and supervised numerous MSc and PhD projects focused on sustainability, remanufacturing, and resource efficiency.

His work aligns strongly with the AWWS III theme by demonstrating how innovations and data‑driven maintenance, reuse systems, and circular innovation ecosystems can unlock scalable waste‑to‑wealth opportunities across Africa.