A successful transition to the circular plastics economy (CPE) demands systemic changes that will require innovation at all levels. Despite significant innovative efforts to drive the circular plastics economy in Africa, most of this is disjointed with no unified approach. This paper uses the sectoral systems of innovation framework to examine the actors and networks, knowledge and technological domains, and institutions and their roles for the circular plastic economy in Africa. This provides a practical understanding of the systematic interactions among a wide variety of actors to drive progress, activities, and the generation of knowledge relevant to innovation for the circular plastic economy. The Sectoral Systems of Innovation (SSI) framework has demonstrated efficacy in the appreciation of industrial dynamics of various sectors, making it an ideal tool for analysing the plastics value network within Africa to expedite a positive and seamless shift from current linear plastics lock-ins towards a digitally enhanced circular plastics economy within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Hence, this study employs a systemic approach by adapting the core features of the SSI framework to the circular plastics value chain within SSA with a view to propose a strategy for establishing synergies and optimising collaboration between these identified CPE players.