Environmental quality and economic growth: Searching for environmental Kuznets curves for air and water pollutants in Africa

• The specific objective was to establish whether the relationships conform to the inverted U‐shape hypothesis. • Evidence suggests the existence of an environmental Kuznets curve for suspended particulate matter. • The turning point levels of income established for the two indicators were however generally low. • We conclude that African countries may be turning the corner of the environmental Kuznets curve, much faster, and at lower levels of income.