Africa

In this paper, Youth Business International (YBI) and Somo, YBI’s member organisation in Kenya, shine a light on the important role of informal businesses in sub-Saharan Africa and the barriers they face that prevent them from scaling up, with a particular focus on women-led informal businesses in Kenya. It includes recommendations for governments, financial institutions, and development agencies on ways to increase access to finance for informal businesses.

This is the first large-scale use of platform data in the region to inform the extent of women’s participation on e-commerce and how online platforms can benefit women business owners. Developed in partnership with the European Commission, with funding from the Umbrella Fund for Gender Equality and data from one of Africa’s largest platforms, Jumia, the report shows that closing earnings gaps between men and women on e-commerce platforms could add nearly $15 billion to the value of the African e-commerce market.

This Note explores the potential of jobtech platforms to address youth unemployment in South Africa. Harambee is a non-profit organization focused on youth employment solutions. Jobtech refers to technology platforms that connect job seekers with employers or facilitate freelance work.

This report showcases a successful pilot program in Ethiopia's Somali region that connected female entrepreneurs with a digital mentoring platform offering valuable resources. The program's key to success was a multi-faceted approach:traditional marketing to raise awareness, in-person support for initial platform navigation, a mobile-friendly low-bandwidth design for easy access, simplified registration to minimize barriers, and clear educational materials to empower women to leverage the platform's full potential. This demonstrates the feasibility of connecting female entrepreneurs in low-

This book talks about Africa's massive informal economy, the main source of jobs in the region, is expected to keep growing. Despite its established presence, challenges abound. Low productivity, limited resources, and vulnerability to shocks plague this sector. Informal workers, especially women, often lack access to social safety nets and financial tools. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed these vulnerabilities, prompting governments to utilize technology and innovation to deliver social protection programs and support economic recovery, particularly in urban areas.

This report is a product of a two-year engagement between the World Bank team and Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). It aims to overview the Ejo Heza scheme, a local term that translates to ‘a better future,’ not only holds the promise of income security at older ages but can also be a much-needed source for domestic resource mobilization in the country. The report highlight its key strengths, and provide recommendations to improve coverage, adequacy, operational efficiency, and long-run viability. 

This report presents an analysis of the implementation and results of the SWITCH Africa Green programme in the integrated waste management (IWM) sector focusing on the participating countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. It covers the strategic interventions in the waste sector notably municipal solid waste management, e-waste management, waste to energy (e.g. biogas production and briquette production), as well as industrial symbiosis (IS).

This publication explores the African fashion industry and an initiative by the African Development Bank to support it. The fashion industry is a major player in Africa, holding immense potential for job creation, particularly for women and young people. However, the industry also faces challenges such as limited access to funding and low production capacity. The African Development Bank's Fashionomics Africa program helps fashion businesses with training, investment, and finding new markets.

This report identifies the main trends and challenges that are shaping the fashion, textile, and fine crafts sector in Africa in order to provide evidence-based policy recommendations for sustainable growth.

High school students in Uganda are tackling plastic pollution with creativity and business savvy. Through the Asante Africa Foundation's program, they learned leadership and entrepreneurship skills. Now, they're using recycled plastic to create and sell artwork, transforming waste into income. Their "Together as One Initiative" aims not only to clean up their community but also to empower others through education and sustainable solutions.