Empowering Change from the Ground Up: Women’s Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa’s Informal Sector

Authors

Rita Abban
Esi A. Elliot, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2026

Abstract

Women’s entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a critical driver of socio-economic development, within the informal sector where women enterprises are concentrated. Despite substantial contributions, structural and institutional barriers impede the formalization of these businesses, curbing their economic impact. This study examines how women entrepreneurs in Ghana and SSA navigate informal practices to achieve economic mobility. Employing a systematic literature review - PRISMA framework, the research synthesizes key themes including entrepreneurial capacity, sustainability, intellectual property, and institutional support. A comparative lens incorporating Rwanda and South Africa reveals Ghana’s high rate of female entrepreneurship, predominance of informal trade, and socio-cultural dynamics that shape entrepreneurial trajectories. The study advances discourse on informal entrepreneurship by highlighting its necessity-driven nature and underscoring the pivotal role of policy environments in facilitating formalization. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to strengthen support systems and promote inclusive economic growth across the region.

Comments

©2026 Rita Abban. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Recommended Citation

Abban, R. and Elliot, E.A. (2026) “Empowering Change from the Ground Up: Women’s Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa’s Informal Sector,” Journal of Economics & Management Research, 7(1), pp. 2–11. https://doi.org/10.47363/JESMR/2026(7)319

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Page

2

Last Page

11

Publication Title

Journal of Economics & Management Research

DOI

10.47363/JESMR/2026(7)319