2022
Addressing inequalities and accelerating SDGs

AFAWA

African Development Bank
Africa
2022

Africa is a world leader when it comes to female entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneurs are the backbone of African economies, accounting for 58% of the continent’s self-employed population and making up a large part of micro, small and medium-sized businesses especially in agriculture, and food production, trade, tourism, care, fashion, and general services. Unfortunately, women business owners deal with barriers such as: -Challenges in accessing financial services partially due to their lack of collateral. Africa’s access to finance gap is estimated at $42 billion for women entrepreneurs. -Their high representation in the informal sector -Limited access to business education, skills and role models , -Discriminatory social norms and unconscious biases AFAWA works to reduce the access to finance gap for women entrepreneurs and unleash their entrepreneurial potential.