Contextualizing ecosystem frameworks: a systematic bibliometric analysis of entrepreneurship in Africa

Abstract

Entrepreneurial ecosystems are essential to driving innovation and supporting new ventures across Africa. However, most existing models are built on assumptions drawn from high-income settings and often fail to reflect African realities. This study presents a systematic bibliometric analysis of 684 Scopus-indexed publications from 2000 to 2023. Using VOSviewer for keyword co-occurrence and modularity-based clustering, the study uncovers key research themes such as informality, necessity-driven entrepreneurship, digital adaptation, and alternative finance. Cluster robustness was confirmed through threshold testing. Rather than introducing a new theory, the study adapts existing frameworks to highlight features like informal networks, mobile money systems, and social embeddedness. These findings refine current EE models and offer policy-relevant guidance aligned with SDG 1 and SDG 8.