Entrepreneurship challenges and gender issues in the african informal rural economy

Abstract

In Africa the majority of businesses operate as informal sector in the rural economy. With relevant current debates encompassing informality and the family firm and employing data from a national survey that captures over 18 million entrepreneurs and business owners, this chapter examines the social, economic, environmental, cultural and wider barriers to female entrepreneurship in rural Nigeria. This chapter describes how lack of capital, low levels of literacy and education, inadequate transport facilities and poor access roads are the most important barriers that face female entrepreneurship in rural African communities. These are magnified by traditions and cultural barriers that favour men over women in many African countries, including Nigeria.