Facilitating entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa: What governments can do?

Abstract: On the basis of a review of the literature and analysis of the prevailing internal and external conditions in Africa, this chapter identifies the factors that impact entrepreneurship in the continent. The articles reviewed for this work are those deemed relevant for the African situation. By adapting policy recommendations available in the literature to the prevailing socio-economic conditions in Africa and also by introducing new ones, this chapter proposes a set of specific interventions that African governments may initiate to stimulate entrepreneurship in the region. The proposed policy interventions include creating a more business-friendly climate, building entrepreneurial and institutional capacity, minimising bureaucratic barriers, elevating the stature of entrepreneurship and facilitating the creation of national and global linkages and networks for African entrepreneurs. Implementing the proposals advanced in this chapter, as adapted to the specific conditions in each country, could have significant implications for new business creation, employment development and economic growth in Africa. It could also provide a basis for future empirical studies that assess the relative effectiveness of specific policy interventions in promoting entrepreneurship in Africa and other developing regions.