This archive report was first published on 27 July 2021.
On July 27, 2021, a report highlighted the impact of digital technologies on small businesses in Africa. One of the most powerful ways to break through barriers is making digital technologies more accessible to small business owners.
Aïcha Diop, founder of Fémézon in Dakar, Senegal, is a prime example. She initially sold her natural and organic products at markets and through WhatsApp. After setting up a Facebook page and learning how to use it through Facebook Blueprint e-learning courses, she doubled her turnover and more than doubled her profits within 12 months.
Facebook enabled Diop to expand her community, evolve her business, and create several new jobs. In Nigeria, Amara Tasie's small home-based business grew into a ten-person operation with a factory and an office after she started manufacturing organic hair solutions in 2015.
Tasie credits Facebook apps for bringing in about 90% of her customers. She used Facebook advertising to expand her reach to the UK and develop a strong distribution network of over 100 partners across Africa.
Research by Genesis Analytics shows that higher levels of digital adoption by small businesses are correlated with higher rates of growth and employment creation. The research also found higher levels of female entrepreneurship among small businesses using digital tools than those that don’t.
For policymakers, platform holders, and other stakeholders, the implications are clear: it's imperative to work together to ensure all small business owners in Africa have access to the benefits that digital tools can provide.
