Entrepreneurship indicators, policies and their influence on the business environment in West Africa

Abstract

Background: This article examined the performance of entrepreneurship indicators and their influence on the business environments through economic rankings in selected Anglophone and Francophone countries in West Africa.Aim: An institutional framework for entrepreneurship indicators was adopted as a measure for entrepreneurship in the region focusing on its determinants, impacts and outcomes.Setting: The colonial policy of indirect rule in the Anglophone West Africa focused on economic development and national integration, while the colonial policy of assimilation in the francophone focused on trade and centralisation.Method: This study focused on a comparative evaluation and synthesis.Results: The study found that the Anglophone countries were more entrepreneurship enhancing than the Francophone divide, but the economies in the region were all factor driven.Conclusion: The study recommends private sector partnership in the drive to promote entrepreneurship so that the entrepreneurship drive in the countries aim towards innovative and efficient competitiveness.

Sustainable entrepreneurship: A catalyst for unemployment reduction and economic growth in Anglophone and Francophone countries

“…However, restricted access to quality education and a skills gap in relation to the job market demands can lead to elevated levels of unemployment. Moreover, cultural attitudes toward specific types of work, such as manual labor or entrepreneurship, can also influence unemployment rates (Ado, 2020; Beynon et al, 2019; Olowu et al, 2020). For instance, in certain cultures, some jobs may be stigmatized or deemed beneath individuals, resulting in a reluctance to pursue those opportunities.…”

“…Afro countries, on the other hand, often face higher levels of informal employment. This can be attributed to factors such as limited access to formal education and vocational training, as well as the prevalence of the informal sector in the economy (Olowu et al, 2020). In Afro countries, a significant portion of the population is engaged in informal economic activities, such as street vending or subsistence farming.…”