A new study examines the systemic barriers holding women’s businesses back in the digital economy, calling for targeted measures to change course.
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The study, entitled “Breaking down barriers for women digital entrepreneurs: Insights from Africa”, offers fresh insights into addressing structural challenges and gender-based biases that female e-business founders commonly face across developing regions.
It draws on the experiences of close to 100 members of the “eTrade for Women” global community, with a dedicated chapter on sub-Saharan Africa.
The publication is produced by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in partnership with the ESCP Business School and the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
It comes ahead of the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) set for 20-23 October in Geneva, where world leaders will explore ways to foster, among other priorities, more inclusive and sustainable digital economies.
Who’s leading the change?
The 94 women entrepreneurs surveyed for the study are all part of the UNCTAD-led eTrade for Women initiative, whose main funding sources include Australia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
Across the Global South, they leverage digital tools to manage registered companies with considerable growth potential.
Operating in sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, agri-tech and health-tech, these are often micro enterprises – typically with just under 10 employees – but generate an average annual turnover of $140,000.
Yet their impact goes beyond the financial bottom line: 62% of them mostly hire women and develop solutions, be it digital payments for underserved communities or online health services, that benefit the wider society.
"We’re not doing this for ourselves”, says Hilda Moraa, eTrade for Women advocate for English-speaking Africa, “We’re doing it for Africa, and for future generations. This isn’t just a job or a way to earn a living. It’s a passion, a purpose.”
“I’m deeply committed to bringing the ecosystem together to tackle the challenges we face and create lasting solutions," Ms Moraa adds.
What’s hampering growth?
While women-led digital firms are making encouraging strides, their full potential remains largely untapped.
According to the study, nearly 70% of the women face challenges when seeking finance – the single biggest barrier – often due to a lack of collateral.
In fact, female-only founding teams received just 2.3% of global venture capital in 2024 – a mere $6.7 billion out of $289 billion.
Half of the women surveyed also describe cross-border trade as difficult, while many cite the invisible weight of unpaid care work and the need to balance family and business.
“These barriers are not just numbers – they represent lost opportunities for economic growth and development,” says Torbjörn Fredriksson, who leads the e-commerce and the digital economy programme at UN Trade and Development.
“Removing them is critical to building inclusive digital economies.”
Towards more inclusive digital economies
The report calls for targeted measures to empower women digital entrepreneurs, most crucially better access to finance, export-readiness support, inclusive procurement policies and simplified compliance procedures.
Also vital is the need for digital and business skills training and a more enabling environment.
“We don’t just need access to finance; we need ecosystems that trust and invest in us,” urges Vèna Arielle Ahouansou, eTrade for Women advocate for Francophone Africa.