Realizing Africa's Wealth: Building Inclusive Businesses for Shared Prosperity

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Realizing Africa's Wealth: Building Inclusive Businesses for Shared Prosperity

February 7, 2014

This report, prepared by UNDP's African Facility for Inclusive Markets, describes the status of inclusive business in sub-Saharan Africa and the ecosystems underlying the enterprises and entrepreneurs driving such approaches. It identifies promising opportunities in strengthening these ecosystems, enabling enterprises and entrepreneurs to build more – and stronger – inclusive businesses.

While enterprises are the drivers of inclusive businesses, entrepreneurship is required of all societal actors if the surrounding ecosystems are to be developed. Local support institutions are largely absent, and building them will make it considerably easier for inclusive businesses to flourish. By building inclusive business ecosystems, Africa’s wealth can be realized, creating shared prosperity.

Report Highlights

  • Sub-Saharan Africa is today among the fastest-growing regions in the world
  • Inclusive businesses provide low-income people with access to opportunities for income, basic goods and services, and choice
  • Building local support institutions could do much to facilitate the creation of inclusive businesses, and would reduce the cost for established enterprises when venturing into low-income markets