The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Division (TICID), has officially launched a regional project titled “Fostering Digital Entrepreneurship Among Women in Africa”, aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the digital economy across Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Namibia, and the Republic of Congo.
The initiative responds to persistent structural barriers limiting women entrepreneurs’ access to digital skills, financial services, and online markets, while also addressing gaps in enabling policy and regulatory environments. It adopts a dual-track approach that simultaneously empowers women entrepreneurs and strengthens the capacity of policymakers to design inclusive and gender-responsive digital ecosystems.
The project is expected to directly benefit over 1,000 women entrepreneurs through digital literacy and financial management training, alongside more than 200 policymakers and government officials engaged in capacity-building workshops and regional policy dialogue. Across the four participating countries, the initiative will deliver eight national workshops, one regional training programme, a dedicated online learning module, and targeted study tours designed to strengthen practical skills, policy frameworks, and regional knowledge exchange.
A key feature of the initiative is the establishment of a multi-stakeholder coordination taskforce during a virtual kick-off held on May 18th, bringing together departments from across the ECA. The task force will ensure coordinated implementation, knowledge sharing, and alignment with national priorities across all participating countries, in close collaboration with implementing UN entities and national counterparts.
The taskforce also convened a technical follow-up meeting to discuss the way forward, and emphasized the importance of context-specific implementation, taking into account the socio-economic realities of the selected countries, as well as gender and youth considerations. They further underscored the importance of prioritizing the first activity under the project, a comprehensive assessment study to be conducted in each country over the next six months.
Implemented over a four-year period, the project is expected to achieve its intended results by 2029 as part of ECA’s broader efforts to promote inclusive digital transformation in Africa’s digital economy. By supporting women entrepreneurs and strengthening enabling policy environments, the initiative aims to contribute to more inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
