Across Africa, digitising microenterprises has become one of the most consequential opportunities in the jobtech sector. 97% of MSMEs are microenterprises. They account for 64% of the continent’s workforce.
Most run on margins as thin as $50 a month after costs, and small operational gaps; a stockout noticed too late, informal credit never collected, a payment that can’t be matched to an order, quietly compound into real livelihood loss.
A 5% improvement in how a business operates can mean a 20–30% increase in take-home income. The opportunity that represents, across 44 million businesses, is what this scan is about.
What the scan covers
We examined how jobtech platforms can close workflow gaps and reduce value leaks for African microenterprises. The scan includes a taxonomy and showcase of 50+ platforms operating across the continent, a sector analysis grounded in our own portfolio data, and an investment thesis for founders and funders building in this space.
It also covers the role of AI, the gender dimension of microenterprise digitisation in Africa, and why the most durable platforms aren’t the ones with the most features.
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