The 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Index, which measures both the quality of entrepreneurship and the extent of the supporting ecosystem in each country and region, has just been published. The report identifies that Sub-Saharan Africa’s greatest strength is in the area of Opportunity Perception. Entrepreneurs in the region are able to spot opportunities around them for starting businesses. The region’s lowest average scores are in the area of Startup Skills, Risk Acceptance, and Risk Capital. Tertiary education is not as broadly accessible as in other regions, and entrepreneurial skills are less common. The general risk climate is not as favourable in the region as in other areas, and the capital availability lags behind other regions. The report shows there is significant opportunity for improvement, however, as Sub-Saharan Africa can look to the examples of regional leaders Botswana and South Africa, which top the regional list. Both countries demonstrate the possibility for great change and substantial improvement on relatively short time scales. Furthermore, the region has a few clear bottlenecks which, if addressed, could quickly yield overall improvements in entrepreneurial ecosystems and the economy as a whole. To read the whole report, click here www.thegedi.org

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