Africa’s Digital Queens: A Manual for Women Shaping the Future of E-Commerce

The E-Commerce Manual for African Women Entrepreneurs, produced in 2025 by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in collaboration with COMESA, EAC, ECOWAS, and research partners Eye City Edtech Solutions Ltd. and Impact Lab, is a practical and research-driven guide that aims to help African women thrive in the online business ecosystem. It combines institutional research on gender equality, finance, and digital trade, showing how e-commerce can break barriers that have long constrained women's participation in markets. With Africa leading globally in female entrepreneurship, around 25.6 percent, the manual aligns with AfDB's Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) and Gender Strategy (2021–2025) to provide the tools and training needed to expand women's access to finance, skills, and markets.

The Digital Shift After the Pandemic

The manual begins by describing how COVID-19 became a turning point for digital trade, as lockdowns forced businesses to move online. Across Africa, many women-led ventures survived the crisis by embracing technology, turning to mobile devices and digital platforms to reach customers. E-commerce is defined as the buying and selling of goods, services, and data via the internet, covering everything from agricultural products to financial services. Globally, the market was worth $6.3 trillion in 2024, projected to reach $7.9 trillion by 2027, with China, the U.S., and the U.K. as leaders. In Africa, digital trade is accelerating fast, expected to reach $40.8 billion by 2023 with a growth rate of 13.5 percent. Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa dominate this landscape, supported by innovations like M-Pesa and continental frameworks such as AfCFTA and Digital Africa, which are helping to build a unified digital marketplace.

Women Entrepreneurs Redefining the Marketplace

The manual highlights women who have turned digital barriers into business opportunities. Emily Maundala of Emima Trading Agency in Malawi used Facebook and WhatsApp to grow a business where 80 percent of sales now come online. Nelly Françoise of CERPAC in Congo Brazzaville used WhatsApp networks to connect 60 influential African women, expanding her client base across Africa and Europe. In Burkina Faso, Sanon Korotimi's Timi Multi Services transformed from a small poultry vendor into a thriving online business generating 8 million FCFA monthly, while Zainab Alhassan of Mim's Home in Nigeria used e-commerce to reach clients across continents, achieving 150 percent ROI and proving the potential of niche digital branding. These women exemplify how social media, online marketplaces, and persistence can convert limited resources into sustainable enterprises.

Tools, Platforms, and Digital Skills

The manual outlines the close link between e-commerce and digital marketing. It stresses that an online store alone is not enough; success depends on mastering SEO, SEM, and social media optimisation (SMO) to attract customers. Women are encouraged to use beginner-friendly tools such as Canva for design, Google Analytics for tracking, and Shopify Inventory for stock management. The manual also offers guidance on creating accounts and engaging audiences across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X (Twitter), each suited to specific business goals and demographics. To sell products effectively, it introduces Africa's top online marketplaces: Jumia, the continent's e-commerce giant; Takealot in South Africa; EdenSouk in Morocco for organic products; ANKA Marketplace for African fashion; and Kilimall in Kenya and Uganda. By joining such platforms, women can immediately connect with millions of potential customers while learning the mechanics of digital trade.

Challenges, Lessons, and the Road Ahead

Running an online business, the manual notes, comes with challenges, ranging from cyber risks and competition to logistics and customer trust. It offers practical rules: use clear and truthful product descriptions, maintain a strong brand identity, and manage customer communication transparently. Entrepreneurs are urged to view reviews as assets, responding to both praise and criticism promptly. The manual advises using secure payment systems like Paystack, keeping accurate inventory records, and ensuring reliable delivery to retain customers. While e-commerce offers the advantages of 24/7 availability, low overheads, and global reach, it also requires constant adaptation and strong digital literacy.

Ultimately, the report frames e-commerce as a tool not only for business growth but for economic empowerment and inclusive development. By opening access to international markets, digital trade allows African women to scale beyond local boundaries, create jobs, and contribute to the continent's economic resilience. The E-Commerce Manual for African Women Entrepreneurs thus stands as both a training guide and a manifesto for Africa's digital future, one where women are not just participants in the online economy, but its leading innovators and architects.