In Africa, the gender gap in access to financial services is driven by women entrepreneurs’ own self-perception. And when they do have access, women typically face more stringent loan arrangements than men. Our research shows that it is mainly demand-side factors that limit access to finance for African women entrepreneurs, especially in northern Africa. We controlled for differences between men and women entrepreneurs in terms of talent and the characteristics of their respective firms. Africa’s gender gap in access to finance can have a dramatic impact on social and economic progress.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 19, 2020 19:41 UTC