Entrepreneurship indicators, policies and their influence on the business environment in West Africa

Abstract

Background: This article examined the performance of entrepreneurship indicators and their influence on the business environments through economic rankings in selected Anglophone and Francophone countries in West Africa. Aim: An institutional framework for entrepreneurship indicators was adopted as a measure for entrepreneurship in the region focusing on its determinants, impacts and outcomes. Setting: The colonial policy of indirect rule in the Anglophone West Africa focused on economic development and national integration, while the colonial policy of assimilation in the francophone focused on trade and centralisation. Method: This study focused on a comparative evaluation and synthesis. Results: The study found that the Anglophone countries were more entrepreneurship enhancing than the Francophone divide, but the economies in the region were all factor driven. Conclusion: The study recommends private sector partnership in the drive to promote entrepreneurship so that the entrepreneurship drive in the countries aim towards innovative and efficient competitiveness.

Keywords

• entrepreneurship
• anglophone
• francophone
• performance
• west africa.