The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs in Social Commerce in Developing Countries

This article explores how e-commerce – particularly social commerce – is empowering women small entrepreneurs in developing countries to become ‘digital entrepreneurs’. Focusing on Ghana and Senegal, it examines how women-owned businesses are leveraging social media platforms to participate in both domestic and cross-border trade, opening new pathways to economic and social inclusion. Despite its rapid growth, social commerce remains under-researched and largely overlooked by policymakers. Responding to this gap, the study draws on regional data on internet access and digital use across gender and age groups, as well as insights from an original survey of ninety-nine micro and small entrepreneurs in the two target countries. It sheds light on the socioeconomic profiles of women-led digital businesses and evaluates the opportunities and barriers they face when using social commerce – from business performance to impacts on women’s economic independence, agency, and self-esteem. The article concludes with policy recommendations to better support this dynamic yet underserved segment of the digital economy.