Background
Across Africa, women entrepreneurs are the driving force of local economies — creating jobs, supporting families, and contributing to national growth. Yet, despite their resilience, most women-led enterprises remain locked out of the digital economy that now defines global trade and competitiveness.
In today’s marketplace, where customers search, buy, and pay online, visibility is everything. But thousands of African women still run promising businesses that are invisible beyond their immediate communities.
Their potential customers cannot find them on Google, their products are not listed on e-commerce platforms, and their operations remain largely manual.
2. The Struggles They Face
- Limited Online Visibility: Many women don’t have websites or digital business profiles. Their potential customers can’t find them through Google or marketplaces.
- Fragmented Communication: They use free apps to chat with customers but lack structured systems to manage conversations, sales, and follow-ups.
- Manual Operations: Inventory, delivery, and payments are handled manually, consuming time and leading to costly errors.
- Low Access to Paid Digital Tools: Tools like WhatsApp Business, AdWords, or SEO optimization seem complex, expensive, or intimidating.
- Weak Digital Confidence: Many women feel that technology is “for experts” — not realizing that digital transformation starts with small, simple steps.
- Missed Market Opportunities: Without online stores or payment systems, they lose sales to competitors who have gone digital.
- Lack of Structured Mentorship: Even those who start digitalizing often get stuck midway due to the absence of personalized guidance or expert support.
About Women in Digital Business @ 1 Million AfCFTA Impact Hub
Women in Digital Business @ 1 Million AfCFTA Impact Hub is a structured entrepreneurial innovation programme designed to help women-led ventures adopt and adapt their business processes, operational structures, and models to current digital realities and environments.
Brought to you by PABL Solutions LTD through 1 Million AfCFTA Impact Hubin partnership with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) and fully funded by Microsoft Philanthropies, the programme takes participants on a digital transformation journey through a self-paced online courseware hosted on a dedicated learning management system.
Participants also receive hands-on technical assistance and mentorship under the guidance of experienced experts.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, applicants must meet the following criteria:
a. Be a woman aged 18–60 years (born between December 10, 1964, and December 10, 2006).
b. Be African and a resident of one of Africa’s 55 countries.
c. Have a valid email and WhatsApp account.
d. Be computer literate and own a personal computer or smartphone with regular access to the internet and power supply.
e. Have a registered business.
f. Offer products or services currently available on the market, with evidence of traction.
g. Be fluent in English.
Desired Behaviour
- Digital Problem-Solving: Using technology to improve efficiency and customer experience.
- Opportunity Recognition: Spotting digital gaps and turning them into business value.
- Strategic Thinking: Aligning digital tools with business growth goals.
- Tech Mobilization: Leveraging digital resources for scalable solutions.
- Execution & Adaptation: Implementing, testing, and refining digital strategies for impact.
Training Curriculum
1. Women in Digital Business (WiDB) Training of Enterprenuers (ToE)
- Block 1: Welcome to Women in Digital Business
- Block 2: Building an Online Presence
- Block 3: Selling Online
- Block 4: Adapting Other Business Processes
Training Structure (Maximum of 3 Weeks)
- Phase 1 (Week 1): Complete the Women in Digital Business course.
- Week 2: Create a work plan.
- Week 3: Refine the plan with facilitator. (Certification by ILO)
- Phase 2 (6 Weeks): Top participants move on to SIYB courses (optional).
Programme Delivery
- Mode: Flipped classroom with self-paced online content and facilitated walkthrough sessions (in-person or online).
- Platform: Access low-bandwidth, user-friendly resources on our technical partner platform.
- Community: Join a vibrant network of entrepreneurs for peer support, expert mentoring, and post-program perks from across Africa.
Important Note
The selection process will involve:
- Application and Needs Assessment submitted via this Google Form
- After submission, applications will be reviewed on a rolling bases.
- In this cohort, only 20 successful applicants will be contacted and invited to a virtual interview before proceeding to registration on the main learning portal. Others will be on waitlist for subsequent cohort
Apply Here
