SheTrades and Visa Programme in sub-Saharan Africa

SheTrades and Visa Programme in sub-Saharan Africa

Project Information

August 2025 – December 2027
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sector:
All sectors
Theme:
Digital skills

>$500k

in business and investment leads generated

1,768

participants engaged, 93% women, across 42 countries

281

jobs created and sustained

>$500k

in business and investment leads generated

1,768

participants engaged, 93% women, across 42 countries

281

jobs created and sustained

About the project

Sub-Saharan Africa’s economies are digitizing fast, but women and youth entrepreneurs are not getting the same lift. Access to financial products is limited, digital tools beyond mobile money are adopted widely enough, and connections to regional and international markets are thin. Mobile payment penetration is high in markets like Kenya and South Africa, but many businesses have yet to integrate AI, e-commerce or data analytics into their operations, leaving gaps in export competitiveness.

Since launching in July 2025, the SheTrades and Visa programme in sub-Saharan Africa has trained women entrepreneurs in digital and finance skills, refined their business models and connected them to local ecosystem partners. Across a six-part webinar series, an e-learning course on e-commerce and two in-person workshops in Johannesburg and Nairobi, we brought together 204 entrepreneurs.

In 2026, the programme continues and expands into Angola, as well as Ghana through partnership with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), host of the SheTrades Ghana Hub. Activities across the region will include webinar series, in-person workshops, and coaching covering financial literacy, digital payments and e-commerce.

The project is implemented by ITC SheTrades in partnership with Visa.
What we do
  • Six-part webinar series. 1,768 participants joined sessions on business models, AI and digital tools, budgeting, financial planning, digital payment solutions, and peer-to-peer learning networking. Microsoft, Visa, and Absa Bank each led thematic sessions.
  • In-person workshops in Johannesburg and Nairobi. Two-day workshop in each city covered business model design, financial planning, digital payments, AI tools and export readiness, with 74 participants in Johannesburg and 130 in Nairobi. The Nairobi event included an exhibition where participants showcased products.
  • E-learning course on e-commerce content creation. 95 participants completed a four-hour online course on creating content for virtual marketplaces, earning a UN certificate.
  • Coaching on business models and AI integration. Group sessions helped selected entrepreneurs revise their business models, integrate AI tools, and sharpen value propositions, customer engagement, and operational efficiency. The format combined coaching with peer feedback to translate learning into action.
  • Ecosystem connections for sustained support. SheTrades connected participants to SheTrades Hubs in South Africa and Kenya, where they continue to access training, market linkages, and advisory services.

Resources

Webinar

Digital Growth with Digital Payments
Digital Growth with Digital Payments
Access the webinar

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