The African continent has been lauded for having the world’s leading entrepreneurial spirit as well as having the highest global female entrepreneurship rates. Youth entrepreneurial activity in many African countries is higher than the global average with, for example, on average 40% of youth in Ghana, Uganda and Zambia involved in one form of early state of entrepreneurial activity. These young enterprises are vulnerable to turbulence in the national, regional and international markets that impose undue constraints on their performance. While some enterprises are thriving and others sprouting, many are sinking and closing up. The COVID-19 pandemic has been transformative as well as catalytic in the last few months of its occurrence. Young entrepreneurs-startups as well as established enterprises have had to rapidly adapt to the ‘new normal’ to keep afloat. The established enterprises have had a good responsive capacity to tap into opportunities that have emerged especially with support from governments and development partners. Conversely, emerging and informal enterprises that make a sizeable number in many African countries have not benefited from this COVID-related support.

This report covers key highlights and emerging issues from Webinar 8 organized by RUFORUM on “Entrepreneurship in a pandemic situation: taking opportunities and realigning for future” held on 21st August, 2020.

Webinar Aim:

The Webinar on brought together African and global audiences to deliberate on:

• i. Building on the foundations of existing entrepreneurship to valorize COVID-19 opportunities;
• ii. Harnessing technology driven innovation and the role of incubators and accelerators as catalyzers of opportunity entrepreneurship;
• iii. Africa’s Private Sector Response to COVID-19: Lessons for the future pandemics; and
• iv. Financing SMEs and start-ups in a Post COVID-19.

This Webinar was moderated by Dr. Maurice Bolo, CEO, Scinnovent, Kenya. The presentations and discussions were given by:

• i. Mr. Charles Ocici, Executive Director, Enterprise Uganda
• ii. Dr. Alaoui Soulimani Adnane, Director IMPULSE, UM6P Morocco
• iii. Prof Patience Mshenga, Egerton University, Njoro-Kenya
• iv. Mr. Tunde Adeyemi, Bookers International Schools, Nigeria

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