Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Avenyo, Elvis K.
Author-Email: elvis.avenyo@qeh.ox.ac.uk
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, Department of International
	 Development, University of Oxford, and SARChI Industrial Development,
	 University of Johannesburg
Author-Name: Francois, John Nana
Author-Email: jfrancois@wtamu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: College of Business, West Texas A&M University
Author-Name: Zinyemba, Tatenda P.
Author-Email: zinyemba@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University
Title: COVID-19, Lockdowns, and Africa’s Informal Sector: Lessons from Ghana
Abstract: Using unique survey data on informal enterprises, we draw inferences
	 about the potential effects of COVID-19 on informal enterprises in
	 Ghana, beyond the anecdotes which currently dominate the discourse. We
	 draw important lessons on how the lockdown may affect the performance of
	 female- and male-owned informal enterprises in two urban areas of Ghana;
	 Accra and Tema. The following results emerge from the multivariate
	 decomposition regression: first, we find an unexplained spatial gap in
	 sales between informal owners who reside in Accra and Tema. Second, we
	 find no gender gap in sales or innovation, however, there are explained
	 and unexplained gender-gaps in how size affects current sales of
	 informal enterprises. Hence, given that the lockdown affects business
	 performance, we conjecture that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to
	 increase or introduce gender- and spatial-gaps in the performance of
	 informal enterprises. 
Classification-JEL: D72, O55, J16, P16, R12
Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemic, Gender, Informal enterprises, Business performance,
	 Urban areas, sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20200618
Number: 2020-028
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2020/wp2020-028.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2020028