Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa

Ernest Christian  Winful; Jamie P.  Halsall; Frank Frimpong  Opuni; Owusu  Ackah; Michael Snowden; Stephen  Edzewodzi; Ernest  Bentil; Juliana Doe  Lawson

Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa

Ernest Christian Winful, Jamie P. Halsall, Frank Frimpong Opuni, Owusu Ackah, Michael Snowden, Stephen Edzewodzi, Ernest Bentil, Juliana Doe Lawson

Accra Technical University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

This chapter examines the opportunities and the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Lusophone African nations, which include Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Principe. While entrepreneurs potentially grow the economy so reduce poverty in these countries, women cannot easily access capital, networks and support for their entrepreneurial ventures. Historical colonialism has shaped gender norms within economic structures that restrict women participation in broader events, confined often to subsistence and informal sectors. Despite independence women continue to face prejudice, exacerbated by for example the civil wars within Angola and Mozambique further exacerbating gender disparities within economic participation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World
Subtitle of host publication	Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future
Editors	Francisco José B. S. Leandro, Roopinder Oberoi, Yichao Li, Francisco Proença Garcia
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9789819577231
ISBN (Print)	9789819577255
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 27 Apr 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

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Winful, E. C., Halsall, J. P., Opuni, F. F., Ackah, O., Snowden, M., Edzewodzi, S., Bentil, E., & Lawson, J. D. (Accepted/In press). Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa. In F. J. B. S. Leandro, R. Oberoi, Y. Li, & F. P. Garcia (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World: Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future (1st ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Winful, Ernest Christian ; Halsall, Jamie P. ; Opuni, Frank Frimpong et al. / Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources : Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa. The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World: Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future. editor / Francisco José B. S. Leandro ; Roopinder Oberoi ; Yichao Li ; Francisco Proença Garcia. 1st. ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2026.

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title = "Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa",

abstract = "This chapter examines the opportunities and the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Lusophone African nations, which include Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and S{\~a}o Tom{\'e} and Principe. While entrepreneurs potentially grow the economy so reduce poverty in these countries, women cannot easily access capital, networks and support for their entrepreneurial ventures. Historical colonialism has shaped gender norms within economic structures that restrict women participation in broader events, confined often to subsistence and informal sectors. Despite independence women continue to face prejudice, exacerbated by for example the civil wars within Angola and Mozambique further exacerbating gender disparities within economic participation. ",

keywords = "Women Entrepreneurs, Lusophone Africa, Network, Digital Technologies, Access to Finance",

author = "Winful, \{Ernest Christian\} and Halsall, \{Jamie P.\} and Opuni, \{Frank Frimpong\} and Owusu Ackah and Michael Snowden and Stephen Edzewodzi and Ernest Bentil and Lawson, \{Juliana Doe\}",

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Winful, EC, Halsall, JP, Opuni, FF, Ackah, O, Snowden, M, Edzewodzi, S, Bentil, E & Lawson, JD 2026, Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa. in FJBS Leandro, R Oberoi, Y Li & FP Garcia (eds), The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World: Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future. 1st edn, Palgrave Macmillan.

Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa. / Winful, Ernest Christian ; Halsall, Jamie P. ; Opuni, Frank Frimpong et al.
The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World: Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future. ed. / Francisco José B. S. Leandro; Roopinder Oberoi; Yichao Li; Francisco Proença Garcia. 1st. ed. Palgrave Macmillan, 2026.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources

T2 - Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa

AU - Winful, Ernest Christian

AU - Halsall, Jamie P.

AU - Opuni, Frank Frimpong

AU - Ackah, Owusu

AU - Snowden, Michael

AU - Edzewodzi, Stephen

AU - Bentil, Ernest

AU - Lawson, Juliana Doe

PY - 2026/4/27

Y1 - 2026/4/27

N2 - This chapter examines the opportunities and the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Lusophone African nations, which include Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Principe. While entrepreneurs potentially grow the economy so reduce poverty in these countries, women cannot easily access capital, networks and support for their entrepreneurial ventures. Historical colonialism has shaped gender norms within economic structures that restrict women participation in broader events, confined often to subsistence and informal sectors. Despite independence women continue to face prejudice, exacerbated by for example the civil wars within Angola and Mozambique further exacerbating gender disparities within economic participation.

AB - This chapter examines the opportunities and the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Lusophone African nations, which include Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Principe. While entrepreneurs potentially grow the economy so reduce poverty in these countries, women cannot easily access capital, networks and support for their entrepreneurial ventures. Historical colonialism has shaped gender norms within economic structures that restrict women participation in broader events, confined often to subsistence and informal sectors. Despite independence women continue to face prejudice, exacerbated by for example the civil wars within Angola and Mozambique further exacerbating gender disparities within economic participation.

KW - Women Entrepreneurs

KW - Lusophone Africa

KW - Network

KW - Digital Technologies

KW - Access to Finance

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9789819577255

BT - The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World

A2 - Leandro, Francisco José B. S.

A2 - Oberoi, Roopinder

A2 - Li, Yichao

A2 - Garcia, Francisco Proença

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

ER -

Winful EC, Halsall JP, Opuni FF, Ackah O, Snowden M, Edzewodzi S et al. Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa. In Leandro FJBS, Oberoi R, Li Y, Garcia FP, editors, The Palgrave Handbook on Politics of Gender and Identity in the Lusophone World: Referencing the Past, Understanding the Present, and Preparing the Future. 1st ed. Palgrave Macmillan. 2026

Access to Finance, Networks, and Resources: Disparities and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Lusophone Countries in Africa

Abstract

UN SDGs

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