COVID-19 and African Firms : Impact and Coping Strategies
Drawing on a representative survey of firms in 38 countries, eight of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa, this paper documents the impact of COVID-19 and firms’ coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa, benchmarking with other regions. The paper shows...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/200951619451183376/COVID-19-and-African-Firms-Impact-and-Coping-Strategies http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35519 |
| Summary: | Drawing on a representative survey of
firms in 38 countries, eight of which are in Sub-Saharan
Africa, this paper documents the impact of COVID-19 and
firms’ coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa, benchmarking
with other regions. The paper shows that the impact of the
pandemic is more pronounced in Sub-Saharan Africa compared
with other regions. This disproportionate impact is not
explained by differences in sectoral composition and other
firm characteristics, but likely by the level of
development. This underscores the important economic and
structural contexts that predate the pandemic in
understanding the differential impact. Contrary to
expectations, the findings show that businesses in
Sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to adjust their
operations or products and services to adapt to the shock
than those in other regions. However, firms in the region
lag in leveraging digital technologies, remote working, and
e-commerce, compared with those in other regions. |
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