In the heart of Africa, where dusty markets buzz with life and commerce, women are often seen as the economic backbone of their communities. These women traders sell a wide range of products, including fresh produce, handmade crafts, textiles, and household items. These women are more than just sellers; they are the pillars of their families and the heartbeat of their communities’ economies. But behind their tireless effort and entrepreneurial spirit lies a pressing challenge—one that limits their growth, shrinks their potential, and keeps them at the fringes of an increasingly digital world.
The Digital Divide: A Barrier to Progress
While cities in Africa are rapidly adopting digital tools and technology, rural areas are often left behind. The statistics paint a stark picture: women in sub-Saharan Africa are 17% less likely to own a smartphone than men, and over 30% of rural women don’t own a mobile phone at all (GSMA, 2023). The obstacles are complex—limited infrastructure, high costs of data, lack of access to devices, and perhaps most critically, limited digital literacy.
According to a 2022 UNESCO report, only 15% of rural African women have basic digital skills such as sending emails or performing a simple online search. More than 60% say they need assistance using a phone for anything beyond making calls or sending text messages (World Bank, 2021). For women traders, these gaps have deep consequences. It’s not just about missing out on convenience; it’s about being excluded from opportunities that could change their lives.
Without digital skills, many women are unable to:
● Market their goods beyond the local market.
● Access mobile banking or digital payment platforms.
● Find and negotiate with suppliers online.
● Join digital platforms or cooperatives that provide better pricing, visibility, and support.
They are effectively shut out of the digital economy that is shaping Africa’s
future.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Digital literacy is more than just knowing how to operate a smartphone. It’s about opening doors, economic doors, social doors, and even educational doors. It gives women the tools to become more independent, to scale their businesses, and to confidently participate in a connected world.
Imagine a woman learning how to take a picture of her handmade beaded jewelry and upload it to WhatsApp, Facebook Marketplace, or Afrikrea. With just that simple act, her potential customer base expands from a handful of locals to thousands of people across the continent, or even beyond.
With basic digital training, women traders can:
● List and sell their products on platforms like Jumia, Konga, and Afrikrea.
● Use mobile money tools like M-Pesa and Opay to receive payments safely and instantly.
● Promote their products using simple digital marketing strategies on social media.
● Access timely information on weather patterns, crop prices, and business tips that directly impact their trade.
In one of Tech Herfrica’s digital literacy programs, we met Fatima Nuhu, a small-scale peanut business owner in Northern Nigeria. Before the training, Fatima had never used a smartphone beyond answering calls. Today, she receives and processes customer orders via WhatsApp, uses mobile money to accept payments, and proudly shares pictures of her produce online. Her income has doubled. Her confidence has soared.
Fatima’s story is one of many. Across rural Africa, women like her are discovering what’s possible when they are given the tools and the trust to thrive.
At Tech Herfrica, our approach is grounded in empathy and practicality. We do n0t just deliver training, we meet women where they are, in language they understand, at a pace that makes learning feel empowering, not intimidating.
Here’s how we do it:
● We deliver training in local languages using community facilitators.
● We partner with local women’s groups, cooperatives, and trusted organizations.
● We offer continued support through mentorship and peer-led digital support groups.
Our goal is not just to teach, it’s to transform.
When a woman becomes digitally literate, she doesn’t keep the knowledge to herself. She shares it. She teaches her children, helps her neighbors, and inspires others to dream bigger. Digital empowerment becomes a catalyst for broader social change, lifting not just individuals but entire communities.
A Path Forward
In the fight against poverty and gender inequality, digital literacy is proving to be a quiet but powerful force. For rural women traders, it is not merely a skill to learn; it’s a lifeline to economic freedom, dignity, and a better future.
At Tech Herfrica, we believe every woman deserves the opportunity to step into that future with confidence. And so, we continue, one training session, one smartphone, one story of transformation at a time.
GSMA. (2023). The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2023.
https://www.gsma.com/r/mobilegendergap
UNESCO. (2022). Leveraging digital technologies to promote access to education and skills development in Africa.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000382065
World Bank. (2021). Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap in Africa.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35641