How do women entrepreneurs survive in Ghana’s informal economy? We went to a local market to ask

Africa's largest retailers are fundamentally reshaping their growth strategies, pivoting aggressively toward the continent's massive informal economy—a shift with profound implications for European investors seeking exposure to African consumer markets. The informal sector across sub-Saharan Africa represents an estimated $2+ trillion opportunity, yet remains largely untapped by institutional capital and organized retail. Recent moves by major players like South Africa's Shoprite—which plans to acquire a controlling stake in R&A Cellular to penetrate the R900 billion ($49 billion USD) informal retail space—signal a critical inflection point. This isn't peripheral strategy; it's a core reorientation toward where African consumers actually transact their money. Understanding the scale is essential. Across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, approximately 70-80% of retail commerce occurs through informal channels: spaza shops, township retailers, street vendors, and micro-merchants operating outside formal supply chains. These operators generate billions in annual turnover yet remain disconnected from digital payment systems, financial services, and institutional distribution networks. The market inefficiency is staggering—and increasingly attractive to organized capital. Shoprite's strategy exemplifies a sophisticated approach: Rather than attempting to formalize or displace informal retailers, the company is integrating them as distribution nodes. R&A Cellular's point-of-sale platform enables spaza shop operators to process card payments,