The map below shows all the Small Business Acts and Startup Acts in Africa
Are you looking for inspiration about Entrepreneurship Policy? Do you want to know what kind of support entrepreneurs receive in neighboring countries? Or are you simply curious how ‘startups’ are defined in legislative acts?
Entrepreneurship Policies exist in many countries, but figuring out which law is applicable where is difficult and time-consuming. That is why we at i4Policy have done that work for you. A PDF-version containing the original text of the legislation is also provided, so you have everything you need right here!
Note: see for more information the forthcoming i4Policy report “Benchmarking Small Business Acts and Startup Acts in Africa”.
| Country | Year | Type | Title | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 2017 | SBA | Law n° 17-02 on the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises | Download |
| Benin | 2005 | SBA | Decree on the National Charter for SMEs | Download |
| Botswana | 2004 | SBA | Act to establish the Local Enterprise Authority | Download |
| Burkina Faso | 2017 | SBA | Law n° 015-2017/AN establishing a Law on Orientation and Promotion of SMEs | Download |
| Cameroon | 2010 | SBA | Law n° 2010/001 on the Promotion of SMEs in Cameroon (amended by Law n° 2015/010) | Download |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 2014 | SBA | Law n° 2014-140 on the National Policy for Promotion of SMEs | Download |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 2023 | SA | Expected | |
| Djibouti | 2013 | SBA | Decree n° 2013-121/PR/MHUE on Regulation and Qualification of Very Small Businesses | Download |
| DRC | 2022 | SA | Law n° 22/030 relating to the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Startups | Download |
| Ethiopia | 2022 | SA | Start-up Businesses Proclamation [Draft] | Download |
| Gabon | 2005 | SBA | Law n° 016/2005 on the Promotion of SMEs | Download |
| Ghana | 1981 | SBA | The National Board for Small-Scale Industries Act | Download |
| Kenya | 2012 | SBA | Small and Micro Enterprises Act | Download |
| Kenya | 2021 | SA | Startup Bill [Draft] | Download |
| Mauritius | 2017 | SBA | Small and Medium Enterprises Act | Download |
| Mali | 2019 | SA | Mali Startup Act (PDF currently unavailable) | |
| Morocco | 2002 | SBA | Law n° 53-00 establishing the SMEs Charter | Download |
| Niger | 2010 | SBA | Ordinance n° 2010-88 instituting the SME Charter | Download |
| Nigeria | 2022 | SA | Nigeria Startup Act | Download |
| Rwanda | 2023 | SA | Expected | |
| Senegal | 2008 | SBA | Law n° 2008-29 on the Promotion and Development of SMEs | Download |
| Senegal | 2020 | SA | Law n° 2020-01 on the creation and Promotion of Startups | Download |
| South Africa | 1996 | SBA | National Small Business Act | Download |
| Togo | 2023 | SA | Expected | |
| Tunisia | 2018 | SA | Law n° 2018-20 relating to Startups | Download |
| Zambia | 1996 | SBA | Small Enterprises Development Act | Download |
