The Integrated Business Establishment Survey I (IBES I) has revealed that women are the backbone of Ghana’s vibrant mobile business sector, running 77.5% of the 82,920 identified mobile enterprises which is equivalent to 64,237 female-led businesses.
According to the survey, these women operate without fixed locations, using methods like hawking, head‑portage, or mobile carts to sell goods across the country.
The survey shows female mobile business owners are heavily concentrated in food retail, with 74.5% of women engaging in the sale of food products, compared to only 26.1% of male operators.
This dominance in food vending highlights women’s crucial role in feeding communities and sustaining daily livelihoods through the informal economy.
The Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, which host over 50% of Ghana’s mobile businesses, see a significant presence of these female entrepreneurs, contributing to local economic activity and employment, especially among the youth (15–35 years), who make up six in every 10 mobile operators.
