African Diaspora Entrepreneurs Navigating Entrepreneurial Spaces in ‘Home’ and ‘Host’ Countries

• Published in: International journal of entrepreneurship and innovation Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 289 - 299
• Main Authors: Ojo, Sanya, Nwankwo, Sonny, Gbadamosi, Ayantunji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-11-2013; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Africa; Data collection; Diaspora; Economic development; Economic planning; Economic policy; Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurship; Innovation; Investment analysis; Small and medium sized enterprises; Studies; Sub-Saharan Africa; United Kingdom; Western Europe; United Kingdom > UK; Sub-Saharan Africa; British African entrepreneurs; diaspora direct investment; Sub-Saharan Africa; diaspora entrepreneurship
• ISSN: 1465-7503; 2043-6882
• DOI: 10.5367/ijei.2013.0126

African entrepreneurs in the diaspora are increasingly leveraging the duality of transnational space to expand economic opportunities in their countries of origin. Using the UK (London) and Sub-Saharan Africa migration corridor as a contextual prism, this paper explores the ‘everydayness' of entrepreneurship among African entrepreneurs in relation to how they traverse entrepreneurial spaces linking their countries of origin (home) and country of residence (host). Data collection combined discovery-oriented and ‘observer as participant’ techniques and emerging strands were fully explored using focus group protocols. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the findings indicate that Africans in diaspora contribute to Sub-Saharan African economic development through entrepreneurial investments. Diaspora direct investment (DDI) is an authentic avenue that unlocks untapped investment opportunities, and its objectives are driven by both economic and non-economic factors. Thus policy makers need to focus on harnessing its benefits.