ABSTRACT
This study adopted qualitative approaches to evaluate informal entrepreneurs’ challenges and prospects in the “Agbogbloshie” market. It further examines how informal entrepreneurs mitigate the challenges they face. Even though the informal sector is widely known for its opportunities, it is confronted with challenges in both developing and developed countries. This study sought to assess the challenges of informal entrepreneurship in Ghana. The study is a qualitative study and adopted the homogeneous purposive sampling technique to select the participants under the study, made up of 23 informal entrepreneurs. The data collection instrument is a semi-structured interview guide. All the respondents were involved in a face-to-face interview, averagely lasting about 35 minutes for each participant. The data is analysed using thematic analysis. The study finds that “Nana hemaa/ hene edwemu mmra” (Queen or king's market rule) are institutions that affect business expansion and profitability negatively. Another challenge is the invasion of cheap and counterfeit goods by competitors from foreign countries such as China, Nigeria, Togo and other emerging economies. Also, the harassment by city authorities in the form of beatings and seizing goods, among others, has become a challenge to informal entrepreneurs. These acts of harassment are meted out to informal entrepreneurs who sell at unapproved places (i.e., on pavements, roadsides and under small huts). Also, the study uncovers that informal entrepreneurship has prospects for employment, product innovation and capacity building.
