Covid-19: a business opportunity for the informal sector in Africa?

The confinement of populations decided to deal with Covid-19 has caused an economic crisis whose effects are not fully known. Indeed, if the crisis can cause threats, it can also generate opportunities. Also, the objective of this research is to study the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the informal sector in Africa. The results of a survey of 164 entrepreneurs in Cameroon show that the crisis has a positive impact on the creation of informal businesses and has encouraged the adoption of informal practices by formal businesses. Moreover, while in most countries, as in previous crises, government stimulus measures are based mainly on the formal sector, public management of the pandemic in Cameroon is marked by support and support measures. Support for the informal sector, but also through greater tolerance of these activities and practices. However, while this attention is surprising and appreciable, given its weight in the economy, the fact remains that no country can achieve the desired development by relying solely on informal activities. In this sense, the dynamic of informalization observed should worry and challenge the public authorities.