The digital economy is rapidly reshaping labour markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, presenting new opportunities for income generation and skills development. Among these opportunities is the growing prevalence of platform work, including both web-based microwork, such as data entry, and digital freelancing, as well as location-based gig work, such as ride-hailing and delivery services like Uber.
However, while platform work has been framed as a potential pathway toward more inclusive economic participation, this After Access report reveals remaining precarity. Constrained by structural access barriers, including access to electricity, smartphones, and digital skills, as well as socio-cultural constraints embodied in gender disparities, platform work does not operate independently of existing inequalities. Instead, it is layered onto them, enabling entry for some while leaving others structurally constrained.
Drawing on nationally representative data from the 2022 After Access survey, the study provides a rare demand-side analysis of who participates in platform work, why they do so, and under what conditions. The report emphasises that platform work is not a universal solution to Africa’s employment challenges. Rather, its value lies in complementing traditional labour systems by providing early-career opportunities, flexible income sources, and scalable skills development—particularly for groups historically excluded from formal employment.
For platform work’s potential to be realised equitably, however, policy frameworks must actively address the intersecting inequalities shaping digital participation. Inclusive platform work requires transversal strategies and cross-sectoral policy coordination to harmonise interventions and maximise the impact of digital inclusion initiatives. The report identifies critical roles for multiple stakeholders—governments, regulatory bodies, educators, civil society organisations, and platform companies—in creating an ecosystem where platform work can genuinely contribute to poverty reduction and job creation across diverse African settings.
