Open Enrolment Programme

Winning in Africa's
Informal Economy

Building the capabilities required to compete and grow in Africa's largest markets.

Date 27 - 28 July 2026
Venue Lagos Business School
Delivery In-Person
Fee NGN 530,000
Apply Now Download Brochure

The Largest Market Most Strategies Miss

Africa's informal economy is a dominant channel through which millions of consumers buy, sell, save, borrow, distribute, and conduct business every day. Across the continent, informal enterprises account for the majority of employment and a significant share of economic activity.

Yet many organisations still approach these markets with strategies built for formal economies, and struggle as a result with market penetration, distribution efficiency, customer acquisition, retail execution, talent management, and digital adoption.

This programme gives you the frameworks, practitioner insights, and hands-on tools to build strategies that actually succeed.

6
Core Competency Areas
From route-to-market design to informal finance and talent management
9
Programme Modules
Structured across two intensive learning days with a practitioner roundtable
8+
Expert Faculty
Industry operators and LBS faculty with deep informal economy expertise
Open-air retail market typical of Africa's informal economy
Open-air retail markets
Mobile money agent serving a customer
Mobile money & agent banking
Distribution rider making a last-mile delivery
Last-mile distribution
What You Will Learn

Six Capabilities That Change How You Compete

How Informal Markets Function

Gain a structured understanding of the institutions, networks, incentives, and relationships that shape commercial activity across Africa's informal economy.

Effective Customer Strategies

Move beyond traditional demographic segmentation to identify customers by livelihood patterns, purchasing behaviour, cash-flow realities, and community dynamics.

Route-to-Market Models

Build distribution and market access strategies that use wholesalers, micro-distributors, agents, retailers, and community-based networks.

Retail Execution

Develop practical approaches for increasing visibility, availability, and sales performance across informal retail channels.

Informal Finance Systems

Examine how credit, savings, working capital, trade finance, and embedded financial services operate, and how businesses can engage with them effectively.

Build & Manage Informal Teams

Design talent, incentive, and workforce strategies suited to agent networks, distributors, field teams, and relationship-driven operating environments.

Programme Structure

Two Days. Nine Modules. One Cohort.

Day One
Understand the Market
  • M1 The Architecture of Informal Markets
  • M2 Customer Segmentation in Informal Markets
  • M3 Route-to-Market and Distribution Systems
  • M4 Financing Informal Markets
  • M5 Retail Strategy in Informal Contexts
Day Two
Execute for Growth
  • M6 People and Talent in Informal Markets
  • M7 Digital and Fintech in Informal Markets
  • M8 Capstone Work Session
  • M9 Practitioner Roundtable
Capstone Presentations

Participants complete a hands-on capstone project integrating frameworks from both days, followed by a structured practitioner roundtable that connects insights directly to real market challenges.

Who Should Attend

Built for Leaders Operating in These Markets

FMCG and Consumer Goods Leaders

Banking, Fintech, and Financial Services Executives

Retail, Wholesale, and Distribution Professionals

Agriculture, Food, Trade, and Agribusiness Leaders

Service Business Leaders in Telecoms, Logistics, Healthcare, Education, Mobility, and Professional Services

Government Officials, Policymakers, and Regulators

Development Organisations and Non-Profit Leaders

Investors and Market Development Professionals

Informal Market Operators, Traders, Aggregators, and Distributors

Faculty & Practitioners

Led by Those Who've Done It

Africa Retail Academy Winning in Africa's
Informal Economy Programme Guide
1 Page Guide
Take It With You

Get the Full Programme Guide

Every module, every faculty member, every fee and date, laid out in one document you can share with your team or revisit before you apply.

  • Full nine-module curriculum breakdown
  • Faculty & practitioner profiles
  • Fees, dates & logistics
  • Application timeline & requirements
Download Brochure

Ready to Compete in Africa's Most Important Markets?

Join a select cohort of executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and business leaders building sustainable advantage in the informal economy. Applications are now open for the 27 to 28 July 2026 cohort at Lagos Business School.

Enquiries: Tomilola, +234 813 096 7129 or omustapha@lbs.edu.ng

Apply Now