Informal Economy and Gender Inequality,

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the global economy has exposed not just the dominant nature of informal sector in Africa economy but also the vulnerability of the women in the continent. Thus, this study investigates the relationship between gender inequality and growth of the informal sector in Africa. Using Generalised Least Square Approach, it was discovered that gender inequality indices such as equality between male and female in getting job in the formal economy under same or similar circumstances have significant impact in the growth of the informal economy in the continent. The study concludes that if adequate effort is not made to address the gender inequality in the continent especially in formal employment that have forced many females to informal sector employment, the objective of achieving inclusive growth and development in the continent might not be realistic. The study therefore recommends that the UN and other international organisations should compensate the African women by giving the women at least 60 percent chance in all their employment as a way of increasing the economic and political power of the women in the continent.