Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa: Old and New Realities in the Light of COVID-19

This study sought to find out the disruptions faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the survival strategies that they employed to remain operational and the lessons thereof, beyond the pandemic. A systematic literature review was used to fulfil the objectives of the study. The findings were that, for SMEs to survive, they had to embrace technology and acquire relevant skills of doing business; adjust their business strategies to operate online, different from the traditional brick-and-mortar transactions. This study’s theoretical contribution lies in its development of a framework for survival, coping and resilience strategies by SMEs to minimise the socio-economic and health challenges during and post pandemics.