Can business-to-consumer electronic commerce be a game-changer in anglophone West African countries? Insights from secondary data and consumers' perspectives

Abstract

Business-to-Consumer electronic commerce (B2C eCommerce) is transforming business all over the world and significantly increasing the GDPs of several economies. The upsurge of B2C eCommerce in developing countries has been rather slow. Sub-Saharan African economies have been hugely affected by the slow pace of B2C eCommerce adoption. Countries in the Anglophone block of West Africa have their first share of obstacles narrowing their full uptake of B2C eCommerce. This paper (1) reviews the basic features of electronic requirements found in Anglophone West African countries that affect the development of B2C eCommerce, (2) assesses some aspects of how B2C eCommerce could lead to free trade activities and (3) proffers areas of concentration to promote B2C eCommerce activities in the sub-region. The paper carefully analyses secondary data on Anglophone West African countries and primary data collected from citizens of the two influential Anglophone countries, Ghana and Nigeria. © IDOSI Publications, 2014.