Why did you choose to focus your thesis on refugee entrepreneurs?
My supervisor, Dr. Giacomo Ciambotti, introduced me to the phenomenon of discriminated entrepreneurs. I became curious about how people who become entrepreneurs out of necessity yet face deep socio-economic exclusion manage to cope. A web search led me to refugees, a highly discriminated group. The literature showed that refugees often leave their home countries abruptly, without preparation for venture creation, making their entrepreneurial journey particularly challenging. I also discovered critical gaps in research; most studies focused on refugees in Western contexts, ignoring African refugees in developing countries like Ghana. This gap excited me and shaped the focus of my thesis.
How many refugees are there in your country, and how are they treated?
There are about 10,000 registered refugees in Ghana, managed by the Ghana Refugee Board (GRB) under the Ministry of Interior. The GRB works with UNHCR to provide documentation, shelter, and other basic needs. However, refugees face significant employment discrimination and struggle to participate economically. Many are unable to find formal jobs, which pushes them toward necessity entrepreneurship. While Ghana is generally welcoming and grants refugees the right to work and move freely, the gap between policy and practice remains wide. Refugees are tolerated but not fully integrated, often living in urban areas where they remain invisible and unsupported.
During your time in Italy, were you able to form an opinion on how Italian society addresses this issue?
During my time in Milan, I observed many immigrants, though it was hard to distinguish refugees from other migrants. Before arriving, I had watched documentaries about Africans crossing the Mediterranean under precarious conditions, with some rescued by humanitarian teams. I was impressed by the work of the rescue teams.
Which entrepreneurial story among those you examined in your thesis impressed you the most?
I was deeply impressed by a Cameroonian woman who repurposed old car tires into beautiful furniture and turned plastic waste into fashionable accessories. Because she struggled to find affordable business space in Accra, she leveraged online platforms to sell her products. Despite severe resource constraints, she managed to train another refugee, who is now her business partner. Her story embodies the very essence of my thesis, creativity born from constraint, resilience in the face of discrimination, and the generosity of sharing limited opportunities with others.
What did you learn during your PhD journey in Milan?
My PhD journey taught me much more than research methods or theory. It taught me cultural diversity in a deeply personal way. Visiting in Milan, surrounded by colleagues from all parts of Africa, I learned how differently people think, communicate, and solve problems. I learned to navigate academic systems that were unfamiliar, and to appreciate that what works in Ghana may not work in Italy and vice versa. This experience mirrored my own research: just as refugees must adapt to new environments, I too had to become a chameleon in a foreign academic culture. It made me a more empathetic researcher and a more adaptable person.
What are your future professional plans?
After dedicating three years to studying refugee entrepreneurs, I am inspired to expand my focus to other vulnerable entrepreneur populations. I want to understand how marginalized groups use entrepreneurship not just to survive but to create dignity and hope. To achieve this, I am in the process of establishing the Africa Centre of Research and Enterprise, a non-profit organisation. The Centre will conduct impactful research and design support programmes for entrepreneurs who are typically discriminated. I also plan to publish my thesis findings in high-impact journals and continue collaborating with scholars who share my passion for inclusive entrepreneurship.
How do you think academic collaboration between Italy and Ghana can help address the issue of refugees, which concerns both countries?
I believe academic collaboration between Italy and Ghana can be transformative in two main ways. First, comparative research studying refugee entrepreneurship in a Western context (Italy) versus a non-Western context (Ghana) can reveal how different institutional, cultural, and economic environments shape refugee outcomes. Such comparisons could challenge universal theories and produce more nuanced knowledge. Second, solutions could be transferred between countries, due to different approaches in coping mechanisms. Joint workshops, exchange programmes for researchers and practitioners, and collaborative policy briefs could turn academic insight into practical action. Ultimately, refugees move across continents; our research and solutions should do the same.
