The African Coworking Market: Operators, Economics, Technology and the Rise of Work-and-Stay
Originally posted on https://twofifty.co/en/blog/african-coworking-overview
Join the conversation and propose new spaces to be added on our Linkedin post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/twofifty-coworking-consulting-services_coworking-africa-overview-by-twofifty-activity-7488194395322773504-GptE
Africa’s coworking market now stretches across almost every part of the continent, but its size is easy to misread.
AfriLabs reported 514 member innovation hubs across 53 African countries in its 2024 impact report. These include coworking spaces, incubators, accelerators, maker spaces, university centres and community organisations. Earlier ecosystem research found that only a minority of African hubs operated exclusively as coworking spaces. Most combined workspace with training, entrepreneurship programmes, investment support or corporate partnerships.
It's a distinction that is important and very specific to the inner workings of shared spaces in the continent. A premium flexible office in Nairobi, a fabrication hub in Lomé, a startup campus in Kigali and a digital training centre in Monrovia may all offer desks, yet they serve different customers and depend on different revenue models.
We are seeing four broad categories develop across the continent.
The first is commercial flexible workspace, led by operators such as Workshop17, Nairobi Garage, KOFISI, Ikigai, AfricaWorks, Workstation and Neighbourgood. Private offices, managed headquarters, meeting rooms and enterprise contracts are usually central to the economics.
The second is the innovation-hub model. Organisations such as CcHUB, BongoHive, ActivSpaces, Impact Hub Accra, Norrsken House Kigali, EtriLabs and Jokkolabs combine physical space with programmes, investment networks and community development.
Not a Member yet? Upgrade your membership for just 50 euros/year (that's about 4.15 euros/month) and support our mission while enhancing your coworking knowledge.