Title: Navigating foreignness: migrant entrepreneurship in the shadow of xenophobia and Afrophobia

Authors: Blessing Tafirenyika; Erisher Woyo; Andreas Kallmuenzer; Veland Ramadani

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, International University of Management, Windhoek, Namibia ' Department of Ecotourism Management, Vaal University of Technology, South Africa ' Excelia Business School, La Rochelle, France ' South East European University, Tetovo, North Macedonia

Abstract: African migrant entrepreneurs in Namibia navigate challenges of xenophobia and Afrophobia as a specific form of foreignness to achieve entrepreneurial success. This study explores the strategies they use to mitigate social exclusion, legal barriers, and economic marginalisation to achieve entrepreneurial success. Using a qualitative approach, 25 African migrant entrepreneurs were interviewed to analyse their lived experiences. Findings reveal that, despite significant challenges, entrepreneurs leverage transnational networks, digital platforms, niche markets, and resilience to adapt and thrive. The findings emphasise how foreignness, when combined with societal 'otherness', influences entrepreneurial outcomes in intra-African contexts, where competition for resources and unemployment fuels xenophobic and Afrophobic sentiments. Our findings offer insights into broader migration and entrepreneurship dynamics. Furthermore, by shifting attention from Western migration narratives to intra-African experiences, this study fills theoretical gaps in migration studies, entrepreneurship, and foreignness theory. Future studies could explore similar patterns in other African or global xenophobic environments.

Keywords: xenophobia; Afrophobia; migrant entrepreneurs; transnational networks; digital platforms; Africa.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2026.156155

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2026 Vol.59 No.2, pp.207 - 225

Received: 14 Feb 2025
Accepted: 06 Jun 2025
Published online: 07 Sep 2026 *

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