Evidence Review of Women's Groups and COVID-19: Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Implications for Savings Groups in Africa

This brief presents emerging evidence from studies in diverse African contexts— with a deep dive into Nigeria and Uganda—on how COVID-19 has affected savings groups and how these groups have helped mitigate the pandemic’s negative consequences in sub-Saharan Africa.

Three key findings emerged from this review:

1. Households with a female member in a savings group in Nigeria and Uganda have coped with the crisis better than those not in savings groups.
2. Women’s savings groups have shown the potential for resilience during the pandemic.
3. Savings groups contributed to community responses and provided women a platform for leadership.