**1. Introduction**

Micro, small and medium enterprises have faced different challenges on the African continent. The challenges faced by small businesses has caused them not to grow, that is, low profitability and depressed growth. The definition of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) differs from country by country. In some countries the criteria for the classification is capital and in others is based on the number of employees. In other countries such as Japan a mixed criteria is used. For the purpose of the current study, small to medium enterprises have been defined as those business entities employing 75 or less people. With other enterprises not operating for long, the sector employs a large percentage of adults on the continent. Though the sector has managed to create many job opportunities the majority of the players operate under capacity. In comparison with other developed countries, enterprises on the continent have the capacity to contribute more to the gross domestic product (GDP) as well as creating more job opportunities. The policymakers and other

players need to craft policies and strategies that enhance the growth of the sector. What then should be done? There is need to understand the factors influencing the performance of SMEs in Africa. Though factors may differ from one country to another the gap remains to be filled. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) has been defined as a venture with less than 75 employees. The chapter investigates the determinants of small to medium enterprises in Africa using Zimbabwe as a case study.
