Low wages make it tough for the average earner to start their own formal business across much of Africa. The priciest place is Equatorial Guinea ($2,322), where a $324 paycheck means a 718% affordability rate. Fees are lower elsewhere, but so are wages. In fact, Congo is the least affordable in the world, with fees of $1,232 against a wage of $48, leaving affordability at 2,554%.

Click on the image to open the map in full size

However, reforms are making the process cheaper and simpler. “I think before Doing Business started 13 years ago there were very few high-level politicians who would know how many days it took to start a business in their country,” says Rita Ramalho, former manager of Doing Business. “Now they do know how many days it takes. Definitely it does bring that reality to them, so they connect better to what obstacles the average entrepreneur faces in their country.”