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The informal sector constitutes a huge and growing source of employment in Africa in both rural and urban areas. However, the informal sector is constrained by limited educational and skill levels and limited managerial and entrepreneurial competencies. The informal sector is also being affected by globalisation, which has resulted in rising costs and dumping of cheap imported goods. Clearly, informal sector operators and workers should be equipped with appropriate skills in order to be competitive. This paper reviews training arrangements for the informal sector in Africa. The role of conventional training institutions in the informal sector remains ill-defined. It is suggested that an appropriate role for these institutions is to have them give resource support to smaller, community-based institutions by providing training materials, technical assistance and training of trainers. The paper looks at non-formal training arrangements aimed at the informal sector which are offered by public sector agencies, private providers and the commercial sector. Innovative informal sector support programs are described and issues relating to institutional implications for the future are raised.