Business incentive programs come in the form of help that governments provide to companies or individuals to overcome certain challenges. Other institutions and organisations can also provide business incentives. In South Africa, incentives are used to deal with challenges such as unemployment, poverty, inequality, business opportunities or to access opportunities that may be difficult for those individuals or companies without help. Business incentives are usually temporary measures and have short- to medium-term objectives.

Some typical incentives include:

• Grants – money given to the company.
• Loans – money given to the company that has to be paid back over time.
• Training – so that people will have the skills they need.
• Infrastructure – improvements in roads, electricity supply, etc.
• Tax havens, duty free importation, tax reduction or zero tax.