This dataset is the output of the Horizon Scanning (HS) research conducted within the PRESILIENT project ("Post-pandemic resilient communities: is the informal economy a reservoir for the next generation of digitalized and green businesses in the Global South?") over 15 countries on the informal economy during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (Vietnam, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Ecuador, Mexico, New Guinea, Brazil, Senegal, Kenya, Morocco, Chile, Zambia, Indonesia, and Bolivia) with diverse social, economic, cultural and environmental characteristics. The dataset contains three corpora of references or entries on the topic (academic, news or social media posts, and grey literature).