Mobile Phone Penetration, Mobile Banking and Inclusive Development in Africa

Asongu, Simplice and Nwachukwu, Jacinta C. (2016): Mobile Phone Penetration, Mobile Banking and Inclusive Development in Africa. Published in: African Finance Journal , Vol. 18, No. 1 (September 2016): pp. 34-52.

Abstract

The study assesses the role of mobile phones and mobile banking in decreasing inequality in 52 African countries. The empirical procedure involves first, examining the income-redistributive effect of mobile phone penetration and then investigating the contribution of mobile banking services in this relationship. The findings suggest an equalizing income-redistributive effect of ‘mobile phone penetration’ and ‘mobile banking’, with a higher income-equalizing effect from mobile banking compared to mobile phone penetration. Poverty alleviation channels explaining this difference in inequality mitigating propensity are discussed.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Banking; Mobile Phones; Shadow Economy; Financial Development; Africa
• Subjects: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E0 - General > E00 - General; G - Financial Economics > G2 - Financial Institutions and Services > G20 - General; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L96 - Telecommunications; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O17 - Formal and Informal Sectors ; Shadow Economy ; Institutional Arrangements; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights > O33 - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences ; Diffusion Processes

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