Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/222501 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Citation: 
[Journal:] DIW Weekly Report [ISSN:] 2568-7697 [Volume:] 10 [Issue:] 21/22 [Publisher:] Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW) [Place:] Berlin [Year:] 2020 [Pages:] 253-259
Publisher: 
Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW), Berlin
Abstract: 
Mobile money is an innovation that allows financial transactions to be performed via a cell phone. Even in poor regions of Africa, almost everyone has a cell phone; therefore, mobile money could both contribute to the continent's economic growth and ensure that no Africans are excluded from access to financial services. However, DIW Berlin data from Uganda show that mobile money is actually used less frequently than the number of mobile money accounts suggests. Nevertheless, demand for financial services has increased by 20 percentage points since the introduction of mobile money. At the same time, a fourth of the population-the poorest, in particular-remain financially excluded. In addition to high costs, this is mainly due to the insufficient availability of mobile money in rural areas and a lack of financial literacy. Consequently, to increase the use of mobile money and thus promote economic development in Africa, an appropriate competition policy, requirements for an enhanced network coverage, and financial literacy trainings are necessary.
Subjects: 
mobile money
financial development
financial inclusion
consumer protection
JEL: 
G21
G51
O16
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Article

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