What is it about?
Mobile money has emerged as a great channel for greater financial inclusion in Africa. People home and abroad can access financial services at their fingertips. This is projected to reduce poverty, create employment and boost economic growth in the sub-region. However, the cost of these services in Africa threatens mass diffusion and continual usage. Therefore, we sample the opinion of individual users, businesses, and government agencies concerning the current cost of mobile money services in the sub-region. We find that the cost of using these services is high and disadvantageous to the poor. Consequently, the domestic financial technology market should be developed to increase competition and reduce the cost of transactions.
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Why is it important?
This study provides a realistic view of people, business, and government agencies regarding the cost of using mobile payment services in sub-saharan Africa. It employs a novel approach which utilizes news articles and blogs to analyze the views of these heterogenous groups.
Perspectives
The study touches on a sensitive issue in financial technology and financial inclusion. While most studies focus on the positives of mobile payment services, it creates policy imbalance. Therefore, the current study fills this gap by highlighting the cost concerns of end-users.
Dr Cephas Paa Kwasi Coffie
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Semi-Systematic Review of the Perceived Cost of Mobile Payment in Sub-Saharan Africa, Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, August 2021, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/15691497-12341592.
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