nep-fle New Economics Papers
on Financial Literacy and Education
Issue of 2024‒01‒01
four papers chosen by



  1. Financial inclusion and nutrition among rural households in Rwanda By Ranjula Bali Swain; Aimable Nsabimana
  2. The of role economic growth in modulating mobile connectivity dynamics for financial inclusion in developing countries By Asongu, Simplice; Odhiambo, Nicholas
  3. Mobile Money, Perception about Cash, and Financial Inclusion: Learning from Uganda’s Micro-Level Data By Felix F. Simione; Tara S Muehlschlegel
  4. Central Bank Digital Currency and Bank Disintermediation in a Portfolio Choice Model By Huifeng Chang; Federico Grinberg; Lucyna Gornicka; Mr. Marcello Miccoli; Brandon Tan

  1. By: Ranjula Bali Swain; Aimable Nsabimana
    Abstract: We investigate if financial inclusion leads to improved nutrition in rural Rwanda, using Rwandan Integrated Household Living Conditions surveys (2013/14 and 2016/17). Our empirical evidence shows a robust positive impact of financial inclusion efforts undertaken by formal financial institutions, though informal institutions such as tontines are ineffective in improving food expenditure or nutrition. Furthermore, the study reveals heterogeneous marginal effects of financial inclusion in reducing the gender gap between the food demand and nutrition of female- and male-headed households.
    Keywords: Financial inclusion, Food security, Nutrition, SDGs, Rwanda
    Date: 2023
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2023-141&r=fle
  2. By: Asongu, Simplice; Odhiambo, Nicholas
    Abstract: This study establishes economic growth needed for supply-side mobile money drivers in developing countries to be positively related to mobile money innovations in the perspectives of mobile money accounts, the mobile phone used to send money, and the mobile phone used to receive money. The empirical evidence is based on Tobit regressions. For the negative net relationships that are computed, minimum economic growth thresholds are established above which the net negative relationships become net positive relationships. The following minimum economic growth rates are required for nexuses between supply-side mobile money drivers and mobile money innovations to be positive: (i) 6.109% (6.193%) of GDP growth for mobile connectivity performance to be positively associated with the mobile phone used to send (receive) money and (ii) 4.590 % (4.259%) of GDP growth for mobile connectivity coverage to be positively associated with the mobile phone used to send (receive) money.
    Keywords: Mobile money; technology diffusion; financial inclusion; inclusive innovation
    JEL: D10 D14 D31 D60 O30
    Date: 2022–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:119060&r=fle
  3. By: Felix F. Simione; Tara S Muehlschlegel
    Abstract: Will mobile money render cash less dominant over time in Africa? Can it promote financial inclusion? We shed light on these questions by exploring individual-level and nationally representative survey data for Uganda, a country in a region that pioneered mobile money in the world. We use the Propensity Score Matching method to robustly compare mobile money users and non-users across a range of indicators that capture individuals’ perceptions about cash, and the extent to which they remit, save, and borrow money. We present the first evidence that mobile money users, compared to non-users, are more likely to perceive cash as risky and less likely to prefer carrying large amounts of cash. We also confirm that mobile money users are more likely to receive and send remittances, save, and borrow. They also save and borrow larger amounts.
    Keywords: Developing Country; Innovation; Digital Divide
    Date: 2023–11–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2023/238&r=fle
  4. By: Huifeng Chang; Federico Grinberg; Lucyna Gornicka; Mr. Marcello Miccoli; Brandon Tan
    Abstract: Would the introduction of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) lead to lower deposits (disintermediation) and lending in the banking sector? This paper develops a model where households heterogeneous in wealth allocate between an illiquid asset and assets that can be used for payments: bank deposits, cash, and CBDC. CBDC is more efficient as a means of payment and has lower access cost than deposits. Deposits are offered by an imperfectly competitive banking sector which raises deposit interest rates after CBDC introduction to prevent substitution away from deposits to CBDC. We find that there are two opposing margins of impact on the level of aggregate deposits: (1) the intensive margin gain in deposits by richer households increasing their holdings of deposits because of higher interest rates, and (2) the extensive margin loss of deposits among poorer households who switch from deposits to the CBDC. The extensive margin loss in deposits is more likely to dominate (yielding a fall in aggregate deposits) when the mass of poorer households is large and when it is relatively costly to access bank accounts. This tends to be the case in developing and emerging market economies. However, even when the extensive margin loss of deposits dominates and there is disintermediation, the impact on lending is quantitatively small if banks have access to other forms of funding, such as wholesale or central bank financing.
    Keywords: CBDC; banking disintermediation; financial inclusion; monetary policy
    Date: 2023–11–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2023/236&r=fle

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