IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/rdevec/v28y2024i1p97-127.html

Financial inclusion and healthcare in Africa: Examining the moderating role of education

Author

Listed:
  • Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing
  • Ali Haruna
  • Tii N. Nchofoung

Abstract

The 2023 Sustainable Development Goal Report reveals that Africa is still struggling in its pursuit to achieve universal healthcare coverage. However, financial risk protection and human capital development could come to the rescue by facilitating the attainment of quality healthcare services. This study examines the effect of financial inclusion on healthcare in Africa, spanning from 2000 to 2021. Healthcare is proxied by life expectancy at birth, the immunisation rate, and the lifetime risk of maternal death. Financial inclusion is approached through access and usage of financial services. After controlling for the problem of potential endogeneity through the system generalised method of moment (GMM), the findings reveal that financial inclusion enhances healthcare in Africa, signifying that financially included individuals have a higher conditional probability of spending more on improving their health relative to the financially excluded individuals. Moreover, the findings indicate that education and technology diffusion are imperative in the quest for enhancing healthcare in Africa. In addition, after testing for sensitivity analysis by adopting different indicators of healthcare, the results remain consistent throughout the study, confirming the role of financial inclusion in enhancing healthcare in Africa. After computing the marginal effects, the findings depict that education and financial inclusion interact to produce positive synergy effects, signifying that the positive role of financial inclusion and education in enhancing healthcare outweighs the negative conditional effect. The results recommend policymakers establish a framework that promotes financial literacy for the enhancement of healthcare in Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing & Ali Haruna & Tii N. Nchofoung, 2024. "Financial inclusion and healthcare in Africa: Examining the moderating role of education," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 97-127, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:28:y:2024:i:1:p:97-127
    DOI: 10.1111/rode.13043
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.13043
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/rode.13043?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christopher F Baum & Mark E. Schaffer & Steven Stillman, 2003. "Instrumental variables and GMM: Estimation and testing," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 3(1), pages 1-31, March.
    2. Mohammad Jakaria & Rejaul Karim Bakshi & M. Mehedi Hasan, 2022. "Is maternal employment detrimental to children’s nutritional status? Evidence from Bangladesh," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 85-111, February.
    3. Muhammad Shahbaz & Muhammad Shafiullah & Mantu K. Mahalik, 2019. "The dynamics of financial development, globalisation, economic growth and life expectancy in sub‐Saharan Africa," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 444-479, December.
    4. Md Samsul Alam & Md Shahidul Islam & Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad & Shazia Bilal, 2021. "Rapid rise of life expectancy in Bangladesh: Does financial development matter?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 4918-4931, October.
    5. Peter J. Morgan & Victor Pontines, 2014. "Financial Stability and Financial Inclusion," Microeconomics Working Papers 24278, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    6. Md. Samsul Alam & Muhammad Shahbaz & Sudharshan Reddy Paramati, 2016. "The Role of Financial Development and Economic Misery on Life Expectancy: Evidence from Post Financial Reforms in India," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(2), pages 481-497, September.
    7. Batuo, Michael & Mlambo, Kupukile & Asongu, Simplice, 2018. "Linkages between financial development, financial instability, financial liberalisation and economic growth in Africa," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 168-179.
    8. Lucas, Robert E, Jr, 1990. "Why Doesn't Capital Flow from Rich to Poor Countries?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(2), pages 92-96, May.
    9. Casper Worm Hansen & Holger Strulik, 2017. "Life expectancy and education: evidence from the cardiovascular revolution," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 421-450, December.
    10. MAMADOU ASNGAR, Thierry & ONGO NKOA, Bruno Emmanuel & WIRAJING, Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka, 2022. "The Effect Of Banking Competition On Financial Stability In Central African Economic And Monetary Community Zone," Studii Financiare (Financial Studies), Centre of Financial and Monetary Research "Victor Slavescu", vol. 26(1), pages 23-50, March.
    11. Oana-Ramona Socoliuc (Guriță) & Nicoleta Sîrghi & Dănuţ-Vasile Jemna & Mihaela David, 2022. "Corruption and Population Health in the European Union Countries—An Institutionalist Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Aguila, Emma & Angrisani, Marco & Blanco, Luisa R., 2016. "Ownership of a bank account and health of older Hispanics," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 41-44.
    13. Popoola, Oladayo Timothy, 2019. "Financial Inclusion and Health Shocks: A Panel Data Analysis of 36 African Countries," Asian Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 6(1), pages 45-51.
    14. Badar Alam Iqbal & Shaista Sami, 2017. "Role of banks in financial inclusion in India," Contaduría y Administración, Accounting and Management, vol. 62(2), pages 32-33, Abril-Jun.
    15. Kouladoum, Jean-Claude & Wirajing, Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka & Nchofoung, Tii N., 2022. "Digital technologies and financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9).
    16. Popoola, Oladayo Timothy, 2019. "Financial Inclusion and Health Shocks: A Panel Data Analysis of 36 African Countries," Asian Journal of Economics and Empirical Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 6(1), pages 45-51.
    17. Simplice A Asongu & Lieven De Moor, 2017. "Financial Globalisation Dynamic Thresholds for Financial Development: Evidence from Africa," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(1), pages 192-212, January.
    18. Jaison Chireshe & Matthew K. Ocran & Francesco Tajani, 2020. "Financial development and health care expenditure in Sub Saharan Africa Countries," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 1771878-177, January.
    19. Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing & Tii N. Nchofoung & Felix Mejame Etape, 2023. "Revisiting the human capital–economic growth nexus in Africa," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(7), pages 1-29, July.
    20. Carlos Chiapa & Silvia Prina & Adam Parker, 2016. "The Effects of Financial Inclusion on Children's Schooling, and Parental Aspirations and Expectations," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 683-696, July.
    21. Oded Shenkar & Guoyong Liang & Rakefet Shenkar, 2022. "The last frontier of globalization: Trade and foreign direct investment in healthcare," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(2), pages 362-374, March.
    22. David Roodman, 2009. "A Note on the Theme of Too Many Instruments," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 71(1), pages 135-158, February.
    23. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    24. Murthy, Vasudeva N.R. & Okunade, Albert A., 2009. "The core determinants of health expenditure in the African context: Some econometric evidence for policy," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 57-62, June.
    25. Noelia Cámara & David Tuesta, 2018. "Measuring financial inclusion: a multidimensional index," IFC Bulletins chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), The role of data in supporting financial inclusion policy, volume 47, Bank for International Settlements.
    26. Sen, Amartya, 1999. "Commodities and Capabilities," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195650389.
    27. Jason M. Fletcher & David E. Frisvold, 2009. "Higher Education and Health Investments: Does More Schooling Affect Preventive Health Care Use?," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(2), pages 144-176.
    28. David Roodman, 2009. "How to do xtabond2: An introduction to difference and system GMM in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 9(1), pages 86-136, March.
    29. Terri Friedline & Stacia West, 2016. "Financial Education is not Enough: Millennials May Need Financial Capability to Demonstrate Healthier Financial Behaviors," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 649-671, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing & Tii N. Nchofoung & Roger Tsafack Nanfosso, 2024. "Inclusive education and labour productivity: The case of Sub‐Saharan African countries," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 92(4), pages 498-523, December.
    2. Germain Stephane Ketchoua & Elvis K. Avenyo & Fiona Tregenna, 2025. "Revisiting the sustainable industrialization paradigm in Africa: Exploring the influence of digitalization," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 2634-2658, April.
    3. Jean-Claude Mousseuknadji Kouladoum & Serge Monglengar Nandingar & Sylvaniste Etsiba & Joseph Pasky Ngameni, 2025. "Quality of institutions and structural transformation: case of the ECCAS zone," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 5(8), pages 1-23, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas Biekpe, 2018. "Globalization and terror in Africa," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 156, pages 86-97.
    2. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2018. "Increasing Foreign Aid for Inclusive Human Development in Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 443-466, July.
    3. Ibrahim D. Raheem & Sara le Roux & Simplice A. Asongu, 2019. "The Role of Asymmetry and Uncertainties in the Capital Flows- Economic Growth Nexus," Research Africa Network Working Papers 19/047, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    4. Emon Kalyan Chowdhury & Rupam Chowdhury, 2024. "Role of Financial Inclusion in Human Development: Evidence from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 3329-3354, March.
    5. Simplice Asongu & Rexon Nting, 2021. "The role of finance in inclusive human development in Africa revisited," Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(2), pages 345-370, February.
    6. Simplice Asongu & Enowbi Batuo & Vanessa Tchamyou, 2015. "Bundling Governance: Finance versus Institutions in Private Investment Promotion," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 15/051, African Governance and Development Institute..
    7. Simplice Asongu & Nicholas Biekpe & Vanessa Tchamyou, 2019. "Remittances, ICT and doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(1), pages 35-54, January.
    8. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Governance, capital flight and industrialisation in Africa," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    9. Harald Oberhofer & Marian Schwinner, 2017. "Do Individual Salaries Depend On the Performance of the Peers? Prototype Heuristic and Wage Bargaining in the NBA," WIFO Working Papers 534, WIFO.
    10. Asongu, Simplice A., 2017. "The effect of reducing information asymmetry on loan price and quantity in the African banking industry," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 185-197.
    11. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2016. "The role of governance in mobile phones for inclusive human development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 55, pages 1-13.
    12. Piper, Alan T., 2014. "An Investigation into Happiness, Dynamics and Adaptation," MPRA Paper 57778, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Simplice Asongu & Jacinta Nwachukwu & Sara le Roux, 2019. "The role of inclusive development and military expenditure in modulating the effect of terrorism on governance," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(3), pages 681-709, August.
    14. Darryl McLeod & Elitza Mileva, 2011. "Real Exchange Rates and Growth Surges," Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series dp2011-04, Fordham University, Department of Economics.
    15. Linh T.D. Huynh & Hien Thanh Hoang, 2019. "Effects of exchange rate volatility on bilateral import performance of Vietnam: A dynamic Generalised method of Moments panel approach," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 88-110, January.
    16. Simplice A. Asongu, 2017. "Mobile Phone Innovation and Technology-driven Exports in Sub-Saharan Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 17/042, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    17. Asongu, Simplice A. & Le Roux, Sara & Singh, Pritam, 2021. "Fighting terrorism in Africa: Complementarity between inclusive development, military expenditure and political stability," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 897-922.
    18. Simplice A. Asongu & Sara Le Roux & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2019. "Essential information sharing thresholds for reducing market power in financial access: a study of the African banking industry," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(1), pages 34-50, March.
    19. Boateng, Agyenim & Asongu, Simplice & Akamavi, Raphael & Tchamyou, Vanessa, 2018. "Information asymmetry and market power in the African banking industry," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 69-83.
    20. Simplice A. Asongu & Ndemaze Asongu, 2019. "The Role of Mobile Phones in Governance-Driven Technology Exports in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(2), pages 849-867, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:28:y:2024:i:1:p:97-127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1363-6669 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.