Implication of mobile money adoption for financial behaviour in Cameroon: a gendered analysis

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to examine the implications of mobile money adoption for saving and borrowing behaviour in Cameroon, both overall and by gender. Specifically, it aims to assess gender disparities in the probability of mobile money adoption and to evaluate the impact of mobile money adoption on the likelihood of saving and borrowing, both overall and across gender lines.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on data from the 2017 FinScope Consumer Survey, which surveyed 6,826 adult individuals across Cameroon. The study employs the endogenous switching probit regression model to address the endogeneity of mobile money adoption and selection bias arising from unobserved factors and structural differences between users and non-users of mobile money.FindingsThe results indicate that men are 6.3% more likely to adopt mobile money services compared to women. Furthermore, mobile money adoption has a positive impact on saving and borrowing, with a stronger effect observed among men than women.Practical implicationsImplementing policies and regulatory reforms in the mobile money sector can enhance mobile money penetration and improve financial inclusiveness for a larger share of the Cameroonian population, particularly for women who face adoption barriers.Originality/valueThis study provides novel insights into gender disparities in mobile money adoption and its impact on financial behaviour in Cameroon, using advanced econometric methods—endogenous switching probit regression—which effectively addresses both simultaneous selection bias and endogeneity from unobserved factors, ensuring robust and reliable findings.