Closing regional and gender gaps in digital financial services: a pathway to financial inclusion in developing countries

The United Nations' quest to ensure no one is left behind, especially in digital finance, is sabotaged by the digital divide across regional and gender dimensions. Therefore, this study employed a case study approach and situational analysis to evaluate digital financial inclusion gaps in developing countries to devise strategies for closing the observed gaps in digital financial services (DFS). Findings showed that digital financial platforms are used more by males than females and are more prevalent in high-income countries than middle-income and low-income countries due to the disparity in institutional quality and infrastructural facilities. This study concluded that bridging the regional and gender gaps in DFS is pivotal for achieving financial inclusion. Taking cues from countries with success stories in digital financial inclusion, developing countries should build robust digital infrastructures, develop conducive business environments for Fintech companies, and leverage the high mobile phone/internet penetration rate to achieve digital financial inclusion.