IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/rajsxx/v12y2020i7p855-865.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The role of mobile money in improving the financial inclusion of Nairobi’s urban poor

Author

Listed:
  • Kyung-ha Kim

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the extent to which mobile money has improved the financial inclusion of Nairobi’s urban poor. Nairobi is Kenya’s largest and most developed city, but it is also the city where the country’s largest slum is located. The city’s poorest strata, the so-called urban poor, account for a large proportion of Nairobi’s population; most of them face exclusion from accessing formal financial services. However, mobile money has enabled them to access financial services more easily. Based on survey research conducted by the author in Nairobi, this paper demonstrates that the urban poor were far less likely to have a bank account than middle- and high-income groups, but that they had a high need for saving services/safe money storage. Mobile money has provided a savings service that is better suited to the needs of the urban poor than that offered by other channels and has enabled them to save small amount of money more frequently. This has encouraged greater use of mobile money and has significantly decreased levels of financial exclusion amongst the urban poor (p

Suggested Citation

  • Kyung-ha Kim, 2020. "The role of mobile money in improving the financial inclusion of Nairobi’s urban poor," African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(7), pages 855-865, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rajsxx:v:12:y:2020:i:7:p:855-865
    DOI: 10.1080/20421338.2020.1733281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/20421338.2020.1733281
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/20421338.2020.1733281?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Demirgüç-Kunt, A. & Beck, T.H.L. & Honohan, P., 2008. "Finance for all? : Policies and pitfalls in expanding access," Other publications TiSEM aec73d3a-d6eb-457f-9182-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Sonne, Lina, 2010. "Financing pro-poor entrepreneur-based innovation: A review of existing literature," MERIT Working Papers 2010-038, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Dean Karlan & Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan & Jonathan Zinman, 2014. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(1), pages 36-78, March.
    4. Mwangi S. Kimenyi & Francis M. Mwega & Njuguna S.Ndung.u, 2015. "The African Lions: Kenya country case study," WIDER Working Paper Series 134, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Tamara TODOROVA, 2016. "Transaction Costs Market Failures and Economic Development," Journal of Advanced Research in Law and Economics, ASERS Publishing, vol. 7(3), pages 672-684.
    6. repec:srs:journl:jarle:v:7:y:2016:i:3:p:672-684 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Nyamongo, Esman & Ndirangu, Lydia Ndirangu2, 2013. "Financial Innovations and Monetary Policy in Kenya," MPRA Paper 52387, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Dean Karlan & Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan & Jonathan Zinman, 2014. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(1), pages 36-78, March.
    9. Mwangi S. Kimenyi & Francis M. Mwega & Njuguna Ndung'u, 2015. "The African Lions: Kenya country case study," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-134, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    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. Kodongo, Odongo, 2023. "Does the fintech ecosystem promote effective financial inclusion in Kenya?," KBA Centre for Research on Financial Markets and Policy Working Paper Series 70, Kenya Bankers Association (KBA).

    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. Singh, Vinay Kumar & Ghosh, Sajal, 2021. "Financial inclusion and economic growth in India amid demonetization: A case study based on panel cointegration and causality," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 674-693.
    2. Abidin Alhassan & Leon Li & Krishna Reddy & Geeta Duppati, 2021. "The relationship between political instability and financial inclusion: Evidence from Middle East and North Africa," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 353-374, January.
    3. Margaret R. Magwedere & Joseph Chisasa & Godfrey Marozva, 2022. "Examining the Causal Relationship between Financial Intermediation and Poverty in Selected Developing Countries," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(1), pages 75-84.
    4. Mercy W. Mwangi & Amos G. Njuguna & George O. Achoki, 2019. "Relationship between corruption and capital flight in Kenya: 1998-2018," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 8(5), pages 237-250, September.
    5. Geng, Xin & Janssens, Wendy & Kramer, Berber, 2018. "Liquid milk: Cash Constraints and Recurring Savings among Dairy Farmers in Kenya," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273823, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Prina, Silvia, 2015. "Banking the poor via savings accounts: Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 16-31.
    7. Renata Baborska & Emilio Hernandez & Emiliano Magrini & Cristian Morales-Opazo, 2020. "The impact of financial inclusion on rural food security experience: A perspective from low-and middle-income countries," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 10(2), pages 1-18.
    8. Di Giannatale, Sonia & Roa, María José, 2016. "Formal Saving in Developing Economies: Barriers, Interventions, and Effects," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 8107, Inter-American Development Bank.
    9. Knar Khachatryan & Vardan Baghdasaryan & Valentina Hartarska, 2018. "Is the model loans-plus-savings better for microfinance in ECA? A PSM comparison," Working Paper c5a69366-4231-479c-879d-c, European Microfinance Network.
    10. Grohmann, Antonia & Klühs, Theres & Menkhoff, Lukas, 2018. "Does financial literacy improve financial inclusion? Cross country evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 84-96.
    11. Leandro De Magalhães & Dongya Koh & Raül Santaeulàlia-Llopis, 2016. "Consumption and Expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 16/677, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK, revised 07 Oct 2016.
    12. María José Roa García & Diana Mejía (ed.), 2018. "Decisiones financieras de los hogares e inclusión financiera: evidencia para América Latina y el Caribe," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA, edition 1, volume 1, number 7sp, December.
    13. Mirpourian, Mehrdad, 2020. "A Gendered Look at Savings Behavior among Nigerian Microsavers," MPRA Paper 103062, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Nadine Muller & Shannon A McMahon & Jan-Walter De Neve & Alexej Funke & Till Bärnighausen & Elsa N Rajemison & Etienne Lacroze & Julius V Emmrich & Samuel Knauss, 2020. "Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a Mobile Health Wallet for pregnancy-related health care: A qualitative study of stakeholders’ perceptions in Madagascar," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, January.
    15. Leandro DE MAGALHÃES & Dongya KOH & Räul SANTAEULILA-LLOPIS, 2019. "The Cost of Consumption Smoothing: Less Schooling and less Nutrition," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 85(3), pages 181-208, September.
    16. Steinert, Janina I. & Zenker, Juliane & Filipiak, Ute & Movsisyan, Ani & Cluver, Lucie D. & Shenderovich, Yulia, 2018. "Do saving promotion interventions increase household savings, consumption, and investments in Sub-Saharan Africa? A systematic review and meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 238-256.
    17. Brune, Lasse & Kerwin, Jason T., 2019. "Income timing and liquidity constraints: Evidence from a randomized field experiment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 294-308.
    18. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ana María Tribín-Uribe, 2018. "Crédito formal e informal de los hogares en Colombia," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, in: María José Roa García & Diana Mejía (ed.), Decisiones financieras de los hogares e inclusión financiera: evidencia para América Latina y el Caribe, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 5, pages 133-166, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA.
    19. Joshua Blumenstock & Michael Callen & Tarek Ghani, 2018. "Why Do Defaults Affect Behavior? Experimental Evidence from Afghanistan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(10), pages 2868-2901, October.
    20. Augustine Kwadwo Yeboah, 2019. "Drivers of Savings Account Ownership Status: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from Ghana," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 10(1), pages 51-60.

    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:taf:rajsxx:v:12:y:2020:i:7:p:855-865. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/rajs .

    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.