IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/abh/wpaper/18-047.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The impact of e-wallet on informal farm entrepreneurship development in rural Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Joseph I. Uduji

    (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria)

  • Elda N. Okolo-Obasi

    (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria)

  • Simplice A. Asongu

    (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

Abstract

Transforming agriculture from a largely subsistence enterprise to a profitable commercial venture is both a prerequisite and a driving force for accelerated development and sustainable growth in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this investigation is to assess the impact of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) e-wallet programme on informal farm entrepreneurship development in rural Nigeria. Informal sector farmers are those that are not legally registered at the national level though could be connected to a registered association. The research is motivated by the absence of literature focusing on the problem statement or objective of study. One thousand, one hundred and fifty-two rural farmers were sampled across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Results from the use of a bivariate probit model indicate that the mobile phone-based technology via the e-wallet programme is a critical factor that has enhanced farm entrepreneurship in rural Nigeria. However, results also show that the impact of mobile phones (as a channel to accessing and using modern agricultural inputs) is contingent on how mobile networks are able to link farmers who live in rural areas and work mainly in farming. The results suggest that increasing mobile phone services in rural Nigeria enhances farmers’ knowledge, information and adoption of improved farm inputs and by extension, spurs rural informal sector economic activities in sub-Saharan Africa. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "The impact of e-wallet on informal farm entrepreneurship development in rural Nigeria," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/047, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    • Handle: RePEc:abh:wpaper:18/047
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://publications.resanet.org/RePEc/abh/abh-wpaper/The-impact-of-e-wallet-on-informal-farm-entrepreneurship-development.PDF
    File Function: Revised version, 2018
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Asongu, Simplice, 2017. "Improving financial access in Africa: insights from information sharing and financial sector development," MPRA Paper 83071, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2016. "The Mobile Phone in the Diffusion of Knowledge for Institutional Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 133-147.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Conditional Determinants of Mobile Phones Penetration and Mobile Banking in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(1), pages 81-135, March.
    4. Vanessa S. Tchamyou & Simplice A. Asongu, 2017. "Information Sharing and Financial Sector Development in Africa," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 24-49, January.
    5. 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.
    6. Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Introduction," AFEA Working Papers 18/018, African Finance and Economic Association (AFEA).
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu & Aqsa Aziz, 2018. "Determinants of Mobile Phone Penetration: Panel Threshold Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 81-110, April.
    8. Joseph Uduji & Elda Okolo-Obasi & Simplice Asongu, 2018. "Does CSR contribute to the development of rural young people in cultural tourism of sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from the Niger Delta in Nigeria," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 18/024, African Governance and Development Institute..
    9. Aker, Jenny C. & Ksoll, Christopher, 2016. "Can mobile phones improve agricultural outcomes? Evidence from a randomized experiment in Niger," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 44-51.
    10. Uchenna R. Efobi & Belmondo V. Tanankem & Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Female Economic Participation with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Advancement: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/005, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    11. Vanessa Simen Tchamyou, 2017. "The Role of Knowledge Economy in African Business," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(4), pages 1189-1228, December.
    12. Uchenna R. Efobi & Belmondo V. Tanankem & Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Female Economic Participation with Information and Communication Technology Advancement: Evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 86(2), pages 231-246, June.
    13. Robert Lawrence Afutu-Kotey & Katherine V. Gough & George Owusu, 2017. "Young Entrepreneurs in the Mobile Telephony Sector in Ghana: From Necessities to Aspirations," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 476-491, October.
    14. Kirui, Oliver K. & Okello, Julius J. & Nyikal, Rose A. & Njiraini, Georgina W., 2013. "Impact of Mobile Phone-Based Money Transfer Services in Agriculture: Evidence from Kenya," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 52(2), pages 1-22, May.
    15. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2017. "Multinational Oil Firms’ CSR Initiatives in Nigeria: the Need of Rural Farmers in Host Communities," Research Africa Network Working Papers 17/062, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    16. Simplice Asongu & Agyenim Boateng, 2018. "Introduction to Special Issue: Mobile Technologies and Inclusive Development in Africa," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 297-301, July.
    17. Asongu, Simplice A. & Nwachukwu, Jacinta C., 2017. "The synergy of financial sector development and information sharing in financial access: Propositions and empirical evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 242-258.
    18. Simplice Asongu, 2018. "Introduction," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 18/021, African Governance and Development Institute..
    19. AfDB AfDB, . "Annual Report 2012," Annual Report, African Development Bank, number 461.
    20. M. Humbani & M. Wiese, 2018. "A Cashless Society for All: Determining Consumers’ Readiness to Adopt Mobile Payment Services," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 409-429, July.
    21. Mittal, Surabhi & Mehar, Mamta, 2012. "How Mobile Phones Contribute to Growth of Small Farmers? Evidence from India," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 51(3), pages 1-18, August.
    22. Carletto, Calogero & Savastano, Sara & Zezza, Alberto, 2013. "Fact or artifact: The impact of measurement errors on the farm size–productivity relationship," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 254-261.
    23. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    24. Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Introduction," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 18/051, African Governance and Development Institute..
    25. Moses Mwenda Muthinja & Chimwemwe Chipeta, 2018. "What Drives Financial Innovations in Kenya’s Commercial Banks? An Empirical Study on Firm and Macro-Level Drivers of Branchless Banking," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 385-408, July.
    26. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2018. "Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives in Nigeria and Rural Women Livestock Keepers in Oil Host Communities," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/060, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    27. Unknown, 2013. "2013 Annual Agricultural Outlook," Staff Paper Series 144064, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    28. Joshua Yindenaba Abor & Mohammed Amidu & Haruna Issahaku, 2018. "Mobile Telephony, Financial Inclusion and Inclusive Growth," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 430-453, July.
    29. Reuben Abraham, 2007. "Mobile Phones and Economic Development: Evidence From the Fishing Industry in India," Information Technologies and International Development, MIT Press, vol. 4(1), pages 5-17, October.
    30. George Okello Candiya Bongomin & Joseph M Ntayi & John C. Munene & Charles Akol Malinga, 2018. "Mobile Money and Financial Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: the Moderating Role of Social Networks," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 361-384, July.
    31. Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Introduction," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/021, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    32. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2018. "Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives in Nigeria and Rural Women Livestock Keepers in Oil Host Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 18/060, African Governance and Development Institute..
    33. J. R. Minkoua Nzie & J. C. Bidogeza & Nkwah Azinwi Ngum, 2018. "Mobile Phone Use, Transaction Costs, and Price: Evidence from Rural Vegetable Farmers in Cameroon," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 323-342, July.
    34. Muto, Megumi & Yamano, Takashi, 2009. "The Impact of Mobile Phone Coverage Expansion on Market Participation: Panel Data Evidence from Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1887-1896, December.
    35. Simplice A. Asongu, 2018. "Introduction," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/051, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    36. Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji & Elda Nduka Okolo‐Obasi, 2017. "Multinational Oil Firms' CSR Initiatives in Nigeria: The Need of Rural Farmers in Host Communities," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 308-329, April.
    37. Onyenweaku, C.E & Okoye, B.C & Okorie, K.C, 2007. "Determinants of Fertilizer Adoption by Rice Farmers in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria," MPRA Paper 26116, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    38. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2018. "Young Rural Women Participation in the E-Wallet Programme and Usage Intensity of Modern Agricultural Inputs in Nigeria," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/061, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    39. Haruna Issahaku & Benjamin Musah Abu & Paul Kwame Nkegbe, 2018. "Does the Use of Mobile Phones by Smallholder Maize Farmers Affect Productivity in Ghana?," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 302-322, July.
    40. Olomola, Aderibigbe S., 2015. "Driving agricultural transformation with the power of information and communication technology: The performance of Nigeria’s growth enhancement support scheme:," NSSP working papers 30, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    41. Mittal, Surabhi & Tripathi, Gaurav, 2009. "Role of Mobile Phone Technology in Improving Small Farm Productivity," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 22(Conferenc).
    42. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2018. "Adoption of improved crop varieties by involving farmers in the e-wallet program in Nigeria," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 18/063, African Governance and Development Institute..
    43. Aparna Gosavi, 2018. "Can Mobile Money Help Firms Mitigate the Problem of Access to Finance in Eastern sub-Saharan Africa?," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 343-360, July.
    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. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2020. "Social Media and Inclusive Human Development in Africa," MPRA Paper 103149, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "The Effects of Mobile Phone Technology, Knowledge Creation and Diffusion on Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(3), pages 1367-1398, September.
    3. Asongu, Simplice A. & Agyemang-Mintah, Peter & Nting, Rexon T., 2021. "Law, mobile money drivers and mobile money innovations in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    4. Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji & Elda N. Okolo‐Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility and the role of rural women in sustainable agricultural development in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from the Niger Delta in Nigeria," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 692-703, July.

    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, 2021. "The Effects of Mobile Phone Technology, Knowledge Creation and Diffusion on Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(3), pages 1367-1398, September.
    2. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2020. "Inequality and gender inclusion: Minimum ICT policy thresholds for promoting female employment in Sub-Saharan Africa," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(4).
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Enhancing ICT for insurance in Africa," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 9(2), pages 16-27.
    4. Asongu, Simplice A. & Odhiambo, Nicholas M., 2019. "Governance and social media in African countries: An empirical investigation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 411-425.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Basic formal education quality, information technology, and inclusive human development in sub‐Saharan Africa," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 419-428, May.
    6. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Enhancing ICT for Quality Education in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 19/007, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "How enhancing information and communication technology has affected inequality in Africa for sustainable development: An empirical investigation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 647-656, July.
    8. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Building Knowledge-Based Economies in Africa: A Systematic Review of Policies and Strategies," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(4), pages 1538-1555, December.
    9. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2018. "ICT, Financial Access and Gender Inclusion in the Formal Economic Sector: Evidence from Africa," The African Finance Journal, Africagrowth Institute, vol. 20(2), pages 45-65.
    10. Asongu, Simplice A. & Rahman, Mushfiqur & Nnanna, Joseph & Haffar, Mohamed, 2020. "Enhancing information technology for value added across economic sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa✰," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Simplice Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2023. "Enhancing ICT for female economic participation in sub-Saharan Africa," African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 195-223, May.
    12. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Remittances, the diffusion of information and industrialisation in Africa," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 98-117, January.
    13. Simplice A. Asongu & Mushfiqur Rahman & Joseph Nnanna & Mohamed Haffar, 2020. "Enhancing Information Technology for Value Added Across Economic Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 20/064, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    14. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu & Chris Pyke, 2019. "The Comparative Economics of ICT, Environmental Degradation and Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1271-1297, June.
    15. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2019. "Boosting quality education with inclusive human development: empirical evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," MPRA Paper 94014, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "Social Media and Inclusive Human Development in Africa," Working Papers 20/017, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    17. Simplice Asongu & Christelle Meniago, 2018. "Technology and persistence in global software piracy," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 43-63, October.
    18. Asongu, Simplice & Odhiambo, Nicholas, 2019. "Foreign Aid Complementarities and Inclusive Human Development in Africa," MPRA Paper 101086, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Simplice Asongu & Joseph Nnanna & Paul Acha-Anyi, 2019. "Information technology, governance and insurance in Sub-Saharan Africa," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(8), pages 1253-1273, September.
    20. Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2018. "Recent finance advances in information technology for inclusive development: a systematic review," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 65-93, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Informal sector’s adoption; electronic wallet technologies;

    JEL classification:

    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General
    • Q14 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Finance
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:abh:wpaper:18/047. 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: Anutechia Asongu Simplice (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.resanet.org .

    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.