IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_11054.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Does Financial Inclusion Enhance per Capita Income in the Least Developed Countries?

Author

Listed:
  • António Afonso
  • M. Carmen Blanco-Arana

Abstract

Financial inclusion is a key factor for economic growth in most developing countries. This paper examines the relationship between financial inclusion and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) using panel data for the period 1990-2021. The empirical evidence suggests that financial inclusion is indeed related to economic growth in the LDCs. We consider different dimensions of financial inclusion: usability (% of bank credit to bank deposits), accessibility (commercial bank branches), concentration (% of concentration of banks) and availability (depositors with commercial banks) to determine which has a greater effect on economic growth in the countries analyzed. Therefore, we assess which dimensions of financial inclusion are a better tool to improve the economic situation in the poorest countries in the world. While we conclude that all dimensions of financial inclusion have a positive effect on economic growth, in the expected direction, we find that not all dimensions affect economic growth similarly. The dimensions ‘accessibility’ and ‘concentration’ are robustly associated with economic growth, while ‘usability’ and ‘availability’ produce a significant but relatively lesser effect in the LDCs.

Suggested Citation

  • António Afonso & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana, 2024. "Does Financial Inclusion Enhance per Capita Income in the Least Developed Countries?," CESifo Working Paper Series 11054, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11054
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11054.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alfred Hannig & Stefan Jansen, 2010. "Financial Inclusion and Financial Stability : Current Policy Issues," Finance Working Papers 23124, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    2. Sy-Hoa Ho & Jamel Saadaoui, 2022. "Bank credit and economic growth: A dynamic threshold panel model for ASEAN countries," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 170, pages 115-128.
    3. 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.
    4. Ross Levine & Norman Loayza & Thorsten Beck, 2002. "Financial Intermediation and Growth: Causality and Causes," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Leonardo Hernández & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Se (ed.),Banking, Financial Integration, and International Crises, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 2, pages 031-084, Central Bank of Chile.
    5. Atish Ghosh & Steven Phillips, 1998. "Warning: Inflation May Be Harmful to Your Growth," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 45(4), pages 672-710, December.
    6. Hausman, Jerry A & Taylor, William E, 1981. "Panel Data and Unobservable Individual Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(6), pages 1377-1398, November.
    7. Robert G. King & Ross Levine, 1993. "Finance and Growth: Schumpeter Might Be Right," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 717-737.
    8. Julian SCHMIED & Ana MARR, 2016. "Financial Inclusion And Poverty: The Case Of Peru," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 16(2), pages 29-40.
    9. Ross Levine, 1997. "Financial Development and Economic Growth: Views and Agenda," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 688-726, June.
    10. Rajan, Raghuram G & Zingales, Luigi, 1998. "Financial Dependence and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(3), pages 559-586, June.
    11. Sawadogo, Relwendé & Semedo, Gervasio, 2021. "Financial inclusion, income inequality, and institutions in sub-Saharan Africa: Identifying cross-country inequality regimes," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 15-28.
    12. Levine, Ross, 2005. "Finance and Growth: Theory and Evidence," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 12, pages 865-934, Elsevier.
    13. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2007. "Finance, inequality and the poor," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 27-49, March.
    14. T. S. Breusch & A. R. Pagan, 1980. "The Lagrange Multiplier Test and its Applications to Model Specification in Econometrics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(1), pages 239-253.
    15. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    16. William Jack & Tavneet Suri, 2014. "Risk Sharing and Transactions Costs: Evidence from Kenya's Mobile Money Revolution," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(1), pages 183-223, January.
    17. Demirguc-Kunt,Asli & Klapper,Leora & Singer,Dorothe, 2017. "Financial inclusion and inclusive growth : a review of recent empirical evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8040, The World Bank.
    18. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2000. "A New Database on the Structure and Development of the Financial Sector," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 14(3), pages 597-605, September.
    19. Sy-Hoa Ho & Jamel Saadaoui, 2022. "Bank credit and economic growth: A dynamic threshold panel model for ASEAN countries," Post-Print hal-04031335, HAL.
    20. António Afonso & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana, 2022. "Financial and economic development in the context of the global 2008-09 financial crisis," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 169, pages 30-42.
    21. Izabela Karpowicz, 2016. "Financial Inclusion, Growth and Inequality: A Model Application to Colombia," Journal of Banking and Financial Economics, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 2(6), pages 68-89, June.
    22. Nitin Kumar, 2013. "Financial inclusion and its determinants: evidence from India," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 4-19, April.
    23. Abiola A. Babajide & Folasade B. Adegboye & Alexander E. Omankhanlen, 2015. "Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth in Nigeria," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(3), pages 629-637.
    24. Hannig, Alfred & Jansen, Stefan, 2010. "Financial Inclusion and Financial Stability: Current Policy Issues," ADBI Working Papers 259, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. António Afonso & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana, 2018. "Financial Development and Economic Growth: A Study for OECD Countries in the Context of Crisis," Working Papers REM 2018/46, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    2. António Afonso & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana, 2023. "The nexus between economic freedom and economic growth in the LDCs. An empirical analysis for the period 2000-2021," Working Papers REM 2023/0297, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    3. Marc Audi & Chan Bibi & Khalil Ahmad, 2019. "Financial Inclusion, Economic Growth and Human Well-Being Nexus: Empirics from Pakistan, India, China, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh and Malaysia," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 8(4), pages 177-190, December.
    4. Ahmad Hassan Ahmad & Christopher Green & Fei Jiang, 2020. "Mobile Money, Financial Inclusion And Development: A Review With Reference To African Experience," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 753-792, September.
    5. Shruti Malik & Girish Chandra Maheshwari & Archana Singh, 2019. "Understanding Financial Inclusion in India: A Theoretical Framework Building Through SAP–LAP and Efficient IRP," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(2), pages 117-140, June.
    6. Federico, Domenica & Grazioli, Riccardo & Milioli, Maria Adele & Notte, Antonella & Poletti, Lucia, 2021. "Financial and social inclusion in Europe," EIF Working Paper Series 2021/72, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    7. Yongfu Huang & Jonathan Temple, 2005. "Does external trade promote financial development?," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 05/575, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    8. António Afonso & M. Carmen Blanco-Arana, 2022. "Financial and economic development in the context of the global 2008-09 financial crisis," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 169, pages 30-42.
    9. Huang, Ho-Chuan (River) & Fang, WenShwo & Miller, Stephen M., 2014. "Does financial development volatility affect industrial growth volatility?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 307-320.
    10. Ahlin, Christian & Pang, Jiaren, 2008. "Are financial development and corruption control substitutes in promoting growth?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 414-433, June.
    11. Raja Almarzoqi & Sami Ben Naceur & Akshay Kotak, 2015. "What Matters for Financial Development and Stability?," IMF Working Papers 2015/173, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Richard E. Itaman, 2022. "The finance‐growth nexus enigma: Bringing in institutional context and the productiveness debate," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 504-527, April.
    13. Popov, Alexander, 2017. "Evidence on finance and economic growth," Working Paper Series 2115, European Central Bank.
    14. Gallego-Losada, María-Jesús & Montero-Navarro, Antonio & García-Abajo, Elisa & Gallego-Losada, Rocío, 2023. "Digital financial inclusion. Visualizing the academic literature," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Robert Stewart & Murshed Chowdhury & Vaalmikki Arjoon, 2021. "Bank stability and economic growth: trade-offs or opportunities?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 827-853, August.
    16. Smaoui, Houcem & Nechi, Salem, 2017. "Does sukuk market development spur economic growth?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 136-147.
    17. Satyananda Sahoo, 2014. "Financial Intermediation and Growth: Bank-Based versus Market-Based Systems," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 8(2), pages 93-114, May.
    18. Benfratello, Luigi & Schiantarelli, Fabio & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2008. "Banks and innovation: Microeconometric evidence on Italian firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 197-217, November.
    19. Ranasinghe, Ashantha & Restuccia, Diego, 2018. "Financial frictions and the rule of law," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 248-271.
    20. Guillermo Boitano & Deybi Franco Abanto, 2020. "Challenges of financial inclusion policies in Peru," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 12(1), pages 89-117, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    financial inclusion; GDP per capita; panel data; LDCs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • F30 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - General

    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:ces:ceswps:_11054. 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: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    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.