Banking on Inclusion

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of how financial technology (FinTech) innovations are reshaping the financial landscape in Africa, addressing the critical issue of financial exclusion. It provides a focused examination of how digital solutions such as mobile money, digital banking, blockchain, and peer-to-peer lending are overcoming the longstanding barriers that have hindered access to formal financial services across the continent. These barriers include limited banking infrastructure, high transaction costs, and low financial literacy, all of which disproportionately affect underserved populations in both rural and urban areas. While financial exclusion is a global issue, Africa presents a unique case where the majority of the population remains unbanked or underbanked, despite the widespread use of mobile phones and the growth of digital ecosystems. By examining these specific regional challenges and offering targeted solutions, this book fills a gap in existing literature that often generalizes FinTech's impact without addressing the specific needs and circumstances of African economies. It will be of interest to academics, students, and policymakers of development finance, financial inclusion, financial services, and financial technology.