Adopting Mobile Money: Evidence from an Experiment in Rural Africa
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 110,
May 2020
(pp. 594-98)
Abstract
Who uses mobile money, and what do people do with it? This paper describes mobile money adoption patterns following the experimental introduction of mobile money for the first time in rural areas of Southern Mozambique. We use administrative and household survey data to characterize adopters as well as their mobile money usage patterns over three years. Adopters of mobile money (and early adopters in particular) are more educated than nonadopters, and they are also more likely to already hold a bank account. Positive self-selection of adopters should be considered when introducing mobile money as a tool for rapid financial inclusion.Citation
Batista, Catia, and Pedro C. Vicente. 2020. "Adopting Mobile Money: Evidence from an Experiment in Rural Africa." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 110: 594-98. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20201086Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- E42 Monetary Systems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System; Payment Systems
- G21 Banks; Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
- G51 Household Saving, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
- O16 Economic Development: Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
- O18 Economic Development: Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure