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The role of gender in agent banking: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo

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  • Chamboko, Richard
  • Cull, Robert
  • Giné, Xavier
  • Heitmann, Soren
  • Reitzug, Fabian
  • Westhuizen, Morne Van Der

Abstract

This paper uses a unique data set with 1.1 million customer transactions from a microfinance institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2017 to 2018. Regression analysis of individual-level transaction behavior and customer-agent dyads provides evidence of assortative gender matching in agent banking transactions, as clients prefer to transact with agents of their own gender. Female clients show a robust preference for female agents even when they are less available, particularly when making high-value transactions and when they have higher account balances. We also replicate the analysis with a second microfinance institution in Senegal and find similar patterns. The underrepresentation of female agents may contribute to the persistent gender gap in financial access and usage in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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  • Chamboko, Richard & Cull, Robert & Giné, Xavier & Heitmann, Soren & Reitzug, Fabian & Westhuizen, Morne Van Der, 2021. "The role of gender in agent banking: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:146:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x21001662
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105551
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    2. Ölkers, Tim & Liu, Shuang & Mußhoff, Oliver, 2023. "A typology of Malian farmers and their credit repayment performance - An unsupervised machine learning approach," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334547, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    3. Shen, Kailing, 2021. "Gender Discrimination," IZA Discussion Papers 14897, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Richard Chamboko, 2022. "On the Role of Gender and Age in the Use of Digital Financial Services in Zimbabwe," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, September.
    5. Julien, Jacques C. & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Rada, Nicholas E., 2023. "Gender and agricultural Productivity: Econometric evidence from Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. Gupta, Sanal & Singh, Puran, 2023. "What drives activity of banking agents? Evidence from Rural India," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Agent banking; Mobile money; Microfinance institutions; Financial inclusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G29 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Other

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