Financial Inclusion Primary in South Sudan

This policy brief addresses four key research problems: challenges in opening bank accounts and obtaining IDs, access to financial products and services, and financial literacy. One of the major barriers to accessing financial products, such as loans, is the requirement of a bank account, which in turn necessitates identification (ID). This issue is particularly critical in South Sudan, where only 37,000 people across the entire country possess IDs, highlighting a significant gap that must be bridged urgently. Due to the widespread financial illiteracy among much of the population, alternative mechanisms for issuing identity cards need to be introduced to include marginalized groups, such as women, people with disabilities, and those in rural areas.