Bank Competition, Digital Finance and Gender Parity in East Africa

East African countries have vibrant telecommunications and banking sectors that have encouraged innovation and digitization of financial services. As a result, the cost of financial services has declined, making them more affordable and accessible to more segments of the population. The relevance of financial services has also improved, thereby contributing to increased uptake of services. Increased access and utilization of relevant financial services contributed to alleviating poverty, growth in incomes and gender parity in wealth. Despite East African countries having a competitive banking sector and strong synergy between telecommunications, banks, and financial technology firms, as well as achieving gains in digital financial inclusion, gender inequalities persist. Despite increasing competition in the banking sector, the gender gap in access to and utilization of financial services remains, particularly among women in rural areas, those engaged in farming or trade, and dependents, who together form the majority in East Africa. Women with lower educational attainment and those living in poverty have significantly less access to digital financial services compared to men.