Implications of Financial Inclusion for Poverty in Cameroon: A Gendered Analysis

Using the FinScope Consumer survey, the study examines the implications of financial inclusion for poverty in Cameroon. Specifically, assessed the impact of financial inclusion on overall welfare and by gender. In order to account for the endogenous selection bias resulting from unobserved confounders and for structural differences between users and non-users of financial services in terms of welfare generating function, we employ the endogenous switching regression. The probit results indicate that men have a higher probability of being financially included compared to women. We further observe that financially included individuals are expected to make welfare gains of about XAF 14,544 per month. Results equally show that the impact of financial inclusion is higher among men compared to women. These results underscore the need for targeted policies to address gender disparities in access to financial services, implementing policies that promote equal opportunities for men and women in the financial landscape is essential for fostering sustainable economic development and reducing poverty in Cameroon.