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FinTech in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Has Worked Well, and What Hasn't

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  • David Yermack

Abstract

The FinTech sector has begun to grow rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa. I document far greater adoption of social media, digital currency, ride sharing, and other FinTech applications in countries with a common law legal heritage compared to those with a civil law system, suggesting that legal origin plays a critical role in setting the stage for growth through entrepreneurship in the developing world. The electrical, telecom, and Internet infrastructure required for FinTech has been built out more extensively in common law countries. Financial inclusion outcomes are also better in emerging markets that have a common law heritage.

Suggested Citation

  • David Yermack, 2018. "FinTech in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Has Worked Well, and What Hasn't," NBER Working Papers 25007, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25007
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Aurelien K. Yeyouomo & Simplice A. Asongu, 2022. "Fintechs and the financial inclusion gender gap in Sub-Saharan African countries," Working Papers of The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA). 22/018, The Association for Promoting Women in Research and Development in Africa (ASPROWORDA).
    2. Sholevar, Maryam & Harris, Laurence, 2019. "Mind the gap: A discussion paper on Financial Literacy, Financial behaviour and Financial Education : Is there any Gender Gap?," OSF Preprints b7zd6, Center for Open Science.
    3. Dennis Owusu Amofah & Junwu Chai, 2022. "Sustaining Consumer E-Commerce Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do Trust and Payment Method Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Tan, Qingmei & Yasmeen, Humaira & Ali, Sharafat & Ismail, Hina & Zameer, Hashim, 2023. "Fintech development, renewable energy consumption, government effectiveness and management of natural resources along the belt and road countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    5. Capasso, Salvatore & Ohnsorge, Franziska & Yu, Shu, 2022. "From Financial Development to Informality: A Causal Link," CEPR Discussion Papers 17565, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Petra Ritzer-Angerer, 2019. "Digitalisierung des Finanzsektors," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 72(20), pages 43-48, October.
    7. Tetteh, Godsway Korku & Goedhuys, Micheline & Konte, Maty & Mohnen, Pierre, 2020. "Towards a new index of mobile money inclusion and the role of the regulatory environment," MERIT Working Papers 2020-035, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Cephas Paa Kwasi Coffie & Hongjiang Zhao & Isaac Adjei Mensah, 2020. "Panel Econometric Analysis on Mobile Payment Transactions and Traditional Banks Effort toward Financial Accessibility in Sub-Sahara Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, January.
    9. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus & Mahofa, Godfrey & Nyakulama, Rhona, 2021. "Sustaining land registration benefits by addressing the challenges of reversion to informality in Rwanda," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    10. Coffie, Cephas Paa Kwasi & Hongjiang, Zhao, 2023. "FinTech market development and financial inclusion in Ghana: The role of heterogeneous actors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PA).
    11. Ed Saiedi & Anders Broström & Felipe Ruiz, 2021. "Global drivers of cryptocurrency infrastructure adoption," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 353-406, June.
    12. Njuguna Ndung'u, 2022. "Fintech in sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-101, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    13. Nisha Mary Thomas, 2023. "Modeling key enablers influencing FinTechs offering SME credit services: A multi-stakeholder perspective," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-27, December.
    14. Karaman, Hakkı Deniz & Savaser, Tanseli & Tiniç, Murat & Tumer-Alkan, Gunseli, 2021. "Financial technology in developing economies: A note on digital lending in Turkey," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • K15 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Civil Law; Common Law
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General

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