Financial inclusion, growth and poverty: Evidence from Africa in COVID-19 era

Inclusion financière, croissance et pauvreté à l'ère de la Covid-19 en Afrique

Christian-Lambert Nguena () and Prince Piva Asaloko ()
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Christian-Lambert Nguena: Université de Dschang, CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne
Prince Piva Asaloko: Université de Yaoundé II

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Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic threatens to undermine committed efforts to reduce poverty in Africa. Using panel data on 39 African countries covering the period 2004-2021, our analysis shows that financial inclusion, particularly access to financial services, can be an important driver of poverty reduction in African countries. in the era of Covid-19. Moreover, we have identified the reduction of inequalities as the main channel through which financial inclusion can contribute to alleviating poverty. These results are robust and consistent using different estimation methods and poverty change index. Faced with the risks of increasing extreme poverty due to Covid-19, a policy aimed at improving financial inclusion seems necessary.

Keywords: Financial inclusion; Poverty; Inequality; COVID-19; Inclusion financière; Pauvreté; Inégalité; Covid-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ban, nep-fdg and nep-fle
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Published in Région et Développement, 2023, 57, pp.81-100

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