The Dual Role of Mobile Payment in Developing Countries

This paper analyzes the capacity of mobile-payment solutions to improve financial inclusion in developing countries. It elaborates from rural East African countries experiences where mobile payment services have developed rapidly. With a simple dynamic model which rationalizes traders' adoption process of distant mobile payment services, we analyze the role of telephonic operators in financial inclusion. We point out the interest of a diversified supply of m-payment services, including simplified solutions proposed by operators alone, in complement of more advanced services involving financial partners. We explain how such a diversified supply, including a ‘frugal’ innovative component, can be more efficient to improve financial inclusion than the only elaborated solutions provided cooperatively by operators and banks cooperatively.