Purpose

To help inform the debate over whether socio-demographic characteristics are related to the use of digital technologies, the authors investigated the effects of age, gender, education, income and being in the workforce on changes in using financial digital services using panel data collected in the MENA countries during 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to identify the impact of government policy on the determinants of financial inclusion and digital payment services in the MENA region. The authors use microdata from the 2017 Global Findex database on MENA countries to perform probit estimations. The paper focuses on the role of technology adoption by government authorities in extending financial inclusion and digital payment around different people.

Findings

The authors find that poorer people (and, by association, less educated people) and the young (but less so the elderly) are disproportionately excluded from the financial system. Results confirm that better collaboration between the government and the financial sector can help to develop digital financial inclusion through the technology adoption channels. The study confirms the significant impact of the government cashless policy in advancing financial inclusion in the MENA countries, with potentially wider applicability to other developed economies.

Practical implications

Policies to advance mobile money innovations could stimulate financial inclusion by promoting digital transaction services. The role of government authorities is imperative to harness the beneficial and sustainable gains from digitizing remittances and transfers to promote a cashless economy.

Originality/value

Financial inclusion promotes equality through a broadening of the system and government cashless policy can be a major catalyst for greater financial inclusion. It helps in the overall economic development of the underprivileged population and contributes to poverty reduction.

中文翻译：

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了解中东和北非国家政府无现金政策、数字金融服务和社会人口特征之间的联系

目的

为了帮助就社会人口特征是否与数字技术的使用有关的辩论提供信息，作者使用在2017 年中东和北非国家。

设计/方法/方法

本研究旨在确定政府政策对中东和北非地区金融包容性和数字支付服务的决定因素的影响。作者使用 2017 年全球 Findex 数据库中关于中东和北非国家的微观数据进行概率估计。本文重点关注政府当局采用技术在将金融包容性和数字支付扩展到不同人群中的作用。

发现

作者发现，较贫穷的人（以及受教育程度较低的人）和年轻人（但老年人较少）被不成比例地排除在金融体系之外。结果证实，政府与金融部门之间更好的合作有助于通过技术采用渠道发展数字金融包容性。该研究证实了政府无现金政策在推动中东和北非国家金融包容性方面的重大影响，并可能更广泛地适用于其他发达经济体。

实际影响

推动移动货币创新的政策可以通过促进数字交易服务来刺激金融包容性。政府当局的作用对于利用数字化汇款和转账带来的有益和可持续的收益来促进无现金经济至关重要。

原创性/价值

普惠金融通过扩大系统促进平等，政府的无现金政策可以成为更大程度的普惠金融的主要催化剂。它有助于贫困人口的整体经济发展，并有助于减少贫困。