This paper analyses the influence of the digital divide on the new IMF financial development index on a panel of 34 African countries over the period 2005–2017. Using the instrumental variables technique, we arrive at the main result that ICT divide is a severe handicap for the financial systems development in Africa. The use of financial development sub-indices relating to financial institutions and financial markets, as well as their dimensions confirms the negative effect of the digital divide. Our result remains stable when we use alternative measures of financial development and ICT indicators. Furthermore, we found that the digital divide between countries is also a severe handicap for the financial development of countries lagging behind. On the other hand, countries with a technological lead or a digital dividend have relatively developed financial systems. Some recommendations have been suggested to promote digital penetration in Africa, as well as to improve the receptivity and flexibility of African financial systems.

本文分析了数字鸿沟对 2005 年至 2017 年期间 34 个非洲国家的面板新国际货币基金组织金融发展指数的影响。使用工具变量技术，我们得出的主要结果是，ICT 鸿沟是非洲金融系统发展的严重障碍。与金融机构和金融市场相关的金融发展分指数及其维度的使用证实了数字鸿沟的负面影响。当我们使用金融发展和 ICT 指标的替代衡量标准时，我们的结果保持稳定。此外，我们发现国家之间的数字鸿沟也是落后国家金融发展的严重障碍。另一方面，拥有技术领先或数字红利的国家拥有相对发达的金融体系。有人提出了一些建议，以促进非洲的数字渗透，以及提高非洲金融体系的接受度和灵活性。