Migrant Remittances and Financial Inclusion in Africa

Abstract

The main objective of this chapter is to examine the effect of migrant remittances on financial inclusion in Africa from 2004 to 2017. Thus, the authors constructed a composite index of financial inclusion using principal component analysis (PCA). In addition, they examine the effect of remittances on financial inclusion using a system GMM and a pooled mean group (PMG). It is found that remittances have a negative effect on financial inclusion in the short run and a positive effect in the long run. Moreover, remittances have a negative long-term effect on the use of financial services and a positive long-term effect on access to financial services. This implies improved policies to both attract the flow of remittances through formal channels and improve financial inclusion.