Mobile banking influence on wealth creation and poverty reduction for the unbanked

The rapid spread of mobile phones and services such as mobile money transactions means that the number of mobile users may already have exceeded the number of banked people in many low income countries. Although policy makers, newspapers, and mobile phone companies have speculation and optimism regarding mobile money effect on individual saving and wealth creation, it is only evidence from research that can confirm their optimism. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the influence of mobile money on wealth creation of the unbanked. The study examines the particular case of selected unbanked populations in Kenya, and the role of mobile banking in uplifting their livelihood.