Financial Inclusion in East Africa: Does Economic Growth Matter?

Inclusive financial systems in any economy cannot be ignored. In fact, it has become a policy strategy in many governments around the world, including East Africa region economies – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Using panel data, this study presents a cross country analysis of the variables that determine financial inclusion levels with a key focus on economic growth through demand leading hypothesis. The study sought to test if economic expansion matters in financial inclusion in East Africa for the period 2006-2019. Panel ordinary least squares regression technique and fixed effect estimation method were adopted during the analysis. Following the findings of the study, economic growths depict a considerable influence on the financial access rate in East Africa. The corroboration presented by this study may help the respective countries to adopt policies that focus on improving financial inclusion levels through sustained economic growth.