Cause and Effect of Financial Access: Cross-Country Evidence from the FinScope Surveys

The Finscope surveys have greatly expanded data availability concerning the access of individuals to financial services in a range of African countries. We review the nature of the evidence that has been assembled and explore the potential of the data on a cross-country basis. The role of individual, policy and broader environmental characteristics in influencing use of financial services is confirmed and quantified. Evidence for a causal impact of financial access on income is assessed