Selected Role-Players in the Regulation and Use of Mobile Money to Promote Financial Inclusion for the Poor and Low-Income Earners in Zimbabwe
Keywords:
mobile money, financial inclusion, the poor, low-income earners, regulationAbstract
The mobile money value chain has numerous stakeholders owing to its combination of the financial and telecommunications aspects. These role-players actively participate in the regulation and use of mobile money to promote financial inclusion for the poor, low-income earners, and other previously marginalised persons in Zimbabwe. In this regard, the conduct of the aforesaid role-players could have both positive and negative effects on the regulation and use of mobile money services in Zimbabwe. Put differently, the involvement of many role-players could give rise to the misalignment of their regulatory objectives and cause unnecessary conflicts. Accordingly, this article explores the roles of, inter alia, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Reserve bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), banks, mobile network operators (MNOs), mobile money agents, the police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the courts in relation to the regulation and use of mobile money to promote financial inclusion for the poor and low-income earners in Zimbabwe. The article also examines the challenges that are faced by the role-players when regulating mobile money in a bid to promote financial inclusion for the poor and low-income earners in Zimbabwe. This is done to provide recommendations that could enhance the regulation and use of mobile money to combat financial exclusion of the poor and low-income earners in Zimbabwe.
Keywords: mobile money, financial inclusion, the poor, low-income earners, regulation
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