Measuring financial inclusion through primary data collection on mobile financial services involves gathering relevant information that reflects the accessibility, usage, and impact of these services on individuals and communities. Here's a structured approach:
Demographic Data Collection:
Gather demographic information such as age, gender, income level, education level, employment status, and geographic location. This helps in understanding the profile of users and non-users of mobile financial services.
Access to Mobile Phones:
Assess the availability and ownership of mobile phones among the target population. This includes the type of devices owned (smartphones or feature phones), network coverage in their area, and frequency of usage.
Awareness and Understanding:
Measure the level of awareness and understanding of mobile financial services among the population. Questions can include familiarity with available services, understanding of transaction processes, and awareness of associated costs and risks.
To measure financial inclusion using primary data on mobile financial services, you can employ various methods and indicators. Here are some steps you can follow:
1. Define the Scope: Determine the specific aspects of financial inclusion you want to measure through mobile financial services. For example, you might focus on the number of individuals with access to mobile banking, the frequency of mobile transactions, or the usage of specific mobile financial services.
2. Sampling: Design a representative sample of the target population that reflects the demographic characteristics of the area or region you are studying. Consider factors such as age, gender, income level, and location.
3. Survey Design: Develop a survey questionnaire to collect relevant data. Ensure that the questions are clear, concise, and aligned with your research objectives. Include questions about mobile phone ownership, access to mobile financial services, usage patterns, barriers, and satisfaction levels.
4. Data Collection: Administer the survey to your selected sample. This can be done through face-to-face interviews, telephone surveys, online surveys, or a combination of methods. Ensure that the data collection process is consistent and standardized across respondents.
5. Mobile Financial Services Indicators: Identify key indicators to measure financial inclusion through mobile financial services. These indicators may include:
- Mobile phone ownership: The percentage of individuals who own a mobile phone.
- Mobile banking access: The proportion of individuals who have access to mobile banking services.
- Mobile money usage: The frequency and extent of mobile money transactions conducted by individuals.
- Mobile payment adoption: The usage of mobile payments for various purposes, such as bill payments, transfers, or purchases.
- Digital literacy: Assessing individuals' knowledge and skills related to using mobile financial services.
6. Data Analysis: Analyze the collected data using statistical methods and software. Calculate indicators such as percentages, averages, and ratios to measure financial inclusion levels based on the mobile financial services indicators identified in step 5.
7. Interpretation and Reporting: Interpret the findings of your analysis and draw conclusions about the level of financial inclusion through mobile financial services. Prepare a report summarizing the results, highlighting key findings, and providing recommendations for improvement.
By following these steps, you can collect primary data on mobile financial services and use it to measure financial inclusion levels effectively.
In light of the spread of financial applications on phones that facilitate financial services provided to customers, they include many benefits, namely saving time, effort, and money. Therefore, these applications help in the process of integrating customers into financial systems. In addition to the ease of collecting and using financial data
Measuring indicators by MFS are No of accounts , payments system availability, easy and affordable lending, insurance facilities , access , profitability, affordability , literacy and security .