This paper investigates the drivers of fintech gender disparities in Africa. We use a novel fintech dataset for 35 economies in Africa over three time periods 2014-2017 and 2021. Using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and Panel Least Squares methods. It finds significant gender disparities in fintech usage; 38% of men use fintech, compared to only 29% of women. It also demonstrates that socioeconomic and cultural factors are the main drivers of gender disparities in Africa, as women in the continent face greater inequality in the workplace, in education, literacy, and the law, which makes it more difficult for them to access digital finance. In addition, we find that women use fintech more frequently, financial services are easier to get, and financial inclusion is encouraged when women are empowered politically, included in democratic decision-making processes, and gender equality is advanced globally.
