FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

COVID 19 is one of the major disasters that significantly disrupted the socio-economic statuses of various businesses and nations. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which COVID 19 affected financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The qualitative research methodology and purposive sampli...

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Main Authors: Takupiwa NYANGA, Munyaradzi CHIKOVE, Thinkwell NYANGA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bucharest University of Economic Studies 2024-09-01
Series:Business Excellence and Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://beman.ase.ro/no143/5.pdf
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author Takupiwa NYANGA
Munyaradzi CHIKOVE
Thinkwell NYANGA
author_facet Takupiwa NYANGA
Munyaradzi CHIKOVE
Thinkwell NYANGA
author_sort Takupiwa NYANGA
collection DOAJ
description COVID 19 is one of the major disasters that significantly disrupted the socio-economic statuses of various businesses and nations. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which COVID 19 affected financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The qualitative research methodology and purposive sampling technique were adopted in carrying out the study. Data was collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions from 35 participants. Data was analysed using the thematic data analysis approach. The study found out that covid-19 barred people in rural areas from accessing financial services, which consequently propelled poverty in rural areas. Financial inclusion, is a key driver to poverty reduction; while financial exclusion significantly propels poverty in societies. The study also established that digitalizing financial services is one of the strategies which can be utilized to promote financial inclusion in the post- covid19 era. Financial institutions should digitalise financial services, so that those in rural areas do not incur transport and logistical costs to access financial services. It was recommended that policies that encourage the delivery of formal financial services to the informal business sector in rural areas should be developed. Governments should consider granting subsidy to providers of financial services in rural areas so that they can offer basic financial services at low cost to the excluded population. Thus, the government and financial institutions ought to commit themselves to the delivery of accessible, affordable, appropriate and cost-effective financial services in rural areas.
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spelling doaj-art-abc4563a20914430b2e82269a8782c2b2025-08-20T01:47:28ZengBucharest University of Economic StudiesBusiness Excellence and Management2248-13542668-92192024-09-01143657710.24818/beman/2024.14.3-05FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARDTakupiwa NYANGA0Munyaradzi CHIKOVE1Thinkwell NYANGA2Great Zimbabwe UniversityGreat Zimbabwe UniversityGreat Zimbabwe UniversityCOVID 19 is one of the major disasters that significantly disrupted the socio-economic statuses of various businesses and nations. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which COVID 19 affected financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The qualitative research methodology and purposive sampling technique were adopted in carrying out the study. Data was collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions from 35 participants. Data was analysed using the thematic data analysis approach. The study found out that covid-19 barred people in rural areas from accessing financial services, which consequently propelled poverty in rural areas. Financial inclusion, is a key driver to poverty reduction; while financial exclusion significantly propels poverty in societies. The study also established that digitalizing financial services is one of the strategies which can be utilized to promote financial inclusion in the post- covid19 era. Financial institutions should digitalise financial services, so that those in rural areas do not incur transport and logistical costs to access financial services. It was recommended that policies that encourage the delivery of formal financial services to the informal business sector in rural areas should be developed. Governments should consider granting subsidy to providers of financial services in rural areas so that they can offer basic financial services at low cost to the excluded population. Thus, the government and financial institutions ought to commit themselves to the delivery of accessible, affordable, appropriate and cost-effective financial services in rural areas.https://beman.ase.ro/no143/5.pdffinancial inclusionfinancial servicesinformal sectorpost- covid 19
spellingShingle Takupiwa NYANGA
Munyaradzi CHIKOVE
Thinkwell NYANGA
FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
Business Excellence and Management
financial inclusion
financial services
informal sector
post- covid 19
title FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
title_full FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
title_fullStr FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
title_full_unstemmed FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
title_short FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD
title_sort financial inclusion and the informal sector during and post covid 19 eras status challenges and way forward
topic financial inclusion
financial services
informal sector
post- covid 19
url https://beman.ase.ro/no143/5.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT takupiwanyanga financialinclusionandtheinformalsectorduringandpostcovid19erasstatuschallengesandwayforward
AT munyaradzichikove financialinclusionandtheinformalsectorduringandpostcovid19erasstatuschallengesandwayforward
AT thinkwellnyanga financialinclusionandtheinformalsectorduringandpostcovid19erasstatuschallengesandwayforward