A dozen countries had weak institutions in 1960 and yet sustained high rates of growth subsequently. We use data on their characteristics early in the growth process to create benchmarks with which to evaluate potential constraints on sustained growth for sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis...

Policy emphasis for financial sector development has shifted away from microfinance and towards the development of ‘inclusive financial markets’. But for inclusion to take place, policy must address barriers to access. This paper analyses the socio-economic, demographic and geographic...

While the scale of informal finance in many developing countries has long been known to be extensive, data at the national level and particularly in Africa has been scarce. Moreover, financial sector development policy has firmly shifted its attention away from informal finance and towards...

Policy emphasis has recently shifted to ‘Finance for All’ given evidence that financial sector development (FSD) contributes to growth but that the primary effects on poverty do not arise from pro-poor provision. This paper uses data from Financial Access Surveys carried out in 2006 in Kenya...

Financial inclusion is about increasing the set of financial service options available and the concept of financial capability seeks to capture the idea that their effective use will lead to improved wellbeing. Studies on financial capability have so far adopted an ontological assumption that...

Recent developments in impact evaluation recognise the need to go beyond the intense debate over experimental techniques to incorporate theory-based approaches and qualitative research methods. Motivated by an underlying concern that qualitative research in this new wave of qualitative impact...

In the context of calls for more nuanced understanding of marriage as a dynamic institution, this paper addresses a gap in the literature on intra-household financial management. It examines financial management systems and levels of co-operation among 51 married couples in Kenya. It first...