Mobile Phones and Development in Africa: Does the Evidence Meet the Hype?
November 14, 2023
The conference, entitled 'Digitisation and Development', focused on the growth of the digital economy and opportunities for private sector development in emerging and lower-middle income countries.
Organised by the International Finance Corporation and Sciences Po, this two-day conference was held on 22 and 23 January 2024 in Paris. It brought together leading academics, decision-makers, and practitioners from a wide range of institutions.
The conference addressed various topics, including digital infrastructure and its accessibility for businesses, the use of digital technologies, the heterogeneity of adoption models, and the obstacles that hinder them. It also explored opportunities for digital entrepreneurship and examined the impact of digitization on development, including its political implications for developing countries.
Session 6, dedicated to digital finance and entrepreneurship in developing economies. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
Joel Cariolle from FERDI initiated the discussions, alongside Elizabeth Noble of the Fintech Knowledge Hub at the European Banking Authority, following the presentation of the planned work for this session.
"New opportunities for digital financial solutions, entrepreneurs, and start-ups"
Moderation will be ensured by Olena Havrylchyk from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Speech by Joël Cariolle on the use of mobile phones in Africa and the impact of digital payments :
Although the focus was on presenting empirical results and examining their implications for developing countries, the conference also considered a wide range of relevant contributions and themes during other sessions: the development impact of digitalization, the adoption and use of digital technologies by firms, digital infrastructure, the twin transitions (digitalization and climate implications for the private sector), and the opportunities for digital entrepreneurship.
