The Provision of Information on Mobile Banking by Local Ambassadors: Experimental Evidence From Peru

Abstract

A large proportion of adults in the developing world remain without access to formal banking. We assess the effectiveness of a network-based information delivery strategy in fostering interest to learn about and subscribe to mobile money services in rural and peri-urban communities in Peru. We posit that lack of information about mobile money technology is a barrier to financial inclusion, which can be mitigated through social proximity. We designed a randomized controlled trial where workshops were led by individuals personally known to participants (local ambassadors–treatment) or by external agents (control). We find that attendance and BiM subscription rates were twice as high in the local ambassadors' group, especially among low-trust individuals.