Examining trust and risk in mobile money acceptance in Uganda

Abstract

Mobile money adoption can contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Uganda but the factors affecting its sustainable adoption remain largely unknown. This paper explores the extent to which mobile money users' trust and risk perceptions affect mobile money services adoption of in Uganda. A survey was conducted with 438 mobile money users from Uganda and data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). From the results, we obtained new empirical evidence for applying trust and risk perceptions for analyzing mobile money acceptance. We found that mobile money users rely on the structural soundness of mobile money services providers and their ability to provide mobile money services with low perceived risk. Performance expectancy, perceived risk and structural assurance significantly influenced behavioral intention to adopt mobile money. Trust belief did not significantly influence behavioral intention. These results help us to understand and promote mobile banking services in underdeveloped countries, which is of practical and scientific interests. We finally provide practical implications for mobile money services providers, commercial banks and central banks in Africa.