Banks and operators of mobile telephony in financial inclusion in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Competition and innovations
Jacques KIAMBU DI TUEMA
Université du Moyen-Lualaba de Kalima, République Démocratique du Congo
Faculté d’Économie, Province du Maniema
jakiam1@yahoo.fr
ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5855-1225
Florent Jean Désiré KABIKISSA
Université Marien NGOUABI de Brazzaville, Congo
Faculté des Sciences Économiques, Laboratoire d’Économie Financière et des Institutions
kabisdesire2015@gmail.com
ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6079-7267
Ferdinand MOUSSAVOU
Université Marien NGOUABI de Brazzaville, Congo
Faculté des Sciences Économiques, Laboratoire d’Économie Financière et des Institutions
fajmoussavou@gmail.com
ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5178-582X
Claude LOMAMA LOMBOTO
Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, France
Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Villetaneuse, Campus Villetaneuse
llomama@yahoo.fr
ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2414-328X
Étienne KIYUNGA TCHANDEMA
Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Kalima, République Démocratique du Congo
Province du Maniema
etiennechandema@gmail.com
ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2230-0306
Abstract: This article analyzes the competition between commercial banks and operators of mobile telephony (OMT) in financial inclusion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a market where services are differentiated horizontally. We use the Hotelling model (1929), to study the consequences of competition on the development of financial services. The conclusion is that competition between banks and operators of mobile telephony is not conductive to lower prices or massive financial inclusion. Rather, it accentuates a po- larized diffusion of financial services across the national territory, given the low income levels of the population and the importance of the informal sector that characterizes the Congolese economy.
Keywords: banks, operators of mobile telephony, financial inclusion, competition, innova- tions, Democratic Republic of Congo.
JEL classification : D43, H41, L11, O55.
