Harnessing e-Financial Literacy for Sustainable Loan Repayment and Growth of SMEs in Multicultural Contexts: A Review of Strategic Innovative e-Solutions

<ns7:p>This review synthesises literature on how digital financial literacy and technological solutions influence sustainable loan repayment and growth among small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in multicultural contexts. Despite the growing adoption of digital financial tools, significant gaps remain regarding their long-term impact, cross cultural applicability, and integration with behavioural and institutional frameworks. Anchored in Human Capital Theory, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, and the Technology Acceptance Model, the review explores how knowledge, skills, attitudes, and perceived ease of use shape SMEs’ adoption of digital tools and responsible financial behaviour. The study employed a thematic analysis of journals, reports, and dissertations published between 2015 and 2025, sourced from Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, SpringerLink and JSTOR. We examined five thematic areas: digital financial education, data driven financial analytics, virtual inclusive financial literacy platforms, fintech integration, and digital policy and institutional ecosystems. Our findings reveal that mobile based applications, e learning modules, gamified interfaces, AI powered adaptive learning, predictive financial analytics, and fintech solutions such as mobile banking and blockchain enhance SMEs’ financial literacy and repayment behaviour. However, we established that limited internet access, low digital literacy, complex digital interfaces, socio cultural barriers, and weak institutional frameworks hinder effective adoption and long-term engagement. Success stories such as M Pesa’s Pamoja app in Kenya, Alipay’s SME academy in China, and Google’s Primer App illustrate adaptive strategies for sustainable growth. In this review, we conclude that sustainable SME development requires human capital investment, inclusive technology adoption, and supportive institutional policies to inform equitable digital transformation.</ns7:p>