The Policy-practice Divide in Financial Inclusion in Six African States

Over the past decade, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has witnessed a surge in National Financial Inclusion Strategies (NFIS), framed as vehicles for reducing poverty, promoting equity and accelerating economic transformation. Yet, a persistent policy-practice divide undermines these ambitions, particularly in fragile and low-capacity states. This article investigates this divide through a comparative analysis of six East African countries—Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan—drawing on the Global Findex Database (2017, 2021), NFIS documents and peer-reviewed literature. Building on institutional theory, fragility studies and policy implementation models, we propose a conceptual framework linking policy inputs, institutional capacity and fragility to outcomes in access, usage and equity. Findings reveal that while Kenya and Rwanda demonstrate relatively strong alignment between strategy and practice, anchored in regulatory innovation and digital infrastructure, fragile contexts such as Burundi and South Sudan show limited progress, with informal systems filling the void left by formal institutions. The article’s originality lies in its explanation of why these divides persist, highlighting institutional capacity, governance quality and fragility as critical mediators. We recommend recalibrating NFIS towards usage-driven goals, embedding gender responsiveness, supporting informal-formal linkages and strengthening monitoring systems. By reframing financial inclusion as both an equity imperative and a macroeconomic resilience strategy, this article advances scholarly and policy debates on how African states can bridge the implementation gap.