What is the effect of political instability on financial inclusion (FI) in the Middle East and North Africa region? Using data for 2011, 2014, and 2017, from the Global Findex database, we test the asymmetry relationship between political instability and FI using the probit model with sample selection and a multiplicative interaction test of the asymmetric model. We also propose and test a political stability threshold model that may trigger FI. We find that (a) political instability positively correlates with lower degrees of FI with higher levels of persistence; (b) higher incomes and higher education are associated with higher degrees of FI; (c) a lack of documentation required by formal financial institutions proves to be a major barrier to FI; and (d) inefficient mechanisms to determine real interest rates, corruption, oil reliance, unemployment, and religious tensions also negatively affect FI. Further, we calculate the political stability threshold level that will trigger FI to be ‐0.960 for the Middle East and North Africa region. The policymakers could enhance and promote FI and economic well‐being by targeting the minimum threshold value of political stability.

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This research provides empirical results on context-based factors that determine the use of mobile money in Africa by employing a unique secondary data which provides a new perspective on the technology acceptance model (TAM) application. The hypothesised research model tests the context-based constructs to determine how these constructs affect peoples' intentions and attitudes towards the continued use of mobile money. Exploring these constructs provides an understanding of the insights into the marketing campaigns and growth of mobile money providers. The empirical results suggest that the availability of electricity is an important factor for mobile phone functionality and ongoing use of mobile money in the long run. There is also a correlation between regulations that are perceived to be enabling and the intentions of individuals to continue using mobile money. However, there is a negative correlation between rural dwellings and the intentions of individuals to adopt the use of mobile money which finds its basis in the inadequate mobile networks and national grid systems in rural areas.

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