RUDN Journal of EconomicsRUDN Journal of EconomicsВестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Экономика2313-23292408-8986Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)2466310.22363/2313-2329-2020-28-3-429-439REGIONAL ECONOMYРЕГИОНАЛЬНАЯ ЭКОНОМИКАResearch ArticleFinancing innovative development of the African economies: the role of digitalization and financial innovationsФинансирование инновационного развития экономики стран Африки: роль цифровизации и финансовых инновацийAlhassanTijani ForgorАлхассанТиджани ФоргоPhD student of the Department of Finance and Credit of the Fa- culty of Economicsаспирант кафедры финансов и кредита экономического факультетаatijaniforgor@yahoo.comKouadioAhou JulieКуадиоАу ДжюлиPhD student of the Department of Finance and Credit of the Faculty of Economicsаспирант кафедры финансов и кредита экономического факультетаvashny87@gmail.comGomadoDadson EtseГомадоДадсон ЭтсеPhD student of the Department of Finance and Credit of the Faculty of Economicsаспирант кафедры финансов и кредита экономического факультетаdadfrango@mail.ruPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)Российский университет дружбы народов15122020283VOL 28, NO3 (2020)ТОМ 28, №3 (2020)42943925092020Copyright ©; 2020, Alhassan T.F., Kouadio A.J., Gomado D.E.Copyright ©; 2020, Алхассан Т.Ф., Куадио А.Д., Гомадо Д.Э.2020Alhassan T.F., Kouadio A.J., Gomado D.E.Алхассан Т.Ф., Куадио А.Д., Гомадо Д.Э.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0https://journals.rudn.ru/economics/article/view/24663The article examines the relationship between financial innovation (mobile banking) variables in sub-Saharan Africa. Mobile banking (also known as mobile money) is one of the main financial innovations in the sub-Saharan region, and it is a system through which non-bank residents (residents without bank accounts, etc.) receive financial services. The overall importance of financial innovation in today’s digital and knowledge-based economy, and indeed, innovative development, inspired this study. Using a partial linear regression model, we analysed the International Monetary Fund data set, the World Bank’s national economic data, and mobile banking data from GSMA for the period from 2011 to 2017. A negative correlation was found between these variables and growth, as well as financial development, but a positive relationship was established between financial development and economic development. This positive relationship re-confirms the argument that financial development affects economic growth. It is recommended that policy makers develop and implement the necessary policy tools that can promote this form of financial innovation, and thus link its benefits to the national economy in general.В статье рассмотрена взаимосвязь между финансовыми инновационными (мобильными банковскими) переменными стран Африки к югу от Сахары. Мобильный банкинг (также известный как мобильные деньги) является одной из основных финансовых инноваций в регионе к югу от Сахары, и это система, с помощью которой небанковское население (резиденты без банковских счетов и другие) получает финансовые услуги. Общее значение финансовых инноваций в современной цифровой и наукоемкой экономике и, собственно, инновационное развитие послужили вдохновением для настоящего исследования. С использованием модели частичной линейной регрессии был проведен анализ набора данных Международного валютного фонда, национальных экономических данных Всемирного банка и данных мобильного банкинга из GSMA за период с 2011 по 2017 год. Обнаружена отрицательная корреляция между этими переменными и экономическим ростом, а также финансовым развитием, однако была установлена положительная связь между финансовым и экономическим развитием, вновь подтверждающая аргумент о том, что финансовое развитие влияет на экономический рост. 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