Monetary policy transmission mechanisms and financial inclusion in West Africa countries

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of monetary policy on financial inclusion in sixteen West African countries using panel data from the International Monetary Fund database covering 2010-2021. Financial inclusion was measured through a composite index generated via principal component analysis, incorporating indicators of financial institution penetration, availability, and usage. As a result, the following indicators were determined: money supply (MS, β = 2.948901, p < 0.01), open market operations (OMO, β = 0.011170, p < 0.01), liquidity ratio (LIQR, β = 1.591667, p < 0.01), reserve money (RM, β = 0.800120, p = 0.012), and monetary policy rate (MPR, β = 0.040445, p < 0.01). Cash reserve ratio (CRR, β = -0.18154, p = 0.637) and inflation (INF, β = -0.001634, p = 0.914) were not statistically significant. The model explained about 68% of the variation in financial inclusion (R² = 0.6834). The findings revealed that money supply significantly and positively influenced financial inclusion, showing that liquidity expansion increased banks’ lending capacity and supported wider outreach. Open market operations also had a strong positive effect, as effective liquidity management fosters stability and encourages greater access to financial services. The bank liquidity ratio positively impacted inclusion by strengthening depositor confidence and enhancing banks’ resilience. Reserve money and monetary policy contributed positively and significantly to enhancing financial inclusion. The cash reserve ratio, and inflation showed no significant impact, suggesting that their influence was indirect or constrained by structural financial limitations in the region. The study concluded that liquidity-enhancing monetary policies were critical for improving financial inclusion in West Africa. It was recommended expanding money supply, strengthening open market operations, enforcing robust bank liquidity ratios, and adopting cautious interest rate policies, supported by digital financial services and financial literacy initiatives