Financial inclusion and monetary policy effectiveness in a monetary union: Heterogenous panel approach

Abstract

We examine the nexus between financial inclusion and inflation targeting monetary policy effectiveness in West African Economic and Monetary Union countries by employing a heterogenous panel approach that enables us to delineate the responses to policy innovations related to idiosyncratic country-specific shocks, common shocks, and composite shocks. We find that these shocks significantly affect inflation and financial inclusion but with varying magnitudes, signs, time of responses, and persistence. We further demonstrate that inflation targeting monetary policy is differently associated with the various dimensions and indicators of financial inclusion. Overall financial inclusion shocks temporarily increase inflation; deposit shocks reduce inflation; and credit shocks increase inflation. Central bank policy rate differently responds across time horizon to overall financial inclusion shocks; and it increases due to credit shocks highlighting that the monetary authority responds to credit shocks by implementing contractionary monetary policy. Our results highlight that monetary policy aimed at promoting inclusive financial services and responses of monetary policy to financial inclusion should be specific to the dimensions of financial inclusion.