...For each of the surveyed countries, Brookings measured four aspects of financial inclusion: government commitment, mobile capacity, regulatory environment and adoption of traditional and digital financial services.

Kenya scored well in each category, achieving an overall score of 84 percent that placed it five points ahead of the number-two country: Colombia.

Brazil and South Africa are ranked third and fourth in the survey, while Ethiopia is put in second-to-last place, ahead only of Egypt.

Along with Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda — each of which also won high marks for access to mobile-money resources — Kenya has not fully tapped its potential for making financial services readily available, the study cautions.

None of the four EAC countries rank in the top echelon with respect to mobile capacity. “This suggests,” the authors write, “that the increasingly thriving financial inclusion ecosystems present in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda can be made even stronger...

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Kenya-ranked-first-in-access-to-financial-services/1056-3336552-i0ksr6/index.html