The role of gender in agent banking: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract This paper uses a unique data set with 1.1 million customer transactions from a microfinance institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2017 to 2018. Regression analysis of individual-level transaction behavior and customer-agent dyads provides evidence of assortative gender matching in agent banking transactions, as clients prefer to transact with agents of their own gender. Female clients show a robust preference for female agents even when they are less available, particularly when making high-value transactions and when they have higher account balances. We also replicate the analysis with a second microfinance institution in Senegal and find similar patterns. The underrepresentation of female agents may contribute to the persistent gender gap in financial access and usage in Sub-Saharan Africa.