Financial Inclusion And The Growth Of Small Medium Enterprises In Uganda: Empirical Evidence From Selected Districts In Lango Sub Region
Abstract The growth and failure of small and medium enterprises has been a topic of discussions world over amongst policy makers and researchers. This study was guided by the following objectives: To examine the contributions of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to determine the challenges affecting Small Medium Enterprises, to examine how financial inclusiveness supports the growth of Small medium enterprises and to establish the relationship between financial inclusion and Small Medium Enterprises. The study used a cross sectional research design. Descriptive design was used and supplemented by inferential statistics. Correlation and regression analysis were adopted. The study revealed that financial inclusion is significant in supporting SMEs growth. The study also revealed that cost of acquiring and servicing financial services are high, there is also difficulty in using some of the financial services, and the way financial providers treat financial users, some lacked some degree of respect and dignity. The study recommends that financial providers should continue sensitizing the public on the available financial services beyond credit services, which are common and known. Digital financial service providers should encourage their clientele to use digitalized financial services which are cheap, secure and risk averse. Cost of capital should also be reduced to encourage borrowing while SMEs should innovatively produce goods that can be competitive at both domestic and international markets.