Semi-Systematic Review of the Perceived Cost of Mobile Payment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Financial technology offers convenience, security, and affordability. In sub-Saharan Africa, mobile money is the flagship offering hypothesized to promote financial inclusion. Nonetheless, the persistent complaints from end-users about the cost associated with mobile money usage in the sub-region have gone under the radar. Therefore, using the semi-systematic review of news articles and blogs’ in direct content analysis, we explore the cost of mobile money usage in the sub-region. We examine the state of mobile charges and how it potentially reverses the original purpose of FinTech. Results indicate that governments and other stakeholders find mobile money charges to be high. The imposition of mobile money tax and the regressive structure of mobile money charges affect the poor. The effort of policymakers to reduce the cost of mobile money in the sub-region is ineffective because the FinTech market is dominated by few foreign-owned telecommunication companies. Thus, the creation and promotion of a domestic FinTech market are necessary to promote greater financial inclusion.

Enhanced optical, morphological, dielectric, and conductivity properties of gold nanoparticles doped PVA/CMC blend as an application in organoelectronic devices

Stevia rebaudiana plant leaves were used for biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Transmission electron microscope ( TEM ) images showed various shapes and sizes of AuNPs. Various amounts of AuNPs were added to polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethylcellulose ( PVA / CMC , 40/60) via the casting method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum of pure blend shows the amorphous nature of the blend. FT-IR spectra showed the interaction between PVA / CMC and AuNPs. The ultra-violet and visible (UV/VIS.) spectra showed emerge new peak of surface plasmon resonance ( SPR ) of AuNPs for the filled samples. SEM images showed bright spots on the sample's surface, which was attributed to AuNPs. AC conductivity exhibited enhancement after the addition of gold nanoparticles. The ε′ and ε″ were reduced with increasing the frequency due to direction dipoles of applied electric field. Because of the mobile charges inside the polymeric backbone, higher values of ε′ and ε″ were observed at low frequencies. The tanδ showed increased with an increase in AuNPs concentration and at the decrease the frequency, as expected.

Theory of Inhomogeneous Rod-like Coulomb Fluids

A field theoretic representation of the classical partition function is derived for a system composed of a mixture of anisotropic and isotropic mobile charges that interact via long range Coulomb and short range nematic interactions. The field theory is then solved on a saddle-point approximation level, leading to a coupled system of Poisson–Boltzmann and Maier–Saupe equations. Explicit solutions are finally obtained for a rod-like counterion-only system in proximity to a charged planar wall. The nematic order parameter profile, the counterion density profile and the electrostatic potential profile are interpreted within the framework of a nematic–isotropic wetting phase with a Donnan potential difference.

Theory of Inhomogeneous Calamitic Coulomb Fluids

A field theoretic representation of the classical partition function is derived for a system composed of a mixture of anisotropic and isotropic mobile charges that interact via long range Coulomb and short range nematic interactions. The field theory is then solved on a saddle-point approximation level, leading to a coupled system of Poisson-Boltzmann and Maier-Saupe equations. Explicit solutions are finally obtained for a calamitic counterion-only system in proximity of a charged planar wall. The nematic order parameter profile, the counterion density profile and the electrostatic potential profile are interpreted within the framework of a nematic-isotropic wetting phase with a Donnan potential difference.