Abstract/Summary

This thesis investigates the role of financial inclusion in supporting youth entrepreneurship in the mining-dependent Copperbelt Province of Zambia. This study uses a case study of young people in Kankoyo, a declining mining community, to examine the interlinkages between financial access and youth entrepreneurship, an area requiring further enquiry and conceptual thinking. This study employed a mixed-methods approach that adopted qualitative and quantitative research tools. A total of 220 participants (159 female and 61 male) participated in a semi-structured questionnaire and 49 participants (32 female and 17 male) in focus group discussions. Additionally, eight young people (five female and three male) participated in in-depth interviews, 11 key informants at the national and local levels were interviewed, and 11 financial inclusion policy documents were analysed. Thematic and content analysis was used to explore the qualitative data using NVivo, and Tableau software was used for quantitative data to identify important demographic and entrepreneurship characteristics. The study finds that, despite the availability of financial services and products within the formal financial system, there is limited formal financial access among young people. This study identifies the unique challenges young people face in accessing formal financial services, which are exacerbated by the decline in the mining industry. This finding underscores the need for tailored financial products, effective policies, and regulations to overcome identified barriers. In addition, the study finds that participation interventions promoted as solutions to expand financial inclusion for youth often exclude the most vulnerable youth, leading to continued exclusion as an unintended consequence. The study concludes that, although financial inclusion is necessary for supporting youth entrepreneurship, it alone may not lead to transformative entrepreneurial outcomes in the context of declining economic conditions. Therefore, policies and interventions targeting young people in mining communities should combine financial inclusion initiatives with interventions that address broader structural challenges.