1 Department of Agribusiness Management, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone.
2 Department of Social Sciences and Law, University of Makeni, Makeni City, Sierra Leone.
2 School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Campus of University Town of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
3 Department of Social Sciences, War Wounded Secondary School, Grafton-Freetown, Sierra Leone.
4 School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin City, China.
5 Faculty of Economics and Administrative Science, Department of Economics, Cyprus International University, Haspolat, Lefkosa, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2026, 29(03), 2145-2153
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2026.29.3.0701
Received on 20 February 2026; revised on 28 March 2026; accepted on 31 March 2026
This study examines the relationship between digital financial inclusion, particularly mobile money adoption, and small and medium enterprise (SME) performance in Freetown, Sierra Leone, during the post-pandemic recovery period (2021-2024). Using a mixed-methods approach with survey data from 385 SMEs across six municipal districts, the study employs multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate how digital payment systems influence business resilience, revenue growth, and financial sustainability. The study findings reveal that mobile money adoption is positively associated with SME revenue growth (β = 0.412, p < 0.001) and operational resilience (β = 0.368, p < 0.001), with this relationship moderated by owner education level and business formalization status. The study contributes to the growing literature on financial inclusion in West Africa and provides empirical evidence for policymakers seeking to enhance SME development through digital transformation initiatives in post-conflict economies.
Digital Financial Inclusion; SMES; Mobile Money; Business Resilience; Sierra Leone; Emerging Markets
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Abdulai Sillah, Mariatu Abionor Swaray, Finda Martha Magaret Fillie Faboe, Issa Sesay, Malachy Chinedu Onyike and Abdulrahman Sillah. Digital financial inclusion and SME performance in post-pandemic Freetown: Evidence from mobile money adoption and business resilience. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2026, 29(03), 2145-2153. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2026.29.3.0701.