Adoption Rates and Performance Outcomes of Digital Financial Services Among Urban Youth in Dakar, Senegal: A Comparative Study

Digital financial services (DFS) have become increasingly popular in urban areas of developing countries, including Senegal's Dakar. However, their adoption rates and performance outcomes among young people remain poorly understood. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 200 young adults aged between 18 and 35 who used DFS services for at least three months. DFS adoption rates among surveyed youth were found to be approximately 60%, indicating moderate uptake despite initial skepticism. Performance outcomes showed that users with higher income levels experienced better service reliability (mean score = 7.2 out of 10, SD = ±1.5). The study highlights the importance of understanding user satisfaction and service quality for effective DFS adoption among urban youth in Dakar. Future research should explore long-term impacts and potential interventions to enhance DFS uptake and performance.