FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND DIGITAL BANKING PRACTICES AMONG STUDENTS OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC EDE

ABSTRACT This study is to explore the relationship between financial inclusion and digital banking practices among students of Federal Polytechnic Ede. This was achieved by identifying the factors that influence students' adoption of digital banking practices in Federal Polytechnic, Ede, evaluating the level of access to financial services among students to understand their financial inclusion status, establishing the effects of digital banking practices and financial inclusion among the students of Federal Polytechnic Ede and exploring the challenges and barriers that students face in accessing financial services and adopting digital banking in Federal Polytechnic, Ede. The study adopted survey design and utilized primary data obtained through questionnaire. The population for this study comprised all the students of Federal Polytechnic, Ede which is 17, 000 students. Yemane sampling technique was used to obtain a sample size of 390 students. The questionnaire was administered to the 390 students. The sample social demographics were analysed using descriptive analysis which included simple percentages computed by SPSS. The reliability and validity of the research instrument was tested through Cronch Alhpa and KMO respectively. In addition, the relationship among the variables was tested through regression. The regression model’s results suggest that digital banking practices are crucial predictors of financial inclusion, consistent with the findings of several authors in the literature. The high correlation coefficient (R = 0.948) and the near-perfect R² value (0.899) confirm that the predictors used in your model explain a significant proportion of the variation in financial inclusion. This study contributes valuable insights into how digital banking can empower students at Federal Polytechnic Ede, providing evidence for policy-makers and educators to prioritize digital infrastructure and literacy initiatives. The study recommended that improving access to digital services, providing technical support, and building trust are crucial steps in promoting financial inclusion and bank should reduce the risk of using digital banking services by providing a reliable digital services.