IMPACT OF CASHLESS POLICY ON FINANCIAL INCLUSION OF THE UNBANKED IN NIGERIA

The study examines the impact of the cashless policy on the financial inclusion of the unbanked population in Nigeria. Cashless policy presents an opportunity to increase financial inclusion by providing access to electronic payment channels for the unbanked population. The research design adopted is descriptive and data were collected through questionnaires which were administered physically with a sample size of one hundred and fifty-four (154) members of two hundred and fifty (250) random respondents who are unbanked citizen within Ijebu north local government. Data collected were presented in tabular form, critically analyzed using simple linear regression. This study aims to investigate the impact of the cashless policy on the financial inclusion of the unbanked population in Nigeria. The study sets out to answer research questions related to impact of cashless policy methods on the availability and accessibility of financial services of the unbanked in Nigeria. In other words, the implementation of these policy measures has brought about substantial changes, making financial services more readily available and easier to access for individuals who previously had limited.it can be concluded that cashless policy has encouraged the adoption of digital transactions and reduced reliance on cash, leading to increased efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion. It was recommended that efforts should be made to improve internet connectivity, especially in remote areas. Keywords: Cashless Policy, Financial Inclusion, Financial Services, Unbanked Population, Fintech.