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Significance

To date, traditional aid programmes and subsidies have had little effect on reducing persistent poverty and inequality. This is leading donors to push regional states to extend safety nets to vulnerable households.

Impacts

Developed mobile banking systems, such as Kenya's, will let cash transfer schemes reach communities even in remote areas.

However, this will be difficult to achieve in Nigeria, due to unreliable telecoms services and rules requiring formal bank involvement.

South Africa's ratio of four social grant recipients to every taxpayer means its welfare system could be unsustainable in the long term.

Porous borders could let migrants move from states with less generous cash transfer schemes to those with more bounteous ones.

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