From Crisis Necessity to Sustained Use: A Process Model of Mobile Banking Use in an Unequal Global South Context

From Crisis Necessity to Sustained Use: A Process Model of Mobile Banking Use in an Unequal Global South Context

Kumasi, Ghana & Virtual

Mobile banking (m-banking) has become an important financial infrastructure, especially during crises. This study examines how users in the Western Cape, South Africa, adopted m-banking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a qualitative design with a construct-informed interview guide and thematic analysis of interviews, we show that adoption was driven less by innovation-seeking and more by situational necessity to maintain financial continuity and minimise health risk. Over time, crisis-triggered use evolved into value-sustained engagement anchored in convenience, financial control, and growing digital confidence. The findings identify social mediation, risk-management practices, and digital literacy as key mechanisms shaping this trajectory. We developed a process model and propositions explaining how crisis conditions, interpersonal support, perceived value, and digital skills interact to influence m-banking adoption. The study contributes to debates on digital financial inclusion and calls for crisis-aware extensions of technology adoption theory in unequal Global South contexts.