Assessing Digital Financial Literacy and Acceptability of Opportunistic Chatbot-Based Interventions Among Rwandan Youth

Africa has the youngest population worldwide, with many young people engaged in informal or temporary employment. Long-term financial resilience in this demographic requires that they develop strong digital financial literacy (DFL) skills, including saving, investing, and managing risk through digital platforms. This study investigates digital financial literacy (DFL) among 300 Rwandan young adults aged 18–32 years and explores an AI-enabled intervention, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (DecentWork and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Findings reveal average financial knowledge, moderate digital literacy, and engagement in budgeting and saving behaviors, but persistent gaps in access to formal financial services and cybersecurity practices. Significant gender disparities were identified, with men demonstrating higher financial knowledge and participation in savings and investments, and higher educational attainment was positively associated with DFL.The low-fidelity chatbot intervention for loan literacy, delivered via a mobile money platform—designed based on survey insights—showed limited usability and acceptability due to participants’ low awareness of personal finances and prolonged task times. These results highlight the need for inclusive, context-sensitive digital financial education solutions and responsible AI integration within digital financial ecosystems to advance sustainable financial inclusion and economic empowerment in low-resource settings.