Mengistu Bogale (PhD)Abay Gebeyaw2026-03-032026-03-032025-09https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7800In East Africa, mobile money has emerged as a key driver of financial inclusion, enabling individuals without bank accounts to access essential financial services. This study examines the factors that influence the growth of mobile money account in five chosen East African nations, with a particular emphasis on network coverage, mobile device ownership, banking penetration, regulatory policies, and mobile money agents. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, the study analyzes the connections between independent factors and the rise of mobile money using multiple linear regression analysis in SPSS and secondary data from 2019 to 2023. The result indicates that the availability of mobile money agents, the banking penetration, network coverage, and the percentage of mobile devices ownership all have a positive influence on the number of registered mobile money accounts. The study does discover, however, that the Mobile Money Regulation Index (MMRI) has a notable adverse effect, indicating that too strict rules can prevent uptake. These results emphasize how crucial it is to maintain regulatory framework balance in order to promote innovation and safeguard consumers. The study suggests that governments use flexible regulatory strategies that promote the use of mobile money while upholding security requirements in light of the findings. To increase accessibility, mobile money service providers could use technology infrastructure and grow their agent networks. Future studies should look at consumer behavior while using mobile money in various economic circumstances and investigate the precise elements of regulatory rules that influence its uptake.en-USMobile moneyfinancial inclusionmobile money agentsbanking penetrationregulatory frameworknetwork coverageEast AfricaThesis