Digital Literacy and Economic Performance of Women in SHGs in Embu County, Kenya

Digital literacy is increasingly recognised as a key driver of women’s economic performance; however, empirical evidence on its influence among women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in rural Kenya remains limited. This study examined the influence of digital literacy on the economic performance of women in SHGs in Embu County, Kenya. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel research design with a descriptive correlational component. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 379 women from 1,346 registered SHGs, complemented by five key informant interviews and two focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, chi-square analysis, and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that 82.4% of respondents reported that inadequate digital skills limited effective use of digital platforms. Although 68.7% could independently operate mobile money applications, only 38.5% were confident using smartphones and internet-based applications. Furthermore, only 38.0% had received any form of digital literacy training, and most training was limited to a single session. Digital literacy was significantly associated with economic performance (ρ = 0.48, p < 0.001). Women with high digital literacy were more than five times as likely to report high economic performance as those with low digital literacy (61.1% versus 11.3%; χ²(4) = 142.6, p < 0.001, Cramér’s V = 0.44). Multiple regression analysis further confirmed that digital literacy significantly predicted economic performance (β = 0.25, t = 4.00, p < 0.001), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concludes that digital literacy is a significant predictor of the economic performance of women in SHGs. Strengthening continuous, practical digital literacy programmes, particularly for older women and those with limited digital competencies, can enhance financial inclusion, enterprise development, and overall economic well-being among rural women.