James Ahabyona
I currently work on development topics such as technology adoption, education, and the long-term effects of early-life circumstances across Africa. I completed my MSc in Economics at Nova SBE, and previously worked as a Research Assistant at the Yale Economic Growth Center.
Recent Work
2026
Working Paper
Can Games Measure Mobile Money Adoption? Evidence from Mozambique
Forecasting the adoption of technological innovations is difficult but potentially impactful, particularly in rural low-income communities worldwide. This paper tests a novel method to measure mobile money adoption by employing behavioral measures to elicit preferences for saving or remitting using mobile money. I link these game decisions to individual-level mobile money administrative transaction data; my findings show that while willingness to remit through mobile money strongly predicts adoption in the second and third years after mobile money was introduced, willingness to save in the mobile money game is a strong predictor of future mobile money cash-in and any mobile money transaction in the first, second, and third years.
2026
Work in Progress
Artisanal Mines and Women Empowerment
Using DHS data, historical gold prices, and a unique geospatial dataset of artisanal mining activities across Africa, we examine how artisanal mines affect women empowerment outcomes across the continent.
News
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Jul 2026
Released a GRE Vocabulary Study Tool Click here to request it
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Jul 2026
Launched my redesigned personal website.
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Dec 2025
Launched The Economic Misfit.
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May 2025
Started working on Artisanal Mines and Women Empowerment.
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