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Benchmarking the financial performance, growth, and outreach of greenfield MFIs in Africa

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  • Cull, Robert
  • Harten, Sven
  • Nishida, Ippei
  • Rusu, Anca Bogdana
  • Bull, Greta

Abstract

We use regressions to benchmark African greenfield microfinance institutions (MFIs) relative to other African microfinance providers and find that greenfields grew faster, improved profitability to levels comparable to the top MFIs, and substantially increased their lending to women. Effects were strongest for greenfields that followed a consultant-led model to establish a deep retail banking presence spanning multiple countries, including the creation of extensive branch networks. Though their loan sizes are larger than most African MFIs, indicating less outreach to the poorest market segments, they have achieved rapid gains in financial inclusion on a broad scale for somewhat more affluent clients.

Suggested Citation

  • Cull, Robert & Harten, Sven & Nishida, Ippei & Rusu, Anca Bogdana & Bull, Greta, 2015. "Benchmarking the financial performance, growth, and outreach of greenfield MFIs in Africa," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 92-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:25:y:2015:i:c:p:92-124
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2015.05.002
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    2. Hilson, Gavin & Hilson, Abigail & Maconachie, Roy, 2018. "Opportunity or necessity? Conceptualizing entrepreneurship at African small-scale mines," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 286-302.
    3. Amin Karimu & Samuel Salia & Javed G. Hussain & Ishmael Tingbani, 2021. "Are competitive microfinance services worth regulating? Evidence from microfinance institutions in Sub‐Saharan Africa," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 476-492, January.
    4. Fall, F.S. & Tchakoute Tchuigoua, H. & Vanhems, A. & Simar, L., 2021. "Gender effect on microfinance social efficiency: A robust nonparametric approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 295(2), pages 744-757.
    5. Naegels, Vanessa & Mori, Neema & D'Espallier, Bert, 2022. "The process of female borrower discouragement," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    6. Hessou, Hélyoth T.S. & Lensink, Robert & Soumaré, Issouf & Tchakoute Tchuigoua, Hubert, 2021. "Provisioning over the business cycle: Some insights from the microfinance industry," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Niels Hermes & Marek Hudon, 2018. "Determinants Of The Performance Of Microfinance Institutions: A Systematic Review," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(5), pages 1483-1513, December.
    8. Nebal Al Maaitah, 2019. "The Legitimacy of Profit of Microlending Institutions and Womens Empowerment: A Case Study from Jordan," Theory Methodology Practice (TMP), Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, vol. 15(01), pages 3-17.
    9. Sommeno, Tigist Woldetsadik & Mersland, Roy & Randøy, Trond, 2024. "The impact of liability of foreignness on performance in hybrid organizations," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2).
    10. Bibi, Uzma & Balli, Hatice Ozer & Matthews, Claire D. & Tripe, David W.L., 2018. "New approaches to measure the social performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs)," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 88-97.
    11. Al-Azzam, Moh'd & Mimouni, Karim, 2017. "Currency risk and microcredit interest rates," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 80-95.
    12. Hubert Tchakoute Tchuigoua, 2023. "Loan officer gender and loan repayment performance. Evidence from greenfield microfinance institutions in Cameroon1," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(2), pages 519-548, June.
    13. Soumaré, Issouf & Tchakoute Tchuigoua, Hubert & Hessou, Hélyoth T.S., 2020. "Are microfinance institutions resilient to economic slowdown? Evidence from their capital ratio adjustment over the business cycle," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 1-22.
    14. Nguyen, My & Perera, Shrimal & Skully, Michael, 2016. "Bank market power, ownership, regional presence and revenue diversification: Evidence from Africa," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 36-62.
    15. Mia, Md Aslam & Ben Soltane, Bassem Ibrahim, 2016. "Productivity and its determinants in microfinance institutions (MFIs): Evidence from South Asian countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 32-45.
    16. Hermes, Cornelis & Hudon, M., 2018. "Determinants of the Performance of Microfinance Institutions: A Systematic Review," Research Report 2018008, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; Africa; Financial inclusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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