The Reviews of Microfinance and Women Empowerment in Ethiopia (Published)
According to the findings of different authors microfinance is providing financial services to unemployed and low-income individuals or groups who would have no access to formal banking services. It has a positive impact on the living standard of the poor people in particular and alleviates poverty in their households in general. It is not only undermining poverty in the city but also empowering women through surviving and making their life prosperous with dignity and self-reliance by providing financial services. And also Ethiopian Microfinance is facing different challenges in empowering such as lack of collateral assets, lack of information, work burden, production failures, verbal abuse, lack of infrastructure, low institutional capacity and opportunities of women in microfinance are providing startup capital, women empowerment, poverty eradication, social and political empowerment, improved saving skills and the above challenges listed should be taken consideration by government and concerned body as well as a problem-solving study must be conducted.
Citation: Ismael Hussein Malela(2022) The Reviews of Microfinance and Women Empowerment in Ethiopia, European Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance Research, Vol.10, No. 3, pp.59-75
Keywords: Collateral, Microfinance, and Ethiopia, empowering women, poverty eradication
Effect of Microfinance Banks’ Interest Rate on Loan Repayment Capability of Borrowers (Published)
This study examined how microfinance banks’ interest rate on loan affects repayment capability of borrowers in Lapo microfinance Bank. This study examined factors affecting loan repayment plan of borrowers; with a view on the impact of promptness of loan repayment on Micro Finance Insittution sMFI loans; and find out measurse put in place by MFsI to improve repayment plan of borrowers. Lapo Bank borrowers in Osun state branch participated in the study. A sum total of 110 customers of Lapo microfinance bank participated in the study. A structured questionnaire adapted from previous studies and grounded literature review was used in collecting data. Findings from the study showed that: there is significant effect of high interest rate of MFI on the repayment plans of borrowers’ loans, the frequency of loan repayment plan significantly has effect on borrowers’ ability to payback loan, there is significant difference in the perception of borrowers on effect of high interest rate of MFI on the repayment plans of borrowers’ loans based on gender and educational level. Also, the descriptive result showed that; Majority of the borrowers agreed that high interest rate affect loan repayment, it implied that Lapo and other microfinance bank interest rate on loan is higher compare to Deposit Money Banks. Majority of the participants believes that a single digit interest rate on loan could easy the paying back of loan. The study recommends that: Since default on loans is linked to high interest rate, MFIs should consider looking into their interest rates to encourage prompt pay menrt. This may be weighed with interest rates of Deposit money banks and made relatively lower to encourage borrowers of MFIs. KEYWORDS: Microfinance, Interestrate, Borrowers, Loan.
Citation:Olufolakemi Oludami Afrogha and Oluwamayowa Iyanuoluwa Oluleye (2021)Effect of Microfinance Banks’ Interest Rate on Loan Repayment Capability of Borrowers, European Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance Research, Vol.9, No. 9, pp.18-29
Keywords: Banks’, Interest Rate, Loan, Microfinance, Repayment, borrowers
Does Microfinance Improve the Standard of the Poor (Published)
Access to microfinance is expected to improve the standard of living of the poor that are economic active and microfinance clients by enabling them to increase their household income. This study examined the contributions of Microfinance institutions to poverty reduction in Southwest Nigeria, using both primary and secondary data collected from Microfinance institutions (MFIs) and randomly selected customers (micro, small and medium enterprises) of the same Institutions. The study adopted a multistage sampling technique. The data from the survey was used to analyze the impact of loan received on earnings using a loan-impact probability model. The study found that Microfinance is an effective poverty alleviation strategy as it reaches the target customers more effectively and helps to a large extent in improving their standard of living and social status and also impacts greatly on Customers’ savings habit and income generation. The study therefore recommended that MFIs should embark on funds mobilisation drive to be able to reach out to more viable customers for provision of financial services. It also recommended that there should be provision of incentives by government to sustain MFIs in order to further extend their services to the rural areas and capacity building of MFIs in Nigeria should be made mandatory so as to develop appropriate policies that will enhance sustainability and stability.
Keywords: Incentives, MSMEs., Microfinance, Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Poverty
Microfinance (Mf) and Poverty Alleviation In Southwest Nigeria: Empirical Evidence (Review Completed - Accepted)
By inspection, observation and government records there are too many poor in SouthWest Nigeria who require micro/small financial services such as credit, insurance, money transfer etcetera in order to engage actively in productive activities and improve their standard of living. Paradoxically, governments across the world, particularly in Nigeria over the years, have not been able to adequately help the poor in spite of all the rhetorics and several failed poverty-alleviation projects. The objective study examines the roles of microfinance towards the dispersion of credit among the working poor and also helped to improve the standard of living in Nigeria. The study draws from the data collected from the field survey and these were reported using tables, frequency counts and cross-tabulations to draw inferences. In addition, a loan demand model was specified and estimated using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) econometric technique.The study used cross-sectional data collected from selected respondents in selected areas of both the Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria respectively. The study confirmed that most of the Microfinance banks in Nigeria are tailored after the Grameen Bank which focuses on the poor and people with basic, little or no education and that loan demand is interest rate insensitive to loan demand. The study recommended that MFIs should design appropriate products that are flexible enough to meet the different needs of the poor for both production and consumption purposes. Government should urgently tackle the infrastructural gaps such as electricity, water and efficient transportation system which impact greatly on the standard of living of the people;
Keywords: Grameen Bank, Microfinance, Poverty Alleviation