Determinants of Commercial Banks Credit to the Domestic Economy in Nigeria: Examinations of Dynamics Principles

Abstract

This study examined determinants of commercial banks credit to the domestic economy in Nigeria. The objective was to examine the extent to which banks variables, macroeconomic and monetary policy variables affects credit allocation of Nigerian Commercial Banks. Time series data was sourced from Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical bulletin and financial statement of commercial banks. Percentage of total commercial banks loans to gross domestic product was proxy for dependent variable while the banks specific variables are peroxide by operational efficiency, liquidity, number of commercial banks branches, Commercial Banks Deposit Liabilities and deposit rate. The independent variables in macroeconomic model comprises of real gross domestic product, public expenditure, openness of the economy, inflation rate and exchange rate while monetary policy variables comprises of treasury bills rate, real interest rate, monetary policy rate, growth of money supply and financial sector development. The study employed ordinary least square properties of augmented Dickey Fuller test, co-integration test, and granger causality test and vector error correction model. Findings from the study revealed that; banks specific variables shows that deposit liabilities and liquidity ratio have positive impact on total loans and advances while deposit rate, number of commercial banks branches and openness of the economy have negative impact. Model II found that; exchange rate, inflation rate and Real Gross Domestic Product have positive impact while public expenditure and openness of the economy have negative impact on total commercial bank loans and advances. Model III found that; financial sector development and monetary policy rate have negative impact while growth of money supply, real interest rate and Treasury bills rate have positive impact on total loans and advances of commercial banks. We conclude that monetary policy, bank specific variables or internal variables and macroeconomic variables are strong determinants of Nigerian commercial banks loans and advances. We therefore, recommend for the interplay and the strengthening of macroeconomic variables, monetary policy variables and banks specific variables (internal policies) in order to enhance commercial banks credit in Nigeria.