EFFECTS OF CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON LOAN PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN NYERI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study sought to establish how various credit risk management practices affect performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County in Kenya. Even though commercial banks face several types of risks, credit risk stands out as the most severe. Credit risk is the possibility of loss to the lender on non-performing loans. Financial practice as well as theory provides a scientific process of credit risk management in financial institutions. However, lenders still face loan default and consequently this study sought to find out how those practices affect the performance of commercial banks in Nyeri County, Kenya. A census study was conducted where a population of 86 respondents was targeted comprising of branch managers, credit managers and credit officers. The findings of the study were that all commercial banks had a well written credit policy which is strictly and consistently followed. Only few commercial banks conduct a quantitative credit scoring model. In all banks, initial screening is done by credit officer and approval done at different levels depending on the amount. Majority of the banks check post borrowing activities of the borrower. In conclusion, credit risk management has an effect on loan performance amongst commercial banks. Thus, managers should evaluate more accurately the ability to pay back of a customer since the better the screening the better the performance of commercial banks. JEL: G31, E51, G21 Article visualizations: