Microfinance banks and growth of micro, small and medium enterprises in emerging economies: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the nexus between microfinance banks and the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. Research design method through a self-administered questionnaire to respondents was adopted for the study. The respondents comprise the microfinance banks’ management and staff and micro, small and medium business entrepreneurs, in Lagos State, the commercial hub of Nigeria. The targeted population of this study was 250 with 223 validly responded. The study tested two hypotheses using logit regression analysis. The hypothesis one shows that the null hypothesis is rejected with the acceptance of the alternate that the microfinance banks in Nigeria channelled their resources to the intended target (t-calculated of 8.181 is greater than t-tabulated of 0.000 at 5% level of significance). The findings further showed that a significant positive relationship exists between microfinance banks, proxied by Small Scale Financial Services (SSFS); Financial Sustainability (FST); Absence of Assets-based Collateral (AAC); and Advisory Services (ADS) and the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. This implies that any upward movement in the services of microfinance banks will enhance the growth of MSMEs. This is further affirmed with the t-calculated of 6.540 > t-tabulated of 0.000 at 5% level of significance. Thus, rejecting the null hypothesis two and accepting that there is significant positive link between microfinance banks and MSMEs in Nigeria. This study then recommended among others, the need for government to put in place, a strong and more effective team comprises of all stakeholders, to ensure that the microfinance banks do not derail from their primary responsibility of sustaining funding for the MSMEs.