Financial Inclusion Under the Microscope
Author/Editor:
Sumit Agarwal ; Thomas Kigabo ; Camelia Minoiu ; Andrea Presbitero ; Andre Silva
Publication Date:
September 28, 2018
Electronic Access:
Free Full Text. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file
Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.
Summary:
We examine the impact of a large-scale microcredit expansion program on access to finance and the transition of first-time borrowers from microfinance institutions to the formal banking sector. Using administrative micro-data covering the universe of loans to individuals from a developing country, we show that the program significantly increased access to credit, particularly in less developed areas. This effect is driven by the newly set-up credit cooperatives (U-SACCOs), which grant loans to previously unbanked individuals. About 10\% of first-time U-SACCO borrowers that need a second loan switch to the formal banking sector, with commercial banks cream-skimming less risky borrowers from U-SACCOs and granting them larger, cheaper, and longer-term loans. These borrowers are not riskier than similar individuals already in the formal banking sector and only initially receive smaller loans. Our results suggest that the microfinance sector, together with a well functioning credit reference bureau, help mitigate information frictions in credit markets.
