Effect of the Socioeconomic Characteristics of Borrowers on Microcredit Repayment Behaviour: An Application to a Category II Microfinance Institution in Cameroon

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of socioeconomic characteristics of borrowers on microcredit repayment behaviour. The results of Probit regression statistical analysis using a database of 1805 individual loan contracts, credit records and follow-up files from 2007 to 2014 period by Community Credit of Africa (CCA) in Cameroon, reveal that educational level, awareness about the location of business and/or home of borrowers by the lender, sector of activities, availability of collateral, income stability, and personal wealth of borrowers have a statistically significant influence on microcredit repayment behaviour of borrowers. The outcome of the results shows that microfinance institutions should not only rely on financial indicators to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers. Other factors belonging to the social and economic characteristics of the borrowers are supposed to be integrated in credit risk models. These factors are sought to influence significantly microcredit repayment behaviour of borrowers.