Nigeria’s Microfinance Sector: Struggling Dreams and Economic Potential
Nigeria’s vision of a flourishing microfinance banking sector is at a crossroads. Recent license cancellations have left the nation with approximately 700 microfinance banks striving to cater to an estimated 36.9 million micro-businesses. On the surface, this may appear as a manageable equation, but the hurdles facing micro-businesses run much deeper than mere numbers.
The critical role of micro-businesses in addressing Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is crystal clear. Data from the fourth quarter of 2020 indicated an alarming unemployment rate of 33.3 percent, with a staggering 23,187,389 Nigerians unemployed. Concurrently, studies suggest that Nigeria houses around 36,921,740 micro-businesses, reinforcing the dire need for these enterprises to thrive.
Should both datasets hold true, bolstering access to funding for these micro-businesses could potentially eradicate Nigeria’s unemployment problem and usher in a more robust labor market. While this concept may seem simplistic, it underscores the transformative potential of micro-businesses in job creation.
Influential figures like Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Tax Policy and Fiscal Reforms, have championed fiscal incentives for micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) as a catalyst for job creation, emphasizing the pivotal role of funding access in the success of these ventures.
Access to affordable funding serves as the bridge between promising business ideas and their actualization in the market. Unfortunately, the path from innovative concepts to commercial viability is often blocked for many micro-businesses in Nigeria, primarily due to what experts deem an unfriendly financial landscape.
Presently, Nigerian MSMEs grapple with an unmet financial demand of $158.13 billion, averaging $4,200 (N3.2 million) per enterprise. This deficit looms large, especially when juxtaposed against the paltry 0.06 percent current access.
The transition from micro-businesses to SMEs is another formidable challenge in Nigeria. The ratio of 507 micro-businesses to one SME in Nigeria starkly contrasts with Bangladesh’s 13 to one. South Africa, despite having fewer formally registered micro-businesses per capita, boasts a higher rate of transition to larger enterprises.
Quality is yet another concern. MSMEs in leading regional economies like Egypt, Algeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Kenya enjoy superior funding, placing Nigeria at a disadvantage in global and continental competition. Despite the abundance of microfinance banks (MFBs) in Nigeria, efficiency remains elusive.
The journey began with noble intentions in 2005 when Nigeria introduced microfinance policies to extend financial services to underserved areas. However, operational misalignment and a failure to adapt to market dynamics led to the collapse of many MFBs. Nigeria’s microfinance sector lacks a social investment philosophy akin to Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank, which catalyzed MSME growth in other nations.
New entrants with digital-first operations have emerged, but funding costs have escalated. Some lenders impose exorbitant interest rates, adversely impacting financially marginalized micro-businesses.
Today, thriving MFBs are better known as transaction banks, offering mobile payment and utility services. They serve as lenders of last resort to millions of impoverished Nigerians, a far cry from their initial mission.
In conclusion, Nigeria’s microfinance sector confronts formidable challenges, encompassing inefficiency, elevated costs, and a misalignment with the needs of micro-businesses. A revitalization of the sector is imperative to unlock its potential as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
