Credit Information Sharing and Credit Availability in Kenya

Abstract

This study provides an empirical investigation of the effect of credit information sharing on credit availability in Kenya while controlling for bank characteristics. The study employed the explanatory non-experimental research design. A census of the 43 financial institutions that are licensed under the Kenyan Banking Act was conducted. Both primary and secondary data were collected. The key source documents for the secondary data were the financial disclosures prepared by the banks on a quarterly basis for the period 2008-2012. Fixed effects regression results showed that presence of information sharing had significant positive effect on credit availability as measured by the volume of lending. However, the intensity of information sharing had very little effect on credit availability. The study recommends that the government should ensure that the recently introduced credit reference bureaus cater for all types of credit institutions and also organized informal groups so that prospects of enhanced credit availability can be further improved. Secondly, the government needs to embark on effective awareness creation of the benefits of credit information sharing to the financial institutions.

Keywords: Asymmetric Information, Credit Availability, Information sharing