Effect of Credit Risk Management Practices on Lending Portfolio among Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Kenya

Abstract

Sound lending procedures in financial institutions involve identifying high-risk loan applicants, modifying lending conditions such as security requirements and monitoring repayments. Credit risk management is an emerging activity that lies within Sacco’s. Many researches have attempted to answer the benefits of the credit risk management. However, it has remained unclear for the Sacco’s management on the effects of credit risk management practices on lending portfolio. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of credit risk management practices on lending portfolio among Sacco’s in Nakuru County, Kenya. Data on risk identification, risk analysis, risk monitoring, risk evaluation and risk mitigation obtained from 59 Sacco’s sampled from among Saccos in Nakuru County were analyzed using regression models to identify its effect on lending portfolio. Results indicate a significant effect of all the risk management practices on lending portfolio except risk evaluation which did not register a significant effect on the lending portfolio of the Sacco’s. The findings further show that majority of the Sacco’s have largely adopted risk management practices as a means of managing their portfolio.

Key words: Credit Risk Management,  Lending Portfolio, Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies, Kenya.