Effect of Agency Banking on Performance of Microfinance Banks in Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of agency banking on performance of microfinance banks in Kenya

Methodology: The study adopted positivism philosophy approach and descriptive research design was used. The study also used census survey. The target population was the thirteen Microfinance Banks regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya. The questionnaires were self-administered and primary data was collected from the thirteen regulated microfinance banks. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for preliminary analysis. Factor analysis was conducted to reduce the number of factors and Kaiser Mayer Olkin and Barlett's test of Sphericity were tested and total variance explained, scree plot and rotated component matrix were drawn.

Findings: The descriptive statistics findings disclosed that agency banking has a positive effect on performance of MFBs. This was shown by 71.7% of the respondents were in agreement that agency banking influence the performance of MFBs. The findings showed that the relationship between agency and performance was p value was 0.018 and F test of 5.908 showing that the model was statistically significant for the data set. The coefficient table showed that the equation was Y = 2.680 + 0.355AGB. The findings denoted that agency banking has a moderate relationship with performance of MFBs. The MFBs are using agency banking to grow their businesses thus generating profits and capital gain.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that MFBs should open more agents especially in the rural areas to facilitate population access near services. In addition, the management team and the policy makers should ensure that policies are elaborated to protect the customers from fraud and also exploitation by the business owners due to higher transaction cost and the business operating the agents should be trained on fraud policies because it is affecting many customers. The government and the MFBs should ensure all those operating the agents are well trained on record keeping, managing of funds, and customer care.