Microfinancing of Some Selected Small And Medium Enterprises in Owerri

ABSTRACT  

This research work is on Microfinancing of Small and Medium Enterprises in Owerri with emphasis on selected Small and Medium Enterprises. The indispensable role of finance to the growth and survival of enterprises and the adoption of microfinance as the main source of financing Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria motivated this study. Primary data gathered using 5- Point Likert Scale questionnaire were presented and analysed using simple percentages and frequencies. Hypotheses were tested at 5% level using Chisquare and one way ANOVA statistical tools. The main objective of this study is to estimate the effects of microfinancing on business performance of enterprises in Nigeria. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study found that: that financing capacity of Microfinance Banks has significant effect on the growth of small businesses in Nigeria, injection of microfinance funds into small business operations has significant effect on productivity of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria, incorporation of non-financial services of microfinance banks has significant effect on the business performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria. The work concludes that microfinancing contributes significantly to an enhanced entrepreneurial environment by making the business environment more conducive and narrows the resource gap for small businesses. Based on the above findings the study recommends, among others, microfinance Banks should increase the duration of their clients' asset loans, or spread the repayment over a longer period of time, or increase the moratorium.