THE EFFECT OF LOAN DELINQUENCY ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTION IN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study examines the impact of loan delinquency on the financial performance of 11 microfinance institutions in Ethiopia from 2008 to 2021. Using a quantitative research approach with an explanatory research design, the researcher employs regression analysis to investigate the determinants of return on assets (ROA). The findings align with prior research, showing a negative relationship between nonperforming loans (NPL) and ROA. Higher NPLs indicate increased credit risk and potential losses, consistent with theoretical expectations and previous studies. Similarly, a negative relationship is found between credit to deposit ratio (CDR) and ROA, suggesting that greater reliance on credit for funding is associated with higher risk and potentially lower profitability. However, the positive coefficients on capital adequacy (CA) and firm size (FS) confirm prior research indicating that well-capitalized and larger entities perform better financially. Surprisingly, the loan loss provision ratio (LLP) and cost per asset ratio (CPL) were found to be statistically insignificant in determining ROA. These results imply that the significance of these variables may be context-specific or subject to variations across industries or time periods. This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between loan delinquency and financial performance in the Ethiopian microfinance sector.