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Bank Size, Information Sharing and Financial Access in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Simplice A. Asongu

    (Yaoundé/Cameroon)

  • Jacinta C. Nwachukwu

    (Coventry University, UK)

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates how bank size affects the role of information asymmetry on financial access in a panel of 162 banks in 39 African countries for the period 2001-2011. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical evidence is based on instrumental variable Fixed Effects regressions with overlapping and non-overlapping bank size thresholds to control for the QLH (Quiet Life Hypothesis). The QLH postulates that managers of large banks will use their privileges for private gains at the expense of making financial services more accessible to the general public. Financial access is measured with loan price and loan quantity whereas information asymmetry is implicit in the activities of public credit registries and private credit bureaus. Findings - The findings with non-overlapping thresholds are broadly consistent with those that are conditional on overlapping thresholds. First, public credit registries have a decreasing effect on the price of loans with the magnitude of reduction comparable across all bank size thresholds. Second, both public credit registries and private credit bureaus enhance the quantity of loans. Third, compared with public credit registries, private credit bureaus have a greater influence in increasing financial access because they have a significantly higher favourable effect on the quantity and price of loans Fourth, the QLH is not apparent because large banks are not associated with lower levels of financial access compared to small banks. Originality/value - Studies of public credit registries and private credit bureaus in Africa are sparse. This is one of the few to assess linkages between bank size, information asymmetry and financial access.

Suggested Citation

  • Simplice A. Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2017. "Bank Size, Information Sharing and Financial Access in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 17/044, Research Africa Network (RAN).
  • Handle: RePEc:abh:wpaper:17/044
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David Adeabah & Charles Andoh, 2020. "Cost efficiency and welfare performance of banks: evidence from an emerging economy," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(5), pages 549-574, July.
    2. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Size, efficiency, market power, and economies of scale in the African banking sector," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 5(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2020. "The Mobile Phone, Information Sharing, and Financial Sector Development in Africa: a Quantile Regression Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(3), pages 1234-1269, September.
    4. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2018. "Information asymmetry, financialization, and financial access," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 297-315, December.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2021. "Information Asymmetry and Insurance in Africa," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 394-410, July.
    6. Adeabah, David & Andoh, Charles, 2019. "Market power, efficiency and welfare performance of banks: evidence from the Ghanaian banking industry," EconStor Preprints 192967, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public goods; Financial access; Bank size; Information sharing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • G29 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Other
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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