Microfinance accountability in Cameroon: A cure or a curse for poverty alleviation?

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to use empirical findings to identify the different forms of accountability practices existing in Cameroon microfinance institutions (MFIs) and explore how such practices have evolved and institutionalised within the microfinance sector in Cameroon through time. Design/methodology/approach - This study is designed to investigate if the institutionalised accountability practices within the microfinance sector in Cameroon are a cure or a curse for poverty alleviation. This study is based on the new institutional sociology (NIS) and on a case study approach and combines in-depth interviews and secondary data sources. Findings - This study identifies three principal forms of accountability practices common with MFIs in Cameroon: dysfunctional, manipulative and dribbling accountabilities. Originality/value - This paper is novel because it extends the NIS into the microfinance sector and explains how conflicting institutional pressures resulting from differences of accountability practices can be resolved and also exposes the unintended consequences of both resistance and passive actions of local actors on microfinance, the poor and poverty alleviation

Governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cameroon: What lessons can we learn?

The aim of this paper is to find out the effects of the COBAC regulations regulating the microfinance industry on the governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cameroon. The paper is based on 35 in-depth interviews carried out from May to June 2011 and June to July 2012 with managers and accountants from MFIs in Cameroon, MFI clients and non-clients, regulatory authorities in the Ministry of Finance, and accounting professionals. The findings show that the regulations have broken down the governance within the MFIs in Cameroon thus turning MFIs into hybrid organizations with managers striving to meet their shareholders' interests

An empirical investigation into the risk management strategies of MFIs in Cameroon

This paper examines risk strategies adopted by MFIs in Cameroon. Much research on risk and especially after the financial crisis of 2007 has been based on mainstream financial institutions and ignored the contribution of risk on MFIs activities and in our societies. This study is based on 15 in depth interviews with 7 managers and 8 lending officers, we identified four main areas of risk concerns for MFIs in Cameroon; reputational, death of a borrower, credit and institutional size risks. Our results show that risk is an elusive concept for which we cannot understand or measure the effect on an organisation. So as to help minimise these effects, we propose MFIs to take the for-profit status in order to attract investors who are willing to invest within MFIs, therefore minimising the effect of risks on MFIs