CREDIT RISK COMPLIANCE LEVELS AND TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA: A DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS (DEA) MODEL APPROACH

Stephen Kisuli, Tabitha Nasieku, Gordon Opuodho, Kimanzi Kalundu — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper investigates how level of compliance with credit risk regulatory guidelines issued by the central bank of Kenya impacts on technical efficiency whilst considering bank size as a moderating variable. The study adopts a quantitative research design, where a panel data of ten years of a sample of all the licensed commercial banks in Kenya is applied. The technical efficiency scores are estimated with the help of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the correlation between compliance with credit risk and technical efficiency is estimated with the help of the two-limit Tobit regression model estimated by the means of the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method. The study findings established that there is a negative and statistically significant correlation between credit risk and technical efficiency meaning that an increase in credit risk correlates with decreased technical efficiency among commercial banks. Bank size was found to be statistically significant in determining the impact of technical efficiency, which points to the role of scale-related variables in efficiency performance. The study suggests commercial banks to improve their credit risk management and the level of compliance with prudential credit risk guidelines to minimize excessive credit risk exposure and to promote technical efficiency. Moreover, regulators and policymakers are advised to take into account bank size in designing and implementing credit risk regulatory frameworks. The paper also recommends that future research should generalize the study to other financial institutions, including microfinance institutions and cooperative banks, and use longer time horizons to reflect changing regulatory and efficiency dynamics of the financial sector.

FINANCIAL DECISION‑MAKING PRACTICES AND BUSINESS GROWTH OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN NORTH‑WEST NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL VALIDATION

Abdulsalam Dauda, Bamidele Vincent Olawale — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study empirically examines how financial decision‑making (FDM) practices influence the business growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating within Nigeria’s North‑West geopolitical zone. In an environment characterized by financial exclusion, insecure markets, and information asymmetry, sound decision processes regarding investment, financing, and working‑capital management are vital for long‑term survival. Drawing on Agency Theory and the Pecking Order Theory, the study employed a quantitative correlational design based on primary data collected from 332 SME owners and managers across Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States. Data were analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) techniques. Results indicate that financial decision‑making exerts a positive and statistically significant effect on business growth (β = 1.563; p < 0.001). Firms that systematically appraise investments, manage debt‑equity structure prudently, and maintain disciplined working‑capital control record higher sales and asset growth, contributing directly to regional employment. The model explains 67.4% of observed growth variation (Adjusted R² = 0.674) and passes robustness validation under a gamma‑distributed GLM specification (Deviance/df = 1.03). The study concludes that effective financial decision‑making is a cornerstone of SME expansion. It recommends capacity‑building on investment evaluation, debt management, and liquidity optimization, emphasizing that institutional partnerships between SMEDAN, microfinance banks, and training institutions can strengthen this capability. The research contributes region‑specific evidence to SME‑finance literature and demonstrates the continuing relevance of rational financial decision frameworks in resource‑constrained contexts.

International Journal of Accounting, Management, Economics and Social Sciences (IJAMESC)

CREDIT RISK COMPLIANCE LEVELS AND TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA: A DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS (DEA) MODEL APPROACH

FINANCIAL DECISION‑MAKING PRACTICES AND BUSINESS GROWTH OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN NORTH‑WEST NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL VALIDATION