IMPACT OF MICROCREDIT ON POVERTY AMONG WOMEN IN YOLA NORTH AND YOLA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, ADAMAWA STATE

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of microcredit on poverty among women in Yola market, Jimeta modern market and Gwari market of Yola North and Yola South Local Government areas of Adamawa state. The study concentrated on ascertaining whether women, as target of the microfinance banks assistance, could access micro credits and if the accessed credit affected their livelihoods (standard of living) by increasing their earnings and reducing their poverty level. The study adopted a survey research design with a systematic random sampling technique to determine the sample size. The responses were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential (Regression) methods to investigate the problem. It was found that access to micro-credit for women entrepreneurs let to increase in their earnings, as indicated by the positive sign of the coefficient 0.189, which indicates a direct relationship between access to micro credit and earning. Similarly, the business condition proved to be positive, which is 0.557 and significant. The study recommended that more awareness of the modality of access to micro-credit be created among the right category of the targeted beneficiaries by having direct contact with them. They should also be educated or trained on accessing the fund and its efficient management, while the providers (microfinance institutions) should provide women entrepreneurs with more micro-credit.