African Rural Sociology | 05 April 2012
Microfinance Adoption and Success Rates among Women Entrepreneurs in Abidjan: A Mixed-Methods Exploration
A, m, a, d, o, u, K, o, n, a, n
Abstract
Microfinance programmes have been implemented in various African countries to support women entrepreneurs, but their effectiveness varies across regions and contexts. The study employs a combination of quantitative data collection through surveys and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative interview transcripts. Women entrepreneurs in Abidjan showed an immediate loan application success rate of 75%, with repayment rates at 80% after one year. Themes emerging from the interviews included challenges related to business planning and financial management skills. Microfinance programmes have shown promise in supporting women entrepreneurs in Abidian, though further development is needed in areas such as business planning education. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive training programmes for microfinance clients to enhance their entrepreneurial success rates.