The Contributions of United Bank for Africa to the Development of Small Scale Enterprises

The Contributions of United Bank for Africa to the Development of Small Scale Enterprises

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on the contribution of the United Bank for Africa to the Development of Small Scale Enterprises. It aims at evaluating the contribution of United Banks in financing small-scale businesses, identifying challenges of accessing bank loans as well as possible factors hindering the implementation of credit policies by banks. To achieve this, the survey research design was adopted with oral interviews and questionnaires to elicit responses. The simple percentages and chi-square (c2) test statistics were used in analyzing the data and determining the tenability of the hypotheses formulated. Unaffordable terms of capital, challenges in accessing bank loans and advances, and factors hindering the implementation of credit policies were found to be more challenging, the researcher recommends that banks should make available capital an affordable terms ensure routine checks on businesses, educate entrepreneurs through managerial workshops and government should enforce implementation of credit to policy to boost the development of small businesses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        i

Declaration        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        ii

Approval Page   –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        iii

Dedication          –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        iv

Acknowledgment        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        v

Abstract    –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        vii

Table of Contents       –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the study     –        –        –        –        –        –        1

1.2    Statement of the Problem  –        –        –        –        –        –        2

1.3    Objectives of the Study       –        –        –        –        –        –        3

1.4    Significance of the Study    –        –        –        –        –        –        3

1.5    Research Questions   –        –        –        –        –        –        –        4

1.5.1 Statement of Hypotheses   –        –        –        –        –        –        5

1.6    Scope of the Study      –        –        –        –        –        –        –        5

1.7    Limitation of the Study       –        –        –        –        –        –        6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1    Introduction       –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        7

2.2    Definition of Small Scale Enterprises –        –        –        –        7

2.3    Benefits of Small Businesses      –        –        –        –        –        10

2.4    Problems and Challenges of Small Scale Businesses   –        11

2.5    Financing Small Scale Enterprises      –        –        –        –        14

2.6    Definition of Bank      –        –        –        –        –        –        –        19

2.7    Roles of Banks in the Development of Small Scale Business          21

2.8    Summary of the Review      –        –        –        –        –        –        22

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1    Introduction       –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        24

3.2    Research Design         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        24

3.3    Area of the Study       –        –        –        –        –        –        –        24

3.4    Population of the Study      –        –        –        –        –        –        25

3.5    Sample Size and Sampling Technique         –        –        –        –        25

3.6    Instrument of Data Collection    –        –        –        –        –        25

3.7    Validation of Instrument    –        –        –        –        –        –        26

3.8    Reliability of Instrument    –        –        –        –        –        –        26

3.9    Method of Data Collection  –        –        –        –        –        –        27

3.10  Method of Data Analysis    –        –        –        –        –        –        27

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1    Introduction       –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        29

4.2    Characteristics of the Respondents     –        –        –        –        29

4.3    Data Presentation and Analysis –        –        –        –        –        30

4.4    Testing of Hypothesis         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        33

4.5    Summary of Findings          –        –        –        –        –        –        –        36

4.6    Discussion of Findings        –        –        –        –        –        –        36

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1    Summary  –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        39

5.2    Conclusion         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        41

5.3    Recommendations      –        –        –        –        –        –        –        42

5.4    Suggestion for Further Study      –        –        –        –        –        43

Bibliography      –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        44

Appendix I         –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        46

Appendix II        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        –        47

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In both developed and developing countries, the small-scale industry is seen as the vehicle for rapid industrialization, sustainable economic growth, and development, poverty alleviation as well as the seedbed of innovation and employment generation. Therefore, that small scale enterprises have the potential of becoming the engine of economic growth in any country, July 8, 2010).

Because of this paramount importance of small-scale businesses, there has been a pressing need for the involvement of banks in financing its development in Nigeria and Kaduna in particular. This is because banks loans constitute the most important source of institutional financing for both start-up and growing enterprises.

It is the realization of this fact that made the government establish various schemes and programmers in the past to enhance credit availability to small-scale enterprises in Nigeria. In a recent time now, however, the Nigeria bankers committee in 1999, approved the scheme requiring all banks in Nigeria to set aside 10 percent of their profit before Tax (PBT) for equity development in small scale and medium scale industries.

Despite these measures, many small scale businesses with economic potentials for growth often fail and close down due to lack of funds, insufficient working capital, lack of managerial experience and skilled labor, poor accounting records as well as lack of infrastructural facilities (central Bank of Nigeria: the billon, October/December 2004:58-b5)

Thus, how banks have contributed to improving the aforementioned challenges and the expectations, regarding the development of small-scale enterprise in Kaduna are the issues discusses in the research work.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Although the small-scale enterprise is regarded as the bedrock of industrialization of an economy, attempts made by many entrepreneurs to start and operate them have met with a high percentage of failures, lack of funds, and insufficient working capital have identified as some of the causes of such failures. The study, therefore, seeks to answer such questions as; have banks been able to make available capital on affordable terms to small-scale enterprises? What measures have been put in place to ensure that such funds are effectively used by enterprises? Do small-scale enterprises have easy access to credit facilities? These and more issues constitute the problems that necessitate this research work

1.3 Objective of the Study

The objective of this research work are :

i. To evaluate the role of banks in financing small-scale enterprises in Kaduna.

ii. To identify challenges faced by small scale businesses in accessing loans

iii. To identify possible factors handing implantation of credit policies on loans and advance to small scale entrepreneur.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is that it shows the relevance of banks in financing small-scale businesses, thus enhancing business growth and expansion and attainment of goals and objectives of the business. It is also beneficial for the formulation of policies and programs by the federal and state government as they might be looking forward to taking necessary steps to prevent the collapse or failure of small-scale businesses in Nigeria and Kaduna in particular. Again, it will enable the entrepreneurs to have more understanding of how businesses should be financed, thus knowing funding further research in this area.

1.5 Research Questions

For this research work, the following questions would serve as a guide to evaluate the development role played by the united bank for Africa (UBA) plc.

i. Is capital made available on affordable terms to small-scale enterprises?

ii. Are there challenges facing small-scale enterprises in accessing bank loans?

iii.  What factor hinders the implementation of credit policies on loans and advances to small-scale entrepreneurs?

1.5.1 Statement of Hypotheses

H0:  Capital is not made available to small businesses on affordable terms.

H1:  Capital is made available to small businesses on affordable terms.

H0: No challenges are facing small-scale businesses in accessing bank loans and advances.

H1: Challenges are facing small-scale businesses in accessing bank loans and advances.

H0: No factors are hindering the implementation of credit policies on loans and advances to small-scale businesses.

H1: Factors are hindering the implementation of credit policies on loans and advances to small-scale businesses.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research work is limited to cover the development in terms of financing the small-scale business enterprise in Kaduna using the United Bank for Africa Plc as a case study, to highlight related problems and propose solutions to the problems.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

This study is constrained by the cost of acquiring information as the researcher had to browse on the internet, search academic journals and books relating to the subject matter of the research work. Also, considering limited time, other competition course works with this study does not allow for exhaustive research work.