Financial Sector Development in Africa: Opportunities ... - World Bank

16 Jarotschkin
Figure 1.7 Median Return on Assets across Africa, 2005–10
7
6
5
4
Percent
3
2
1
0
–1
–2
–3
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Year
Central Africa East Africa North Africa
Southern Africa West Africa Africa
Source: MIX Market database 2012, http://www.themix.org/publications/mix-microfinance-world.
Figure 1.8 Costs and Borrowers, World Regional Medians, 2005–10
500
a. Cost per Borrower
US dollars
b. Borrowers per MFI Staff Member
200
Cost, USD
Cost, USD
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Year
Year
Africa East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Central Asia
Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East South Asia
Source: MIX Market database 2012, http://www.themix.org/publications/mix-microfinance-world.
However, this cost does not take into account the lower per capita gross
domestic product (GDP) terms because most African countries have a
much lower gross national income (GNI) than countries in other regions.
Hence, the ratio per capita would display these costs at an astronomically
higher level than other regions. In terms of productivity, Africa has been
performing slightly better in international comparison. Although return