Mora, T.i Prior,F. “Profiling of bank account usage by microfinance customers through branchless banking partnershipa in Morocco”.

In this study, we examined the profiles of the customers of the second largest microfinance institution (MFI) in Morocco who use bank accounts offered through a branchless banking partnership. We analysed a large database of customers and microcredits for the period 2010-2015 (554,541 customers, 1,503,061 microcredits and more than 5 million transactions). We first observed that in terms of operations, the use of bank accounts is limited because most transactions are withdrawals (70%). Second, in terms of account balances, we observed that only 21% of customers have a positive balance in any of those accounts. Third, we analysed the explanatory variables for the use of bank accounts and account balances. In terms of account operations, we concluded that age, male gender, unmarried status, higher educational background and group lending microcredits correlated positively with the number of operations. In terms of account balances, we found similar statistically significant associations, except that account balances tended to decrease with an increase in educational attainment.