MFI Benchmark Analysis: An Industry Still Expanding, Despite Challenges

Nearly 900 MFIs submitted data for MIX’s 2007 MFI benchmarks, representing a range of microfinance service providers, regions, sizes and stages of development. Compared to the 2006 series, coverage improved in all published peer groups. The survey expanded significantly its sample of non bank financial intermediaries, particularly those institutions allowed to mobilize deposits, with the addition of small, licensed intermediaries in Africa and Asia. Both regions also saw their numbers swell in this survey.

Even as this annual survey continues to expand coverage, it remains committed to providing broad, representative benchmarks for all microfinance institutions, beyond the subset of leading MFIs. As a result, new markets (five new countries), new institutions (144 less than five years old), and small institutions (311 serving fewer than 10,000 borrowers) all found a home in this year’s benchmark dataset, allowing start-up MFIs to track their performance in this dynamic marketplace. Continued coverage of the mature (543) and the large (316) operations still provide reference points for the more established institutions of substantial scale.

Readers are reminded that expanded coverage also means that results are less comparable from one annual survey to another. Please refer to the trend lines benchmark series to capture growth trends on a smaller, core set of reporting institutions1. The next series will be published in Spring, 2009.